ANLA Elects New Leaders, Inducts Hall of Famer

Ellen C. Wells

Tom Courtright, president of Orchard Nursery and Florist in Lafayette, California, assumed the presidency of the American Nursery and Landscape Association (ANLA) at the organization’s annual meeting in Washington, DC. Tom brings a long history of volunteer leadership in local, state, national and international organizations in the nursery and landscape industry. He had previously served as president of ANLA’s Retail Division and was on the board of the Horticultural Research Institute from 2002-2004 prior to joining the ANLA board or directors. The ANLA Senate also elected new leaders to its board of directors and division boards. Bob Lyons, Sunleaf Nursery, Ohio, was named president-elect of the board of directors. He will be joined by new members Joseph Schulte, Southwood Landscape & Nursery Co., Oklahoma, and Tom Demaline, Willoway Nurseries, Ohio. New members were also elected to serve on ANLA’s Division boards, which are responsible for advising ANLA on the educational and business needs of the organization’s divisions. These new members include Philip Statile (JP Statile, Ohio) and Eric Joy (Christensen’s Plant Center, Michigan) for the Landscape Distribution Division; Christian Dulina (Atlantic Garden Centers, Virginia) for the Retail Division; Tracy Sides (Landvision Designs, North Carolina) and Larry Becker (Becker Landscape Contractors, Indiana) for the Landscape Division; and Jon Bartch (Carlton Plants, Oregon) and Mark Sellew (Prides Corner Farms, Connecticut) for the Grower Division.

In addition to new selecting new leaders, ANLA also inducted Gordon Hobbs, former president and owner of C.M. Hobbs and Sons, into its Hall of Fame. Established in 1966, the ANLA Hall of Fame Award is given to an outstanding nursery and landscape industry professional whose business and community accomplishments serve as an example for others in the industry, and as such is the highest honor the green industry can bestow upon one of its members.

Gordon has served as president of ANLA and its Grower Division, the Wholesale Nursery Growers of America (WNGA). He also has served as president of both the Indianapolis Landscape Association and the Indiana Association of Nurserymen. Gordon helped found the American Nursery Credit Association and served as its secretary-treasurer for 17 years.