Orum-Midwest Research Fund Established

Jennifer Zurko

The Horticultural Research Institute (HRI) announced that it’s the recipient of a generous $250,000 donation from the Peter Orum Family, Midwest Groundcovers, LLC, St. Charles, Illinois, and Midwest Trading Horticultural Supplies, Inc., near Virgil, Illinois. This donation will create the Orum-Midwest Research Fund within the HRI Endowment.

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From left to right: Bob Dolibois, executive vice president of ANLA; Peter Orum, chairman of Midwest Groundcovers; and Gary Knosher, Midwest Groundcovers president, announce a $250,000 donation to establish the Orum-Midwest Research Fund with HRI.

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When discussing the establishment of the Orum-Midwest Research Fund in a press release, Peter said, “Many years ago, we established an HRI fund in honor of my mentor in plant propagation, John Wilde, and some years later we established a fund in honor of my parents, Lydia and Palle H. Orum; and on the birthdays of these honorees we keep building the funds.” 

Midwest Groundcovers LLC is an industry leader in the propagation, growing and wholesale distribution of quality container nursery stock. The company operates more than 600 acres of state-of-the-art nursery production facilities at five locations in St. Charles, Illinois; Virgil, Illinois; and Glenn, Michigan. Midwest Trading Horticultural Supplies, Inc. is a horticultural hard goods supplier and fabricator, headquartered in Virgil, Illinois, approximately 55 miles west of Chicago. The company specializes in the production of potting soils, engineered soils, rooftop mixes, bark mulches and composts in addition to re-wholesaling other nursery and landscape products. 

HRI’s mission is to direct, fund, promote and communicate horticultural research, which increases the quality and value of ornamental plants, improves the productivity and profitability of the nursery and landscape industry, and protects and enhances the environment. HRI is an IRS-recognized 501(c)(3) tax-exempt research and educational foundation.

To learn more about HRI visit www.HRIResearch.org. GT