Apr 29, 2021

AmericanHort Elects New Officers, Directors

AmericanHort recently announced the election of three new members to the board of directors, along with the election of a new slate of officers. The official welcome and installation will take place at Cultivate’21.

“These individuals are leaders from across the horticulture industry and encompass various experiences, skills, and backgrounds. We are excited to welcome this group of new directors,” said Ken Fisher, president and CEO of AmericanHort. “We appreciate the dedication and commitment of our officers and the leadership they provide our organization and industry.”

The new slate of officers will include Cole Mangum of Bell Nursery USA LLC as the new chairman of the board and Jon Reelhorn of Belmont Nursery as vice chairman of the board. In addition, J. Harvey Cotton Jr. recently joined the board to serve as treasurer, a non-voting position. Tom Hughes of Hughes Nursery & Landscaping LLC will become the immediate past chairman.

Cole Mangum is vice president of operations for Bell Nursery in Elkridge, Maryland. He oversees operations across eight facilities as well as coordinating a team of category managers who manage shipping of finished product. He has served on the National Leadership Cabinet for the Seed Your Future initiative and as Horticulture Representative for the Maryland Agricultural Commission.

Jon Reelhorn is owner and president of Belmont Nursery, Fresno, California, a third-generation business that loves being part of their local community and includes nursery growing, greenhouse growing and a retail garden center. Jon is has served as a board member with the California Farm Bureau and California Nursery and Landscape Association, he held several committee roles with the American Nursery and Landscape Association and the Horticultural Research Institute.

Harvey Cotten is a garden writer, designer and consultant. After 22 years with the Huntsville Botanical Garden, most recently as vice president and chief horticulturist, he retired in 2014. Harvey currently serves as president of the Alabama Nursery & Landscape Association and is past president of the Horticultural Research Institute and Alabama Invasive Plant Council.

The AmericanHort membership has elected the following new board directors:

• Rob Lando is CEO of Oberlin, Ohio-based AgriNomix, and is being elected to a second director term.
• Steve Mostardi is owner and general manager of Mostardi Nursery, a retail garden center located in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania.
• Lyndsi Oestmann serves as president of Loma Vista Nursery, in Ottawa, Kansas.

These new directors will join current directors Gerry Docksteader, Advanced Horticultural Solutions; Mike Gooder, Plantpeddler Inc.; Joe Hobson, Midwest Trading Horticultural Supplies Inc.; Amy Morris, N. G. Heimos Greenhouses; Ed Overdevest, Overdevest Nurseries; and Jonathan Saperstein, Everde Growers.

AmericanHort and its members also want to thank outgoing board members, Susie Raker-Zimmerman of Raker Roberta’s Young Plants who served six years on the board including immediate past chairwoman; and Chris McCorkle of McCorkle Nurseries Inc. who completes a three-year term in July.