9/1/2023
On The Move
Jennifer Zurko
BALL FLORAPLANT/SELECTA ONE
Lauren Blume has been hired in the role of Technical Lead and Territory Manager for Ball FloraPlant and Selecta One. In her role, Lauren will support the launch of new genetics into the market through extensive trialing. She’ll also support the Ball Seed sales team and coordinate her efforts with the Ball Seed Tech Team as well.
Lauren comes to Ball FloraPlant with an extensive technical and customer service background. Most recently, she worked as an Area Manager for Beekenkamp Plants, working with key accounts in technical sales. Prior to Beekenkamp, Lauren served as Assistant Head Grower at Altman Plants at the Giddings, Texas, location, and as a grower at Seville Farms.
EASON HORTICULTURAL SERVICES
Eason Horticultural Resources announced the additions of Leah Heiden and Carrie Larson to their National Sales Team. Leah will service customers in Northern and Central Illinois, as well as southern Wisconsin. Leah has nearly 20 years of experience in horticultural distribution, previously holding positions with Syngenta Horticultural Services, Vaughan’s Horticulture and Henry F. Michell’s.
Carrie has spent much of her career finding consumer-friendly plants for an upper Midwest grower. With 32 years in the industry, she’s worked for Bachman’s, Hermes, VanBloem, Simple Pleasures and McHutchison.
JIFFY
Jiffy has hired Brian Schulker as the new Business Development Manager for Growing Media Constituents on its Innovation Team. Brian's role at Jiffy centers around innovating the global portfolio of products by utilizing alternative fibers and technologies. With an extensive background in fiber-based growing media, Brian's research encompasses various aspects, including processing, management, blending, irrigation and production. He possesses comprehensive knowledge of the effective utilization of peat, coir and pine bark, along with their incorporation into these new alternative media solutions. Brian holds both a master’s and a Ph.D. from North Carolina State University, where he conducted his research in the Horticultural Substrates Laboratory under the guidance of Dr. Brian Jackson.
PLANT DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, INC.
Heather Gronek has been hired as Plant Development Services’ new Operations and R&D Manager. Heather joined in January and she brings two decades of industry expertise in positions spanning from major national growers to the nursery and landscape space. A graduate of the Plant and Soil Science program at Middle Tennessee State University, Heather has significant experience in coordinating growth and production operations at a national scale.