AmericanHort Community Connectors
A group of highly engaged industry professionals who are guiding the association and making a mark in the industry.
Representing the Entire Industry
The AmericanHort Community Connector groups represent the future generations and each segment of the green industry: garden retail, greenhouse, interior plantscape, landscape and nursery businesses.
Each member donates time, expertise, and talent to participate in these groups that guide AmericanHort initiatives and support the evolving needs of the horticulture industry and its individual segments.
How Community Connectors Works
Community Connectors meet regularly to discuss key projects and provide insights to address the needs of members.
These professionals are a sounding board for new ideas, and help ensure AmericanHort initiatives and offerings are valuable, relevant assets for all members.
Community Connector Groups
Garden Retail Community Connectors
Sonya Harrison, My Secret Garden – Leader
Tanner Jones, Family Tree Nursery – Leader
Liz Lark-Riley, Mahoney’s Garden Center – Leader
Neil Anderson, Gardens of Babylon
Bob Berbee, Dutch Mill Greenhouse and Leo Berbee Bulb Co.
Samuel Di Rito, Collier’s Greenhouse and Garden Center
Jessie Jacobson, Tonkadale Greenhouses
Jake Scott, Piedmont Feed and Garden Center
Sarah Polzin, Down to Earth Garden Center
Ryan Watkins, Brownswood Nursery
Heather Wheatley, Proven Winners
Christine Fortman, Berridge Nurseries, Board Liaison
Brian Lloyd, Olson’s Greenhouse, Board Liaison
Meagan Nace, AmericanHort, Staff Liaison
Generation Next Community Connectors
Andy Fields, Goodmark Nurseries – Leader
Melinda Knuth, North Carolina State University – Leader
Lyndsey Zinni, Millcreek Gardens – Leader
Jacob Carson, AdeptAg
Chris Cerveny, Bridge City Global, LLC.
Elizabeth Dunbar, BASF
Annie Glaser, Foertmeyer & Sons Greenhouse
Marcus Jansen, Ball Hort/PanAmerican Seed
Jaime Manlove, North Creek Nurseries
Hailey Middleton – Breezy Hill Nursery
Thomas Minter, BFG Supply Company
Ankit Singh, University of Maine
Cara Widder, Proven Winners
Rachel Rawls, AmericanHort, Staff Liaison
Greenhouse Community Connectors
Matt Foertmeyer, Foertmeyer & Sons Greenhouse – Leader
Broch Martindale, Corteva AgriScience – Leader
Jennifer Moss, Moss Greenhouses Inc – Leader
Chris Cerveny, Bridge City Global, LLC.
Bob Dickman, Dickman Farms LLC
Danielle Ernster, BioTerm Solutions
Denise Godfrey, Olive Hill Greenhouses
Mike Gooder, Plantpeddler Inc.
David Hoffman, Hoffman Nursery
Amy Morris, N.G. Heimos Greenhouses
Susie Raker-Zimmerman, Raker-Roberta’s Young Plants
Nathan Sell, Kientzler North America
Doug Schuster – Root 58 Greenhouses
Arlyn Smith, Saunders Brothers Inc
Kaitlyn Sterner, JR Peters Inc.
Jason Twaddell, Ball FloraPlant
Mary Werth, Suburban Lawn & Garden Inc
Garrett Owen – The Ohio State University
Ken Altman, Altman Specialty Plants LLC, Board Liaison
Derek Clark, South Central Growers, Board Liaison
Rachel Rawls, AmericanHort, Staff Liaison
Interior Plantscape Community Connectors
Morgan Coling, Oasis Plantscaping – Leader
Genevieve Reiner-Mills, Oakland Interiorscapes – Leader
Molly Turpin, Growing Green Inc. – Leader
Barbara Arnold, Franklin Park Conservatory
Kelley Carmona, Greenscapes of Silicon Valley
Eric McKie, Green Oak Garden Center LLC
Kayla Miller, Greenscapes of Silicon Valley
Nathan Parker, Parker Interior Plantscape Inc.
Jennifer Perez, Growing Roots
Jennifer Ricciardi, The IGS Plantscaping Group
Mariana Reyes, Village Green Tropic Interiors
Parker Titera, Down to Earth
Emily Showalter, Willoway Nurseries, Board Liaison
Meagan Nace, AmericanHort, Staff Liaison
Cindy Whitt, Americanhort, Staff Liaison
Landscape Community Connectors
Carrie Hancock, JMR Landscaping – Leader
David McKinney, The Iowa Arboretum & Gardens – Leader
Drew Stevens, Brownswood Nursery & Landscape – Leader
Joe Burns, Color Burst
Kurt Everett, Loma Vista Nursery
Jeff Gibson, Ball Horticultural Company
Joe Hobson, Midwest Trading
Brett Jones, SiteOne Landscape Supply
Kent Fullmer, Fuller’s Landscaping, Inc. – Board Liaison
Kamron Newberry, AmericanHort, Staff Liaison
Nursery Community Connectors
Colin Jones, Manor View Farms – Leader
Jake Pierson, Pierson Nurseries – Leader
John Terhesh, Breezy Hill Nursery – Leader
Carlos Bogran, BioWorks
Paul Cappiello, Yew Dell Gardens
Ray Defeo, Prides Corner Farms
Bobby Garcia, Greenleaf Nursery
Scott Klittich, Otto & Sons
Lyndsi Oestmann, Loma Vista
Gerardo (Gerry) Spinelli, University of California
Chris Wichman, Belmont Nursery
Matt Wolff, Baxter Wholesale Nursery
Harvey Cotten, Horticultural Consultant, Speaker, & Author – Board Liaison
Tom Fessler, Woodburn Nursery & Azaleas Inc – Board Liaison
Ed Overdevest, Overdevest Nurseries LP – Board Liaison
Jennifer Gray, AmericanHort – Staff Liaison
Michael Martin, AmericanHort – Staff Liaison
Rachel Rawls, AmericanHort – Staff Liaison
Roundtables
The AmericanHort Community Connectors coordinate and host members roundtable discussions to connect with industry peers. Timely topics and challenges facing industry segments are part of the robust conversations. All AmericanHort members are welcome to participate.
Stay updated and receive alerts about upcoming discussions.