Around The Industry
Selecta Adds Three Root-And-Sell Companies
Selecta First Class, Inc., recently announced the addition of three new companies: Pleasant View Gardens, Van de Wetering Greenhouses and Yoder Brothers. They are joining Selecta’s existing root-and-sell network to bring rooted Selecta poinsettias closer to the growers, said Angela Storm, Selecta’s sales manager. By expanding the rooted poinsettia distribution, Selecta hopes to ensure quality lines are easily available for growers.
Pleasant View Gardens will serve growers from the company’s Loudon, N.H., location. Van de Wetering is located in Jamesport, N.Y. Yoder Brothers will be shipping rooted poinsettias from its Pendleton, S.C., facility as well as from Parrish and Alva, Fla.
Visit www.firstclassplants.com for additional information.
Ball Innovations Debuts
Ball Horticultural Company recently announced the creation of Ball Innovations, a business division dedicated to pioneering new approaches for the horticulture industry. Bill Doeckel was named general manager after serving the last 11 years as the company’s director of marketing.
Ball Innovations emphasizes the end consumer’s role, recognizing the importance of reaching today’s consumer and the consumer of tomorrow. The company will develop new initiatives, resulting in cutting-edge strategies to help growers and retailers expand their businesses in traditional markets as well as emerging areas like sustainable horticulture and lifestyle plants.
Two programs are currently available through Ball Innovations: The Circle of Life program addresses the increased consumer demand for eco-friendly products, and Plant Passport is the first program in lifestyle plants, promoting plant products to the thriving consumer market of indoor decorators.
To find out more, go to www.circleoflifeplants.com or www.plantpassport.com.
PanAmerican Develops Wave Petunia Forum
PanAmerican Seed launched the Ride The Wave Fan Club in April 2006 to give Wave petunia enthusiasts their own community, accessible at www.wave-rave.com. In less than a year, membership has surpassed more than 1,100 individuals from all around the world. Now the industry’s first flower club offers its members a new benefit: the Ride The Wave Fan Club Forum.
“One of our goals with the Fan Club has always been to give people a place to share their stories and learn about the cool things other people are doing with Wave petunias,” said Maria Kreidermacher, marketing manager for PanAmerican Seed.
PGR Registered In California
Topflor ornamental plant growth regulator from SePRO Corp. is now registered for use in California on container-grown ornamental plants in commercial greenhouses, nurseries and shadehouses. Topflor is intended to regulate the height of plants, improve their shape and quality, and make them more desirable to the consumer.
Visit the SePRO Web site at www.sepro.com for more information.
Monrovia Announces New Management Team
The Monrovia Growers’ board of directors announced it is transitioning to a new management team. The family legacy of the 81-year-old wholesale nursery continues with the founder’s son, Miles Rosedale, resuming CEO role as a managing director rather than as a head of operations. A new management team, headed by Elin Dowd as president, will direct company operations. Rounding out the management team are Robert Smiland, who was appointed chief marketing and sales officer in July; Mark Buchholtz, who has been chief operating officer since 1998; and Tyler Page, who was promoted to chief financial officer from vice president of finance.
Long-time senior management member Bruce Usrey, who served as CEO since 2002, will step into an advisory role for Monrovia. Also stepping into an advisory role is Gilbert Resendez, president since 2004.
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