On The Move

Jennifer Zurko

Ball Publishing
We’re pleased to introduce Kim Brown as the new advertising sales representative for Ball Publishing. To meet Kim via video, go to www.tinyurl.com/kimbrownBP. 

Kim comes to us with a wealth of advertising sales and agency experience. Most recently, she was an account executive with HGTV and with the Family Channel. She’s also worked for some world-renowned Chicago agencies, including J. Walter Thompson, A.C. Nielsen Media Research and DDB Needham Worldwide.

Kim will be responsible for GrowerTalks and Green Profit advertising sales for the Eastern United States.

Valleybrook Gardens
Effective January 1, 2011, Jason Rekker will be taking over as Nursery Manager at Valleybrook Gardens, a large perennials supplier located in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada.

Sakata
Sakata introduced a new website that includes information about all of the company’s bedding plants, cut flowers and pot plants at one web address—www.SakataOrnamentals.com. The new site features extensive product information for growers, retailers, landscapers and homeowners, along with a resource library of culture sheets and recent articles about Sakata Ornamentals. Registered users can search and download a wide variety of photos at various resolutions, plus retailers and growers can also generate benchcards for Sakata products complete with photos and homeowner cultural information.

BioSafe Systems
BioSafe Systems introduced Derek Phillips as the new Florida Turf and Ornamental Technical Representative. Derek has more than ten years of experience selling and installing chemicals and equipment in a broad range of industries, including work for Ecolab, Nalco and GE Water Systems. He will work primarily within the turf and ornamental market, but will also expand BioSafe Systems into other areas of the horticulture industry.

Oregon Association of Nurseries
Jeff Stone is the new Executive Director/CEO of the Oregon Association of Nurseries. Serving as the organization’s Director of Government Relations since 2005, Jeff delivered landmark estate tax reform, metal theft legislation, hoop house tax protection, and land use changes that positively affected the industry. He also created and co-chaired the Coalition for a Working Oregon, a group that brought business representatives together to shape the immigration debate in Oregon and Washington, DC.

Dow AgroSciences
Dow AgroSciences has named Jason Nelson to the position of Portfolio Marketing Leader for the Turf & Ornamental business division. In his new role, Jason will be responsible for managing the portfolio strategies for all herbicides, insecticides and fungicides in the turf and ornamental business segment. In addition, he will oversee the account management team, and work closely with distributors and formulators to develop new opportunities and technologies for the market. Jason began his career at Dow AgroSciences in 1997 and has held various positions within the company, most recently District Sales Manager for Coastal Crops.

Also, Lee Conway was named District Sales Manager responsible for overseeing the Eastern Turf & Ornamental sales district. He has been with Dow AgroSciences since 1996 and has held many positions with the company, including roles in sales, marketing and research.

Nurserymen’s Exchange
Nurserymen’s Exchange, Inc. announced the promotion of Justin Dautoff to Chief Operating Officer. Justin most recently served as the VP of Marketing for Nurserymen’s Exchange and was promoted to recognize his expanding role and contributions to the company during the past few years. It also marks a step in the succession of this family-owned business to the third generation of the Pearlstein family—Justin is the grandson of Carl and Virginia Pearlstein, who founded Nurserymen’s Exchange in 1941.

L.B. White Company, Inc.
L.B. White Company has been acquired by a group consisting of Jeff Diermeier, Rick Diermeier and Kevin Gagermeier. This acquisition includes L.B. White, PSI Heating Systems and two sister companies that make up Hospitality International, LLC; La Crosse and Carroll Chair Company. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Rick Diermeier is and has served as the company’s president and COO since 2004 and Kevin Gagermeier is and has served as CFO since 2007. Jeff Diermeier is the company’s new chairman.

Garden State Growers
Noah Schwartz has joined Garden State Growers in Pittstown, New Jersey, as the new Senior Production Coordinator and Head Grower. Noah has more than 17 years of experience in the greenhouse industry. He was named Young Grower of the Year in 2006 by GrowerTalks and served as head grower for the Macy’s Flower Show. He also lectures extensively throughout the United States and teaches at the New York Botanical Garden.

Deforche Greenhouses
Deforche Greenhouses of Belgium announced they’ve selected Chuck Sierke to be the U.S. Sales Manager for the Deforche product line in the United States. Deforche manufactures a full line of production and retail greenhouses. Chuck, who’s based in Mobile, Alabama, is a third-generation greenhouse specialist whose father founded Gothic Arch Greenhouses. Chuck will also continue to represent Cravo’s line of retractable-roof greenhouses.

Pleasant View Gardens
Michael Kennedy is the new National Sales & Marketing Manager for Pleasant View Gardens. Mike comes to Pleasant View with more than 20 years of sales experience and the benefit of exposure to businesses of all sizes and structures, and has successfully led sales teams at some of the largest construction materials suppliers in the country.

Aris Horticulture
Bob Radick has joined Aris Horticulture’s Keepsake Plants division as Product Business Manager, based at the company’s Alva, Florida, operation. Bob has worked in the industry for more than 20 years as a product manager, sales manager and outside sales representative, most recently as the Aqualok Product Manager for Costa Nursery Farms in Florida. GT