AAS Honors Mitch Hanes With Breeders’ Cup

Chris Beytes

All-America Selections (AAS) announced that Mitch Hanes, retired flower breeder from Syngenta Flowers, has been selected as the recipient of the 2024 AAS Breeders’ Cup Award. This prestigious award recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to horticulture through their plant breeding innovations. The AAS judges, a group of experienced horticulturists, honored Mitch with the Breeders’ Cup Award at a special meeting. Todd Perkins, a fellow breeder from Syngenta Flowers, presented a tribute to Mitch’s career, highlighting his exceptional achievements and dedication to the industry.

Mitch spent more than four decades at Syngenta Flowers and Goldsmith Seeds, where he played a pivotal role in breeding a variety of innovative flower cultivars. His contributions to the field of horticulture include the development of interspecific geraniums, such as the Calliope, Caliente and Mojo series. Notably, Calliope Medium Dark Red is a 2017 AAS Winner.

The AAS Breeders’ Cup Award was established in 2004 to honor breeders whose groundbreaking work has led to the development of new cultivars that have had a profound impact on the industry. Mitch’s career exemplifies the dedication and expertise required to create exceptional plants that have captivated gardeners and consumers alike. GT