Chesapeake Green 2008
Speakers
John Akehurst
John Akehurst is part of the fifth generation that owns and operates one of the United States’ oldest family owned Horticultural businesses. The business: Akehurst Landscape Service, Incorporated, located in Harford County Maryland provides exterior landscape, grounds maintenance, snow removal, interiorscaping and holiday décor services for a list of very prominent clientele. He is the Director of the Interiorscape Department and Holiday Décor Services for the 130 plus year-old firm.
John is co-owner for Clear Path Products, a distributor for de-icing chemicals and snow removal equipment. He is also a co-owner of Five Oaks LLC, a Harford County based land holding company.
In January of 2006, for his dedication and leadership to the industry, John, was honored by the Maryland Nursery and Landscape Association with the ‘Carville Milling Akehurst Award’.
In August of 2006, John was the recipient of the “David E. Laird Sr. Memorial Award” by the Southern Nurserymen’s Association for his outstanding service as a Young Nurseryman to environmental horticulture.
Interior Business Magazine cited him as one of the interiorscape industry’s “Up and Comers”. He has won numerous awards for interiorscape installations and holiday décor projects.
John currently serves as the Second Vice President for the Maryland Nursery and Landscape Association and heads the Interiorscape Committee for the organization. His vision for the industry is to strengthen and unite. As a result of his efforts, he helped establish the Chesapeake Green Interiorscape Conference in Maryland.
He serves as the secretary on the Board of Trustees for his church, Mount Zion United Methodist Church, located in Bel Air, Maryland.
He is married to Jennifer and has a son named Myatt. He enjoys hunting and jeeps.
John’s guiding philosophy: “People need to see you, they need to see how you react to bad situations, and when you lead them through these times, unwavering, they will respect and follow you.”
Sue Amatangelo
Sue Amatangelo is the National Retail Accounts Manager at Ball Horticultural Company. As part of that role she demonstrates at garden centers how to create and care for container gardens. Sue stretches traditional container garden thinking to offer unique new container ideas for her clients in addition to the time-honored, foolproof recipes. Ms. Amatangelo is a Master Gardener and winner of the Illinois Outstanding Master Gardener Award. She is also the Horticulture Superintendent of the Kane County, Illinois, Fair; Plan Commissioner for St. Charles; and is a board member for Garden Centers of America. Sue and her family live in St. Charles, Illinois.
Rich Anacker
Rich completed his Master’s in plant pathology in 2002 at the University of College Dublin, Ireland, where he evaluated different methods for identifying species of Phytophthora causing root rot of Noble fir; a species commonly grown for Christmas trees in Ireland. Currently, Rich is the plant disease specialist for the Maryland Department of Agriculture where he conducts surveys for plant diseases of regulatory concern and runs the MDA plant disease diagnostic clinic.
Dr. Bonnie Lee Appleton
Hampton Roads Agricultural Research and Extension Center
Virginia Tech
Present Positions:
Professor of Horticulture and Extension Nursery Specialist, Hampton Roads Agricultural Research and Extension Center, Virginia Tech University, Virginia Beach, VA (since 1985)
Graduate Coordinator, Hampton Roads AREC Master Degree Program (since 1992)
Columnist, Virginian Pilot (The Real Dirt)
Education:
Ph.D., Crop Science (Nursery Management), Oklahoma State University, 1983
M.S., Ornamental Horticulture, University of Delaware, 1975
B.S., Plant Science, University of Delaware, 1970
Recent Awards and Honors:
ASHS Extension Materials Award for “American’s Anniversary Garden: Bulbs for a Red, White, and Blue Spring Garden”, 2007
Award for Outreach Excellence, Virginia Tech College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, 2007
3rd Place, Specialist Division. Virginia Cooperative Extension In-Service Poster Competition, 2007
Certificate of Teaching Excellence, Virginia Tech College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, 2006
Southern Group of State Foresters Urban Forestry Award for Partnership, 2004
Scenic Virginia’s Most Creative Scenic Improvement Award, 2004 (for utility easement tree replacement work through VA-MTRP)
Nursery Extension Award, American Nursery and Landscape Association, 2003
Award for Excellence in Education, International Society of Arboriculture, 2000
Major Publications:
5 books- -Container Nursery Design (1986), Landscape Rejuvenation (1988), Herbicide Injury to Trees and Shrubs (1989), Rodale’s Guide to Successful Gardening-Trees, Shrubs and Vines (1993), The New York/Mid-Atlantic
Gardener’s Book of Lists (2001)
Over 30 Journal articles-J.of Arboriculture, J.of Environ. Hort., HortScience, Hort Technology, etc.
Over 800 articles in newspapers and trade and consumer publications including NMPro, American Nurseryman, Grounds Maintenance, Landscape Architecture, Arbor Age, TCI, Landscape and Irrigation, Fine Gardening, Flower and Garden, National Gardening, Better Homes and Gardens
Current Areas of Research:
Utility easement compatible trees and shrubs: development of utility line arboreta.
Landscape installation systems-wire basket modification; tree stabilization (staking vs. root ball anchoring)
New for 2006 – tree wounds vs. % of tree girdled; root “washing” at transplant
New for 2006 – bare rooting trees at transplant
New for 2007 – using trees for phytoremediation
Contact Information:
Hampton Roads Agricultural Research and Extension Center
1444 Diamond Springs Road, Virginia Beach, VA 23455
757-363-3906: fax 757-363-3950: email bapple@vt.edu : website www.vaes.vt.edu/hampton
Terri Bates Cantwell
I graduated from the University of FL in 1984 with a BS in Ornamental Horticulture. After graduation, I worked for a few years as vegetable farmer and as a Horticulture Extension agent. I joined the family business, Bates Sons & Daughters Inc. in 1987. My family has been farming caladiums for 65 years. We are the 2nd largest caladium farm in the world. With my sister Sheri, we also own and operate Capital Caladiums Co. - a pre-finished caladium pot business. We farm 150 acres of caladiums that we ship worldwide and pot 500,000 of the bulbs for pre-finished sales in the spring and summer.
I am currently past chair of the Southeast Greenhouse Conference and Trade Show. I was the first woman chair and first Florida chair with this seven-state organization. I am the Floriculture Division Chair for FNGLA (Florida Nurseryman Greenhouse and Landscape Association). I also serve on the membership committee, research committee, and Board of Directors for FNGLA. I serve on the USDA board in Florida and the Gulf Coast Research Station advisory board.
My husband Jeff is a high school English teacher and sports writer. We have 2 sons, Scott-13 and Paul-11.
Kelly Billing
Kelly Billing has over 20 years experience in the water gardening industry wholesale trade as the Nursery Manager of Maryland Aquatic Nurseries, Inc. She compiled and maintains the Aquatic Plant Invasive Species List for the nursery trade in the United States. Kelly is a Maryland Certified Professional Horticulturist. She writes regularly for Pondkeeper Magazine, the International Waterlily & Water Gardening Society (IWGS) and other Water Gardening Publications. She is currently cooperating on a water gardening book that will be published in the US and UK. She also recently co-authored The Lotus, Know It and Grow It for the IWGS. A gardener since childhood, Kelly enthusiastically shares her knowledge and experience with International Organizations, Promotional Groups, related Associations, Garden Centers and Garden Clubs.
Tom Blessington
Tom is a Regional Specialist for floriculture at the University of Maryland - Central Maryland Research & Education Center.
His research program is directed toward cultural and environmental development of containerized ornamental and floricultural crops with major emphasis on environmental stress in production and postproduction environments.
Tom has published several articles in scientific and trade journals, books, bulletins and fact sheets for the interiorscape industry.
He has presented several professional research papers and abstracts on floriculture and nursery crops.
His teaching experience is in Greenhouse Management, Floriculture Crop Programming, and Postproduction Handling of Floricultural and Ornamental Plants.
Tom served as the D.C. Kiplinger Chair in Floriculture at the Ohio State University as research leader and visiting professor. Tom, along with Allan Armitage of the University of Georgia and Terril Nell of the University of Florida, developed a series of books for the industry on postproduction handling guidelines for tropical foliage plants, cut flowers, flowering potted plants, and herbaceous perennials.
He serves on the board of the Maryland Greenhouse Growers’ Association as educational advisor and director of the scholarship program. Tom works with students from the University of Maryland-College Park, University of Maryland-Eastern Shore, Dundalk Community College, and Montgomery College.
Elissa F. Borges
Principal
Experience
Elissa's practice spans a wide range of general
litigation matters, including commercial,
business and employment litigation. She also
represents clients in taxation, creditors’ rights
and estate planning matters, and before
administrative agencies in hearings and
appeals.
Bars & Courts
Maryland State Bar Association
Section of Taxation
Section Council
Chair,
2004-2005
Court of Appeals of the District of Columbia
Court of Appeals of Maryland
United States District Court for the District of
Maryland
Education University of Baltimore School of Law, J.D.,
1992
University of Maryland, B.A., 1988
Professional & Community
Maryland Committee for Children, Inc.
Board Member, 1999-present
Honoraries Maryland Bar Foundation, Fellow
Publications & Presentations
Author, Faxes to Your Members: New Rules
Effective August 1, 2006," GuideStar.org,
2006
Panelist, "What’s Your Vision? Let's Talk About
Gender Equality Issues," Maryland State Bar
Association, 2002
Speaker, "Federal and State Tax Audits,"
MICPEL, 2001
Professional Background
Attorney, Denick & Hyman, P.A.
Bill Borsa
Bill Borsa is an Agribusiness Account Executive with MidAtlantic Farm Credit, ACA. His area of concentration is with the nursery and greenhouse industries. Bill has a BS degree with a major in economics from Boston College. Bill also studied plant science at the University of California at Davis.
Dr. Beth Brantley
Beth Brantley is an Instructor of Forest Technology at Penn State Mont Alto. She has a doctorate in plant pathology, and was formerly a forest pathologist with the USDA Forest Service in Asheville, NC. Her research interests include bacterial leaf scorch, butternut canker, and wood decay fungi.
Geri Cashion
Geri Cashion is a technical specialist in ornamentals with over 20 years of experience in the green industry. With degrees from Duke University and Rutgers University, Geri’s expertise includes entomology, horticulture, and landscape design. She has authored over 45 publications on IPM and insect management, and received the coveted Hall of Fame award in 2000 from her former employer, FMC Specialty Products. While employed by the U. of Florida, Geri was named Outstanding Floriculture Researcher by the Florida Nurserymen and Growers Association. The immediate past president of the Florida Entomological Society, Geri is in great demand as a speaker, and was invited to speak in January, 2006 at the Smithsonian Institute. She is currently working with her husband, Jim, at EcoSolutions, Inc., a family-owned business supplying landscape expertise to pest management professionals and homeowners, and beneficial insects and mites to the nursery, greenhouse, and interiorscape industry.
Steve Cissel
Steve is the CEO and Founder of 10-20 Media, Inc. 10-20 Media is an Internet Media Publisher. Lawn and Garden Search.com and Green Industry Search.com are 10-20’s primary web publications.
Steve, a green industry veteran, has owned several green industry businesses. His green thumbs and tech fingers provide him with a unique perspective. He understands the unique needs of the green industry businesses and can communicate first hand experience in database development, web site design, Search Engine Marketing and Optimization.
Mr. Cissel has a longstanding relationship with the lawn and garden industry. He is the Immediate Past President of the Maryland Nursery and Landscape Association and the former President of the Maryland Turfgrass Association.
Steve is a graduate of Delaware Valley College of Science and Agriculture. Steve, his wife Karen and their two boys are active members of Mt Airy Bible Church in Mt. Airy, Maryland.
Brian Clark
Agent, Agriculture and Natural Resources with emphasis on commercial horticulture
Mr. Clark is the Maryland Cooperative Extension Agent for Prince George’s County in Agriculture and Natural Resources, specializing in commercial horticulture. He has a B.S. in Entomology from the University of Wisconsin Madison and a M.S. in Entomology from the University of Nebraska Lincoln. Mr. Clark has 7 years experience in the green industry and 4 years in pest control.
Stephen M. Cordi
Of Counsel
Experience
Steve brings more than 30 years experience in
state and multi-state tax law and policy. He has
a vast depth of knowledge with regard to tax
planning, tax incentives, tax credits, and
compliance issues.
A former Maryland Deputy Comptroller and
nationally recognized figure in the finance
industry, Steve is well-versed in the complex
tax issues confronting business organizations.
He represents a wide variety of clients in
maintaining tax compliance and minimizing tax
exposure both at the state and national level.
He also represents clients' interests in
legislative and regulatory issues before the
Maryland state government.
Bars & Courts
Maryland State Bar Association
Section of Taxation
Court of Appeals of Maryland
Education Georgetown University Law Center, J.D., 1968
Johns Hopkins University, M.L.A., 1971
Haverford College, B.A., 1965
Professional & Community
Emmanuel Episcopal Church, Baltimore
Treasurer
Federation of Tax Administrators
President, 2003-2004
Maryland Government Finance Officers
Association
President, 1997-1998
Maryland Lawyers for the Arts
Panel Member
North East States Tax Officials Association
President, 2002-2003
Teachers and Maryland State Employees
Supplemental Retirement Plans
Board of Trustees, 1993-2005
Transition Team, Comptroller-Elect Peter
Franchot, 2006-2007
Honoraries Recipient of the 2003 Tax Excellence Award of
the Taxation Section of the Maryland State Bar
Association
Professional Background
Consultant, Maryland General Assembly
Deputy Comptroller, Maryland Comptroller's
Office
Director, Compliance Division, Maryland
Comptroller's Office
Director, Sales & Use Tax Division
Attorney, Maryland Attorney General's Office
Financial Advisor, Robt. Garrett & Sons/Alex
Brown & Sons
Attorney, Baltimore Gas and Electric Company
Certified Public Accountant licensed in the State
of Maryland (inactive)
Edward A. Crow
Ed received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Agriculture and an Associate Degree in Forest Resource Management from Penn State. He has been employed with the Maryland Department of Agriculture, Pesticide Regulation Section since October 1981. Since 1989 Ed has been in charge of Maryland’s pesticide applicator Licensing, Certification and Training programs, the educational and public outreach programs, and the development of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) pesticide grant. In addition, Ed has also been responsible for coordinating Maryland’s Urban IPM program with the primary emphasis placed on Maryland public schools since 1994. He also has been involved with EPA’s Certification & Training Assessment Group (CTAG) and has participated in special training sessions for EPA staff regarding licensing, certification and how pesticides are regulated on the state level. In addition, Ed is served on the CTAG Core Manual Committee that developed the national core manual and also served on the Editorial Subcommittee. Prior to his current duties, Ed was a field inspector for the Pesticide Regulation Section in Western and North Central Maryland. Involved with inspections and compliance assistance of licensed businesses, permitted public agencies and conducted pesticide accident/incident investigations.
Shannon Dill
Shannon Dill is currently the County Extension Director and Agriculture Educator for Talbot County Cooperative Extension. She has been a faculty member of the University of Maryland, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources since 2001. She graduated from the University of Wyoming receiving a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture Business and a Master of Science in Agriculture Economics. Shannon provides outreach and education to agriculture producers of Talbot and neighboring counties in farm business planning, small farm enterprises, marketing and livestock management. Educational programs have included QuickBooks for Farm Businesses, Ag Tourism, Equine, Pasture Management and Grain Marketing.
Some Information about Maryland Cooperative Extension
Maryland Cooperative Extension (MCE) is a statewide, non-formal education system within the college of Agriculture and Natural Resources and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. MCE educational programs and problem-solving assistance are available to citizens and are based on the research and experience of land grant universities such as the University of Maryland, College Park. In Maryland, MCE employs approximately 200 faculty and approximately 200 support staff and contractual employees located at the University of Maryland, College Park; University of Maryland Eastern Shore; 23 counties; Baltimore City; and four research and education centers. Many MCE faculty members located on the College Park and Eastern Shore campuses have joint appointments with research and academic programs. These joint appointments promote the exchange of knowledge between the universities and among academic specialties.
Bill Doeckel
Bill is the General Manager of Ball Innovations, a new division focusing on trends and new businesses for indoor and outdoor gardening and decorating through sustainable initiatives.
Bill works with outside companies to investigate innovative new ideas, services and products that will help revolutionize the greenhouse business. These include searching for new strategies that will increase the use of sustainable practices in the greenhouse business.
Prior to this new endeavor, Bill was Ball Horticultural’s Director of Marketing from 1995-2006. His professional passion is to focus the floriculture industry on the consumer by viewing the market channel holistically and forming alliances with breeders, producers, distributors, growers and retailers.
Bill serves on the University of Illinois’ External Advisory Committees for Natural Resources, Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences. He is also a member of the Organic Trade Associations, Veriflora Sustainability Council, American Nursery and Landscape Association and the OFA – an Association of Floriculture Professionals.
Brian Garland
Brian joined John Deere in 1990 and has held product support, sales and marketing positions throughout Canada and the United States within the Construction and Forestry Division of John Deere. He is currently responsible for John Deere’s sales and marketing efforts of Commercial Worksite Products in the Northeast United States. Brian graduated from McGill University in Montréal with a Bachelor of Education and later earned a MBA from the Krannert Graduate School of Management at Purdue University. Brian lives with this family in Sunapee, NH and can be reached at Garlandbrianw@johndeere.com.
Jill Gonzalez
Jill Gonzalez is the manager of the Seasonal Plants and Perennial Departments at The Behnke Nurseries Company in Beltsville, MD. Jill has been employed by Behnke’s since 1986 and is responsible for growing a large portion of the poinsettias sold as retail at the Beltsville and Potomac stores. Jill also heads up the container program at Behnke Nurseries and is responsible for designing, assembling, and growing the containers until they are ready for resale.
Jill received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Horticulture from Penn State University in 1986 with an emphasis in greenhouse production. Jill is currently serving on the MGGA board and is also a Certified Professional Horticulturist and Certified Personal Trainer and Fitness Instructor. She is a very proud mother of Christopher who is currently a junior at Penn State University.
Francis R. Gouin
Mr. Gouin served on the Faculty of the University of Maryland, Department of Horticulture from 1965 to 1995 as Extension Specialist in Ornamental Horticulture. He also served as Chair of the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture from Jan. 1990 through June 1995. He served as advisor to the Maryland Nurserymen's Association, Maryland Christmas Tree Association, Landscape Contractors Association of MD. DC. VA., and Maryland Greenhouse Growers Association. He Pioneered the development of Osmocote 18-6-12, the Structureless Thermo Blanket System for over-wintering container grown plants and the use of composted biosolids in the production of nursery and greenhouse crops and developed "Hot Sauce Animal Repellent".
Mr. Gouin also served as a Consultant to Walt Disney World, Gilbane Construction Co. numerous landscape architects and landscape contractors, commercial composting facilities in U.S.A and Canada and private estates and has also lectured in 42 states and two foreign countries.
A fellow of the American Society of Horticultural Science, recipient of research, teaching and extension awards from the American Association of Nurserymen and The American Composting Council. Mr. Gouin is also the recipient of numerous awards and recognitions from the University of Maryland and related state of Maryland associations.
As of 2007, Mr. Gouin has published over 800 manuscripts ranging from refereed journals to national magazines, newsletters and chapters in books and still publishing
Barb Helfman
Barb began as an interiorscaper some 35 years ago, sold her business in the late '90's to Tru Green, and stayed on as their consultant for the next 7 years. She has had an ongoing column in the Interiorscape magazine for the past 25 years and has spoken at all of the Industry's Seminars, particularly on the Marketing and Business side of Interior plantscaping and is currently concentrating on, as author Tom Friedman has termed it, "Green-the New Red, White and Blue".
Fred Hulme
Dr. Fred Hulme is Director of Technical Services for the Professional Business Group at The Scotts Company serving the greenhouses and nurseries markets.
He works in product development, complaints, troubleshooting, trials and training for controlled-release and water-soluble fertilizers and provides overall technical products support to Scotts customers, distributors and sales. He has extensive experience in the professional growing media business. Fred has been in this business for the last 17 years working for W.R. Grace, Grace-Sierra, Scotts and Sun Gro.
Prior to this he worked as a greenhouse manager and a vo-ag teacher. He holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in Plant & Soil Sciences from the University of Massachusetts and a Ph.D. in Ornamental Horticulture Cornell University.
Larry Hurley
Larry Hurley is the perennial buyer for Behnke Nurseries at Beltsville, Maryland. Behnke Nurseries has long been known for its perennials, receiving the first "Perennial Retailer of the Year" Award granted by the Perennial Plant Association.
Larry holds degrees in zoology and horticulture from the University of Wisconsin. He began his hort career as a foliage plant specialist for Felly's Flowers, a large Wisconsin florist, then spent 5 years at Nortex, a wholesale grower of foliage, annuals, and perennials near Dallas. In 1984 he came to Behnke's where he moved back and forth between growing and retailing perennials, until settling comfortably behind a computer where he lives to this day.
Larry and his wife, Carolyn, enjoy their perennial shade garden and travel extensively, visiting gardens and photographing plants around the world. He firmly believes that perennials are the backbone of the garden--everything else is just compost waiting to happen.
Gary M. Hyman
Principal
Experience
Gary has actively expanded the Firm’s Business
Tax Group's scope of practice. With over thirty
years of experience handling tax, estate, health
and business matters, he represents
entrepreneurial and institutional business
organizations and individuals in all aspects of
state, federal and multi-state tax matters
including all aspects of Internal Revenue
Service and state tax controversy and
compliance; estates and trusts; and business
matters.
Gary's state and multi-state experience is
unique and extensive. Having been in charge of
the revision of the Maryland tax law, he is
intimately familiar with the intricacies and
opportunities presented by state and local tax
matters on both the legal and legislative fronts.
His experience as founder and chair of the
Maryland State Bar Association State Tax Study
Group, as a member of the Taxation Committee
of the Maryland Chamber of Commerce and as
a frequent author and lecturer on tax matters
have enabled him to obtain significant
beneficial results for his clients.
Bars & Courts
American Bar Association
Maryland State Bar Association
Tax Section, State Tax Study
Group, Chair, 1987–present
Past and current author of
materials in MICPEL's Maryland
Taxes
Advanced Tax Institute Committee,
Co-chair State and Local Tax Issues
Day, 2004-2007
Court of Appeals of Maryland
Education University of Maryland School of Law, J.D.,
1975
Brandeis University, B.A., cum laude, 1972
American Bar Association
Professional & Community
Article Supervisor for the Commission to Revise
the Annotated Code of Maryland for the Tax-
Property, Article (Ch. 8, Acts of 1985) and the
Health Occupations, Article (Ch. 8, Acts of
1981)
Baltimore Jewish Council
Holocaust Committee
Governors Task Force to Study the Maryland
Tax Court, 1984
Maryland Bar Foundation
Maryland Chamber of Commerce, Taxation
Committee, 1997-present
Maryland Department of Economic and
Employment Development, Competitive Tax
Study Steering Committee, 1994-present
Maryland Tax Court Rules Committee, 1988-
present
Brian Kunkel
I attended Northern Kentucky University where I obtained my bachelors degree in General Biology. As an undergraduate, I obtained a student research grant to travel to New Mexico to study robber flies. I also studied the phenotypic responses of Lonicera maackii to different light environments in urban forests.
I worked for Dr. Dan Potter at the University of Kentucky as a Master’s student in turf and ornamental entomology. My project studied the effects of imidacloprid and halofenozide on non-target arthropods in turfgrass settings. I attended Ohio State University for my doctorate work. I worked with Dr. Parwinder Grewal in the turfgrass and nematology laboratory in Wooster, OH at the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center. I investigated multi-trophic interactions between entomopathogenic nematodes, black cutworms, and endophytic perennial ryegrass. While I was in Wooster, I initiated the Night Insect Walks of Seacrest Arboretum and assisted with a number of other extension-oriented activities.
I worked at TruGreen ChemLawn as the ornamentals entomologist of the south region for a brief time after graduation and then began a post-doctoral position with the USDA-ARS in Byron, GA. My post-doctoral research activities investigated infection dynamics of entomopathogenic nematodes, conservation biological control in pecan orchards, and mating disruption in peach orchards.
I arrived at the University of Delaware in June 2006. Since my arrival, I cooperated on a boxwood leafminer project at Longwood Gardens, contributed to the DNLA Ornamental Hotline newsletter, a number of presentations, and conducted a survey of pests and pesticide use in mid-Atlantic region.
Cheryl Nestor-DeBerry
Cheryl Nestor-DeBerry grew up on her family’s farm in Tucker County, and graduated from Tucker County High School. DeBerry then earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Marketing and a Minor in Computer Science from West Virginia Wesleyan College. Her Master’s Degree from West Virginia University is in Agricultural Education with a concentration in Extension Education.
Upon graduation, DeBerry worked briefly as a substitute teacher, an Administrative Assistant for Tucker Co. Convention & Visitor’s Bureau, then she moved on to Potomac State College as Tech Prep and School-to-Work Grants Coordinator. Cheryl returned to be the GEAR UP Grant Coordinator for Tucker County Schools for two years.
Garrett County government hired Cheryl DeBerry to be the Agriculture Marketing Specialist for the Department of Economic Development in September 2002. She is charged with helping expand local markets for agricultural and natural resources products, helping agricultural entrepreneurs with marketing planning, writing grants for various agricultural projects, keeping local and state officials updated on agricultural issues, working with local rural development organizations, and working to keep agriculture a viable business option for young people.
In the years she has worked for Garrett County, DeBerry has been asked to speak to various local, statewide, and regional groups about Garrett County agriculture, agriculture marketing, agritourism, direct marketing, and farmers markets development.
Along with her husband, Charles and young daughter, Anna, Cheryl is part of DeBerry Farm, a fresh produce family farm north of Oakland. For nine years they have marketed fresh vegetables, melons and herbs at a roadside stand at the farm, at farmers markets, and through a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Subscription Vegetable Service.
Margaret Pooler
A native of North Carolina, Margaret Pooler has been with the U.S. National Arboretum for eleven years directing the shrub breeding program. The overall objective of the program is to breed improved woody landscape plants that are pest resistant, tolerant of environmental stresses, and are of superior ornamental value. Genera currently under investigation include Prunus, Cercis, Lagerstroemia, and Syringa, among others.
Margaret Pooler is a Research Geneticist for the USDA/ARS U.S. National Arboretum in Washington, DC.
Vic Priapi
Vic grew up in a farming family on the East End of Long Island. His family has been farming on the Island since it was first settled in the 1600s. He continued that tradition by graduating from Cornell University with a B.S. in Plant Science. Following graduation he accepted a position with Angelica Nurseries as their container plant production manager. After about 10 years in that capacity he took on the added responsibility as the company's propagation manager for a total of 21 years with Angelica. In 2001 Vic moved back to Long Island and was employed by East Coast Nurseries. It was there that he met Mary Mackenzie and the rest is history. The couple purchased a 10 acre parcel of property on MD route 213 in Cecilton in 2002 and started V&M Priapi, Inc. The initial goal was to grow liners for the wholesale trade. However, with the ideal location in a growing area, retail sales were started right away. Today the Priapi Gardens continues to grow and attract new customers.
Karen Rane
Karen K. Rane is the director of the University of Maryland Plant Diagnostic Laboratory. She comes to Maryland from Indiana, where she served as Senior Plant Disease Diagnostician and Co-Director of the Purdue University Plant and Pest Diagnostic Laboratory. Karen has more than 20 years of experience in ornamental plant problem diagnosis. She has authored numerous newsletter and trade journal articles and conducted workshops on disease diagnosis and disease management for growers and extension educators.
Dr. Andrew Ristvey
Dr. Andrew Ristvey is the eastern regional extension agent for commercial horticulture for the University of Maryland Cooperative Extension. He is stationed at the Wye Research and Education Center. Andrew is presently active in two areas of extension programming; greater sustainable nursery production and alternative crops and has developed a research program around those issues. He earned his Doctorate in Horticulture in 2004 after extensive research on nitrogen, phosphorus and water dynamics in container nursery operations.
Ginny Rosenkranz
Ginny has worked for the University of Maryland Cooperative Extension since 1994, acting as an Area Specialist for Commercial Horticulture for Somerset, Wicomico and Worcester Counties. She has her BS in Botany from the University of Maryland, College Park and her MS in Extension Education at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. Ginny assists greenhouse growers, nurseries, landscape contractors and golf courses with their pest management and production issues. She teaches an annual Master Gardener course that attracts 20 interested citizens a year. She also produces Delmarva Gardens, a 30-minute show on a local public access channel delivering up-to-date gardening information to the community. Ginny also has a weekly segment on plant care and gardening on the local CBS station.
Bill Rutter
Bill Rutter is a credit officer with MidAtlantic Farm Credit, ACA and reviews loan applications from a variety of agribusinesses. Bill’s degrees include a BS with a major in Biology from University of North Carolina, Wilmington, and a MBA from Salisbury University, where he has also served as adjunct faculty in the Dept. of Finance and Economics. Bill is also a LEAD MD Fellow (Class III).
Scott C. Scarfone
Scott C. Scarfone, ASLA, is a practicing landscape architect and certified professional horticulturist. He is the principal and founder of Oasis Design Group, a landscape architecture and urban design firm in historic Fells Point in Baltimore, Maryland. He has a broad background in design and horticulture and has worked for design firms, public gardens, and landscape contractors. He is registered to practice landscape architecture in six states and is certified by the Maryland Landscape and Nursery Association as a professional horticulturist and specialist in herbaceous perennials.
In 2002, Scarfone completed a one-year research fellowship at Chanticleer, a 35-acre pleasure garden located in Wayne, Pennsylvania. While a Chanticleer Fellow, he studied the history of design of the world’s botanic gardens and arboreta and traveled to urban parks, plazas, botanical gardens, and arboreta around the world.
Scarfone has been active in several professional organizations. He served as a member of the 2004 Conference Programs Selection Committee for the American Public Gardens Association. He was one of the youngest chapter president’s for the Maryland chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects, serving from 1996 to 1997. He
co-founded the Maryland Public Gardens Consortium in November 2000 and served as its co-chair from January 2001 to August 2003.
He frequently teaches and lectures on planting design and related design topics at public and private gardens around the country including Chicago Botanic Garden, Brookside Gardens, and Longwood Gardens where he has taught in its Continuing Education Department since October 2001. He has presented at national conferences including American Public Gardens Association, American Planning Association, American Landscape Contractors of America, and the American Horticultural Therapy Association.
Scarfone has written a book titled Professional Planting Design: An Architectural and Horticultural Approach for Creating Mixed Bed Plantings, which was released in March 2007 by publisher John Wiley & Sons.
Chuck Schuster
Chuck Schuster is the Commercial Horticulture Educator for Maryland Cooperative Extension serving Montgomery County and occasionally teaches for the Plant Sciences Department on campus. Chuck is a graduate of the University of Maryland with a BS in Agriculture and Extension Education and Western Maryland College (now McDaniel College) with an MLA in Education. He was a high school teacher for 19 years teaching vocational agriculture and related subjects. His interests in nursery and landscape trees lead him to conduct applied research on the nitrogen fertilization needs of selected trees, which also fits into the Nutrient Management Laws in the State of Maryland. Chuck is active in the Maryland Farm Bureau and in his church. Chuck lives in Glenwood, Maryland raising a variety of trees, a large garden, and flowers for enjoyment and learning.
Casey Sclar
Casey has been employed in several different landscape, nursery, and other horticultural positions for over 20 years. He holds a B.S. degree in horticulture from California Polytechnic State University, S.L.O., as well as M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in entomology from Colorado State University. Casey is the Plant Health Care Division Leader at Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, PA. For ten years, he has directed the IPM program - solving the indoor and outdoor horticultural pest, disease, and weed problems at the 1000+ acre institution. He also guides soils/compost operations and oversees land stewardship issues. He teaches and performs applied research related to the biology and control of ornamental plant pests and diseases. Casey has authored many popular, scientific, and trade publications and has given numerous seminars/presentations regarding ornamental plant IPM, as well as other topics.
John Peter Thompson
John Peter Thompson is Chairman of the Board of the Behnke Nurseries Company. The company has two garden centers (Beltsville and Potomac, Maryland), as well as a new greenhouse and nursery production facility near Lothian, Maryland. The company was founded in 1930 by John Peter’s maternal grandparents, Albert and Rose Behnke, who strove to offer the public a wide selection of the highest quality plants.
John Peter spent most of his childhood learning to garden from his grandfather, one weed at a time. After a stint in the night club business, he returned to Behnke Nurseries in 1988. He spent a number of years at our production facility where he oversaw our perennial production and sales, then moved to the corporate offices in Beltsville where he filled a number of positions including C.E.O. and President.
John Peter is a recognized expert on the issues surrounding invasive plants and the aspects that affect the green industry. He is Chair of the Maryland Nursery and Landscape Association committee on invasive plants, and is a Past President of M.N.L.A. He represents M.N.L.A. as a nursery representative to the Maryland Invasive Species Council and represented M.N.L.A. as a founding director and Past President of the Mid-Atlantic Exotic Pest Plant Council. He also serves as Vice President of the Maryland Green Industry Council (MaGIC) representing the Maryland Greenhouse Growers Association. He currently serves as Secretary of the Invasive Species Advisory Committee (ISAC), which advises over forty agencies of the executive branch of the federal government on invasive species issues through the National Invasive Species Council (NISC). He is the nursery industry representative to the Chesapeake Conservation Landscape Council, which advocates landscaping that is beneficial to the Chesapeake Bay. In addition, he serves on the Sustainable Sites Initiative, the vegetative subcommittee of the Ladybird Johnson Wild Flower Center, in partnership with the Green Building Council, ASLA, ANLA and federal partners which are working to enhance and update LEEDS building standards. As part of his advocacy for smart-decision making, he is asked to speak throughout the United States to professional and governmental organizations and for private events and clubs, speaking several times a month. He is the author of a web log entitled “Invasive Notes” where he expands upon ideas surrounding the issues, in which he is currently involved. [www.ipetrus.blogspot.com]
The work on invasive species led to a growing involvement with the Henry A. Wallace National Agricultural Research Center in Beltsville and with the National Agricultural Library located in the Abraham Lincoln Building, also located in Beltsville. In an effort to support and encourage the people and programs vital to our national quality of life, John Peter now serves as President of the National Agricultural Research Alliance – Beltsville, working with decision makers and the public to protect the continuing future of the facility. His interest in the green movement and environmental business opportunities and challenges led to his appointment to the Northeastern Integrated Pest Management Center Advisory Council.
John Peter has long been engaged with his community serving as president of a local cemetery association for almost ten years, as well as president of the Friends of the Beltsville Library, and Chairman of the Prince George’s County Library Foundation. He also served as Secretary of the United Communities against Poverty, and currently serves as a director on both the Prince George’s Hospital Foundation, as well as the Prince George’s Community Foundation.
Additionally, John Peter is proud to serve as a Trustee of the Prince George’s County Memorial Library System, and as Vice Chair of the Prince George’s County Historic Preservation Commission. And through this all, John Peter has found time to serve in many capacities with the Prince George’s County Chamber of Commerce, including co-chair of the economic development and legislative committees, the executive committee and, since 2004 as an officer of the Chamber. He now serves as Chair of the Prince George’s County Chamber of Commerce.
John Peter is recently married and spends his non-community time with his Russian wife, Oksana, as she adapts to life in the United State of America.
Greg Trabka
Greg is a Sustainable Horticulture Specialist at Ball Horticultural Co. As a part of his role he co-developed and introduced Circle of Life and Earth Essential programs focusing on the sustainable growth of plants. He is also responsible for the new Product Development and trend analysis within Ball Innovations division, which mainly focuses on new strategies and business ideas promoting customer solutions and sustainability.
He holds a Master degree in ornamental horticulture and a Master degree in the integrative business management from Michigan State University.
Greg has over 20 years of experience in plant production, wholesale and retail trades as well as in the marketing field.
Lorrie Turner
Throughout her 29 years in the industry, Lorrie Turner has acquired a well-rounded experience. In south Florida, Lorrie owned a nursery specializing in Hibiscus, she also worked for several large wholesale nurseries, bought for a large interiorscaper, and spent some time as a broker. Recently, Lorrie and her husband of 23 years, Dewey, became the owners of Willow Run Greenhouse Corp., a greenhouse in Culpeper, VA that is fully stocked year round with tropical plants, servicing the Metro DC, Northern Virginia, and Southern Maryland areas.
Lorrie and Dewey have three daughters, two of which live at home with the family in rural Madison County, Virginia and a third, their eldest, who is currently attending Virginia
Commonwealth University School of Nursing in Richmond.
Don Webster
Don Webster is the Regional Extension Specialist in Marine Science for Wye Research & Education Center in Queenstown, Maryland
Don has been a faculty member with Maryland Cooperative Extension since 1974, as part of the Sea Grant Extension Program. He has a background in marine technology and natural resources and was originally hired to work with watermen in the development of business management and vessel technology programs. He has been involved in the development of aquaculture since the late 1970s, and has conducted demonstration and outreach education programs in many water-related areas. These include the development of the striped bass and hybrid aquaculture, as well as shellfish production with oysters and hard clams.
His interest in aquaculture led to the development of programs in pond management and aquatic weed control. He is a licensed applicator in public agency, research and demonstration, and aquatic categories by the Maryland Department of Agriculture and was the author of the Aquatic Applicator training manual.
A recent project has brought Don together with other colleagues and the staff of Maryland Aquatic Nurseries in developing programs to use aquatic plants to beautify and extend the useful lifespan of storm-water management ponds by using plants to take up nutrients. This program of research and education is designed to extend the life of ponds while creating waterscapes that provide benefit to the surrounding communities.
Jack E. Williams
Jack graduated from Colorado State University with a degree in Horticulture/Floriculture in 1979. After graduation Jack worked as production manager for a propagation nursery in Texas involved in production of specialty crops. In 1984 Jack moved to California to join the horticultural staff of the Paul Ecke Ranch.
Today, Jack is involved in the evaluation, selection and introduction of new products distributed by Ecke Ranch. This focus includes both poinsettias and the vegetative annual crops sold through the Flower Fields. In addition to working with product development, production and the sales & marketing groups for new plant introductions, Jack supports these crops through technical support provided in the form of production documents, magazine articles, crop production books and grower seminars. Jack is also a regular featured author in consumer press and is a frequent guest on various radio and television programs targeted to home gardeners.
As a technical specialist for Ecke Ranch and Ecke Europe, Jack visits greenhouses and trial sites throughout the world to evaluate crops, production systems and assess needs for these markets and the Ecke Ranch.
Rick Yates
Rick Yates is the Technical Support Manager for Griffin Greenhouse and Nursery Supplies, Inc. He obtained his BS in Horticulture from the University of Maryland, College Park.
Rick provides technical support for greenhouse growers from Maine to Virginia for Griffin Greenhouse and Nursery Supplies. He writes for various trade publications and does public speaking on topics including: pest control, growth regulators, plant nutrition and crop culture.
Jim Zwack
Jim Zwack is the National Accounts Manager for Rainbow Treecare Scientific Advancements (RTSA). He earned his BS in Urban Forestry at the University of Minnesota in 1995 and graduated with honors from Iowa State University with his MS in Tree Physiology in 1997.
Jim has presented at many ISA Chapter Conferences focusing on Training and Education programs, in addition to the value and promise of science-based Arboriculture. His industry involvement also includes positions on the Board of Directors for both the Society of Commercial Arboriculture as well as the TREE Fund.