Ken Fisher shared farewell message as he departs from AmericanHort

Ken Fisher held the position of president and CEO of AmericanHort for 10 years, starting in June 2016. As the time approached for Lionel van der Walt to take over this position on of June 2, Fisher was asked many times to reflect on his time at AmericanHort.

Below is Fisher’s departing message to all, sharing his grateful for the opportunity and all that AmericanHort has accomplished for horticulture in this decade. It can also be viewed on the AmericanHort website.

Ken Fisher said:

“As I prepare to step aside as CEO of AmericanHort, I’ve been asked several times to reflect on the defining accomplishments of the past decade.

I understand the question. Ten years is a meaningful chapter for any leader—and for me, it has been an incredibly rewarding one.

I believe that the moment leadership becomes about simply accomplishments, you risk losing sight of the mission. The success should be about the progress of the institution and the people it serves.

But more than any of that, I’m grateful—for the people.

I’m grateful for the AmericanHort team, whose commitment and professionalism made this work possible every day. I’m grateful for our board and volunteers who gave their time and perspective to move the organization forward. And I’m especially grateful to the growers, business owners, and families across this industry who welcomed me into their businesses, shared their challenges and ambitions, and trusted AmericanHort to represent them.

Those relationships are what made this role so meaningful.

What matters isn’t just what you built. It’s what continues to grow after you leave.
Legacy, if it means anything, is about establishing vision, direction, and momentum.

And the future of the horticulture industry will demand exactly that kind of long-term perspective.

We are entering a period of profound structural change in the green industry. In the last decade, we’ve seen meaningful consolidation across nurseries, greenhouse operations, and supply chain partners, as regional leaders grow into national platforms and companies pursue scale, operational sophistication, and broader market reach. More recently, private equity investment has begun to reshape parts of the sector, bringing new capital with new expectations around growth, technology adoption, operational performance, and professionalization.

At the same time, many of the family businesses that define this industry are navigating one of the most important transitions in their history – generational transfer. Founders and second-generation leaders are passing responsibility to the next generation, who are bringing new perspectives on technology, sustainability, branding, and workforce culture while honoring the values that built these companies. Being invited into those conversations, and earning the trust of those families, has been one of the most meaningful parts of this role.

Technology will accelerate these changes and transform how businesses operate. Artificial intelligence, automation, and advanced analytics are opening new possibilities for how companies manage production, forecast demand, optimize logistics, and connect with consumers.

But opportunity rarely arrives without challenge.

Across the industry, companies continue to wrestle with labor shortages, immigration policy uncertainty, and regulatory complexity that affects everything from crop protection tools to trade policy. And like most sectors tied to housing and consumer spending, our businesses must continually manage through economic cycles and uncertainty.

Navigating this environment will require strong businesses—but it will also require strong industry institutions. That is where AmericanHort plays a critical role.

Our mission has always been to help the green industry succeed—by advocating for sensible policy, investing in research through the Horticultural Research Institute, building leadership capability, and bringing the industry together through events like Cultivate. The goal has never been simply to support the industry as it exists today, but to help prepare it for what it will become tomorrow.

What I’m most proud of isn’t a specific accomplishment. It’s that together—with our board, our volunteers, our staff, and our members—we focused on strengthening the institution so it can serve the industry through the next decade of change.

We strengthened the organization’s financial position and strategic clarity.
We reinforced advocacy so the industry has a stronger voice in Washington.
We invested in research and the long-term work of the Horticultural Research Institute.
We expanded leadership development and workforce initiatives.
And we continued to grow Cultivate as the premier gathering point for the entire green industry.

I’ve always believed leadership is temporary stewardship. You borrow the responsibility for a period of time. Your job is to leave the organization healthier than you found it—financially stronger, strategically clearer, and culturally stronger. And then you step aside so new energy, fresh ideas, and new ambition can take it further.

That’s why this moment feels like the right time to step aside. Not because the work is finished—far from it—but because the organization is strong, focused, and ready for its next chapter.

The horticulture industry has always been about renewal. Every growing season begins with the understanding that what we plant today will flourish long after we’re gone.

Leadership should work the same way.

If AmericanHort continues to grow, if the industry continues to innovate, and if the next generation of leaders builds something even stronger than what exists today, then the work mattered.

The real measure of leadership isn’t whether people remember who held the role. It’s whether the organization continues to thrive after you leave.

It has truly been an honor and a privilege to serve this industry and to work alongside so many exceptional people. Thank you—for the trust, the partnership, and the opportunity to be part of something that matters.

Build something that lasts. Do good—and then let it grow without you.”