Mar 2, 2017
HRI Recognizes Leaders, Donors

The Horticultural Research Institute (HRI) has recognized volunteer leaders and recent donors as it enters its 55th year of service to the green industry.

Officers for 2017 are President Jon Reelhorn, Belmont Nursery, Inc. (Fresno, California); Immediate Past President Karl Losely, Herman Losely & Son, Inc. (Perry, Ohio); President Elect Jennifer DeJager, Lincoln Nurseries, Inc. (Grand Rapids, Michigan); Treasurer Alan Jones, Manor View Farm, Inc. (Monkton, Maryland). Other Executive

Committee members are:

Gary Knosher, Midwest Groundcovers, LLC (St. Charles, Illinois);
Stephen Mostardi, Mostardi Nursery (Newtown Square, Pennsylvania);
Ken McVicker, Van Essen Nursery Co. (Lebanon, Oregon).

Trustees for 2017 are

Jonathan Berry, J Berry Nursery (Grand Saline, Texas);
Brian Decker, Decker’s Nursery (Groveport, Ohio);
Leigh Geschwill, F and B Farms and Nursery (Woodburn, Oregon);
Danny Gouge, Willoway Nurseries, Inc. (Avon, Ohio);
Ka Yeon Jeong, PhD, Ohio State University (Columbus, Ohio);
Bob Jones, The Chef’s Garden, Inc. (Huron, Ohio);
Matthew Kramer, Ball Horticultural Company (West Chicago, Illinois);
Mark Reiner, Oakland Nursery, Inc. (Columbus, Ohio);
Danny Takao, Takao Nursery (Fresno, CA);
Lorence Wenke, Wenke Greenhouses (Kalamazoo, Michigan).

HRI also recognizes outgoing trustee Steven Castorani, North Creek Nurseries (Landenberg, Pennsylvania) and outgoing executive committee member John Coulter, John Coulter Co. (Hillsboro, Oregon).

A special memorial recognition was presented to the family of Scott Bunting during a reception held in conjunction with the Mid-Atlantic Nursery Trade Show (MANTS). Bunting unexpectedly passed away in August 2016. He owned and operated Bunting Horticultural Sales (Edgewater, Maryland) and served as an HRI trustees for six years.

More than 150 industry professionals attended the winter reception, which also celebrated HRI donors. The reception recognized more than $190,000 in donations for research fostering business-building knowledge for the horticultural industry.

Notable contributions celebrated that evening include:

Bayer Foundation, $15,000 toward GrowWise, BeeSmart educational efforts
J. Frank Schmidt, $3,000 toward GrowWise, BeeSmart research
Ball Horticultural Company, $25,000 toward GrowWise, BeeSmart research
Ball Horticultural Company, $9,000 toward support of The Journal of Environmental Horticulture
Emergents, $1,400 in recognition of their supporters and sponsors
The Peter Orum Family, $25,000 toward the Orum – Midwest Research Fund
Midwest Trading, $12,500 toward the Orum – Midwest Research Fund

Donations from attendees were also made to all three of HRI’s special recognition funds: the Memorial Fund, the Legacy Fund, and the Very Important Partner (VIP) Fund.

HRI acknowledges Spring Meadow Nursery’s $50,000 donation to the Spring Meadow – Proven Winners Endowment Fund. This donation completes a pledge made by the company and founders Dale and Liz Deppe in 2012 to increase their fund donations by $250,000. The fund now stands at over $730,000.

Finally, HRI recognized the contributions of more than 50 donors to the newly established Craig Regelbrugge – Advocates for Horticulture Fund. This fund now stands at over $60,000 in donations and pledges.

For information about HRI, or to financially support the work, visit www.hriresearch.org, or call Jennifer Gray at 614.884.1155.