WASHINGTON, DC and COLUMBUS, OH—Nearly 200 horticulture industry professionals gathered to celebrate research and each other at The Horticultural Research Institute Donor Reception. The second of twice-yearly donor receptions took place late in conjunction with AmericanHort’s Cultivate’14 event in Columbus, Ohio.
Collaboration was a recurring theme throughout the evening, which featured informative and brief presentations by Harvey Cotten (Horticultural Research Institute Board President), Dr. Joseph Albano (Research Program Director), and Mark Foertmeyer (AmericanHort Board Chairman).
Donations and pledges made totaled more than $200,000 and included the announcement of the Future of Garden Retail Project and the AmericanHort Research Fund. Additional reception highlights included:
• Scott McAdam successfully challenged reception attendees to create a Legacy Club recognition in memory of Mr. Charles Tosovsky, who passed away in July 2014. Mr. Tosovsky, of Home Nursery, Edwardsville, IL,L was a long-time and generous Horticultural Research Institute supporter and a committed and influential horticulture industry professional.
• Dan Batson of GreenForest Nursery, Perkinston, MS presented a $10,000 donation in honor of his ongoing commitment to match donations made from Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana to the GreenForest Nursery/Gulf States Challenge Fund.
• Midwest Trading Horticultural Supplies and staff presented a $10,000 donation to the Orum Research Fund.
Collaborative Garden Retail Research
The Future of Garden Retail is a project that taps into powerful, multi-disciplinary methods of researching, conceptualizing, and testing strategies aimed to expand the garden retail industry. In collaboration with AmericanHort, the Horticultural Research Institute will engage a national design college (the MindMarket program of the Columbus College of Art and Design) to employ a design approach to industry market research.
Over 12 months and several phases, the college will bring together the campus and more than 1,000 students--most of them part of the millennial generation--with association members, the industry, and consumers to investigate and identify solutions for horticulture’s future.
“This initiative is more than just about designing attractive stores. We are taking a holistic approach to better understand and recommend how in the future we can bring more value to our customers and engage them in purchasing more products and services,” said Mark Foertmeyer, AmericanHort’s Chairman of the Board.
Collaborative AmericanHort Research Fund
Michael V. Geary, AmericanHort President & CEO, joined Foertmeyer to announce the creation of the AmericanHort Research Fund.
“Advancing the mutual success of all horticulture industry sectors is part of AmericanHort’s strategic vision,” said Geary. “Partnering with HRI ticks all the boxes in our mission statement: unite, promote, and advance our industry through advocacy, collaboration, connectivity, education, market development, and research.”
AmericanHort established the fund with a pledge of $50,000 and issued a matching challenge to the industry. For every dollar raised up to $50,000 through 2015, AmericanHort will match 100 percent, which could bring the fund up to $150,000 in total.
Collaborative Pollinator Stewardship Initiative
On the heels of a successful fundraising reception, the Horticultural Research Institute made news by launching the Horticultural Industry Bee and Pollinator Stewardship Initiative.
Through the leadership of the Horticultural Research Institute and AmericanHort, the healthy pollinator initiative will:
• Develop a bee and pollinator stewardship program that improves circumstances surrounding pollinator health concerns
• Fund research that helps answer key science questions that support the stewardship program
• Spread the word to the horticulture industry communities and its customers how the program has a positive impact on pollinators and still allows us to mitigate the spread of invasive pests that threaten our natural environment.
Horticulture is the “original” green industry, and has a large stake in encouraging healthy pollinator communities. All industry professionals are asked to support this massive effort. Contributions to this Initiative will go directly to support this urgent work. Donate today at www.hriresearch.org.