Feb 10, 2006

OFA Donates To Gus Poesch FundSource: FIRST

OFA – an Association of Floriculture Professionals recently donated $10,000 to the G.H. “Gus” Poesch Floriculture Endowment, one of the many funds available from FIRST (Floriculture Industry Research and Scholarship Trust). The endowment was established in honor of Gus Poesch’s life-long commitment to the floriculture industry.

Born in Lockwood, Ms., he eventually moved with his parents to Monroe, Mich., and began working in a local greenhouse. His college education began at Michigan State University. After graduation in 1930, Gus began working toward a master’s degree at The Ohio State University (OSU). After obtaining his master’s degree Gus joined the faculty at OSU. There he worked with Alex Laurie in deciphering the photoperiodic responses of chrysanthemums, allowing growers to bring the crop into flower at any time throughout the year.

Gus enjoyed more than six decades of involvement in the floriculture industry. During that time he made several significant contributions, but none stand out more than his encouragement, support and mentoring of young people in the floriculture field. The objective of the Gus Poesch Fund is to fund the research and educational travel of graduate students enrolled in the OSU floriculture program and the recruitment of new graduate students into the program. The fund also supports start-up funding and educational travel for young OSU floriculture faculty members.

For more information in the funds offered by FIRST visit www.firstinfloriculture.org.