Proven Winners Hires New Products Director

Proven Winners has announced that Kevin Hurd has been appointed to the position of New Products Director.

Kevin began his role with Proven Winners on Feb. 27, 2012 and will eventually replace Dr. Rick Schoellhorn, Proven Winners’ current New Products Director, when Dr. Schoellhorn retires in September.

Kevin was most recently a product representative for Darwin Perennials/Ball FloraPlant. Prior to joining Ball, Kevin was a plant breeder and research horticulturist for Walters Gardens.

While working with Walters Gardens, Hurd was instrumental along with Schoellhorn in the development of the Proven Winners Perennials partnership that launched at Spring Trials last year.

Kevin’s key responsibilities will be to find new plant varieties with strong consumer appeal that are profitable for growers and to develop and maintain mutually beneficial relationships with plant breeders.

“This is an exciting time for Proven Winners as a company and for our industry,” says Hurd. “Breeders worldwide are achieving remarkable breakthroughs in performance, color and habit. I’m excited to bring the best of those new plants to growers, retailers and North America’s home gardeners.”

Hurd will also serve as the company’s lead source of new product information to breeders, and will oversee the company’s internal trialing processes.

“We are delighted to have Kevin on the Proven Winners team”, said Mark Broxon, Executive Director of Proven Winners North America. “Kevin brings the perfect combination of hands-on experience in research, breeding and working with plant breeders” .

Hurd can be reached at kevin@provenwinners.com.