Feb 2, 2018
SNA Announces 2018 Award Recipients

The Southern Nursery Association (SNA) has announced the recipients of the 2018 SNA Awards. The awards were presented at the 119th Annual SNA Business Meeting held at the Baltimore Convention Center, Baltimore, Md., during The SNA Conference.

This year’s recipient of the Slater Wight Memorial Award is Donna C. Fare, Ph.D. She is a recently retired research horticulturalist from the U.S. National Arboretum McMinnville, Tennessee location. Her research program addressed environmental issues with field and container nursery systems and germplasm evaluation of ornamental trees and shrubs for production and landscape interest.

The Slater Wight Memorial Award is considered a lifetime achievement award. It was named in memory of the late J. Slater Wight.

The recipient of the 2018 Porter Henegar Memorial Award is Dr. Marc van Iersel, Professor, University of Georgia. The award is for horticultural research in memory of the late Porter Henegar. The recipient is selected annually by fellow research workers for his/her concern and work toward improving the nursery industry.

This year’s recipient of the David E. Laird, Sr. Memorial Award is Sonya Lepper Westervelt, Chief of Wholesale Sales, Saunders Brothers, Piney River, Virginia. The David E. Laird, Sr. Memorial Award is presented each year to recognize qualified young men and women for outstanding service in the field of environmental horticulture and to offer inspiration for others starting out in the field.

This year’s recipients of the SNA Pinnacle Award is Ken and Bob LeGette, Graco Fertilizer Company, Cairo, Georgia. The award is given to the individual within the allied industry who, in the opinion of the SNA Board, has contributed most to the advancement of the industry in the south and to the welfare of the Southern Nursery Association.

This year’s recipient of the SNA Environmental Award is Dr. Sarah A. White, nursery Extension specialist at Clemson University in South Carolina and an associate professor. The award recognizes individuals and businesses that have demonstrated exceptional leadership and through their voluntary efforts exemplified inspiration, vision, innovation, leadership and action to preserve and protect the environment.

This year’s recipient of the SNA Honorary Member Award is William J. “Bill” Boyd, Owner of Flower City Nursery, McMinnville, Tennessee. The 2018 recipient of the Don Shadow Award of Excellence is Robert “Buddy” Lee, Transcend Nursery, Independence, Louisiana.

For more information on SNA, visit the SNA website at www.sna.org.