HRI raises $300,000

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Horticultural Research Institute (HRI), the AmericanHort foundation, announced the receipt of $300,000 in donations during its reception held in conjunction with Cultivate’18 in Columbus, Ohio.

More than 175 industry professionals attended the summer reception, which celebrated HRI supporters. The reception recognized more than $290,000 in donations for research fostering business-building knowledge for the horticultural industry. An additional $10,000 was raised during Cultivate’18.

To donate to HRI, visit this site.

Four new endowment funds were created at the reception:

• Ed and Gail Overdevest announced creation of the Overdevest Nursery LP Research Fund with an initial donation of $50,000.
   
• Ernest Wertheim, Jack Klemeyer, Dale Bachman, and Jacquie Courtright-Williams announced the creation of the new Wertheim, van der Ploeg, & Klemeyer Research Fund

with $25,000 in donations raised by friends and fans of Wertheim and Klemeyer.
 

• HRI Trustee Harvey Cotten announced the establishment of the Joanne Kostecky Petito Research Fund, made possible from a generous $50,000 bequest from Petito's estate.
   
• Platt Hill and Peter Orum announced the creation of a new $25,000 fund celebrating the memory of Hill's father called the John B. "Jack" Hill Memorial Research Fund.