TNLA recognizes award-winners
Nine 2007 award-winners were recognized last week during TNLA?s Annual Awards Dinner in Pigeon Forge Feb. 5.
If you have not visited Hale and Hines Nursery in McMinnville recently, you may not be aware of all the innovative expanding that Terry Hines and his family have been doing. From the innovative method of installing pot-n-pot to producing the newest cultivars, Terry is pushing container size and his media by incorporating ?Fluff.? The industry recognized these efforts with their esteemed Wholesale Nurseryman of the Year award.
Tony Graham with Oak Brook Nursery on Hwy 55, was recognized as the Young Nursery Professional of the Year. Tony began his career in the industry over 15 years ago in the nursery department of a garden center while still in high school, eventually becoming co-manager. Tony has worked diligently at Oak Brook Farm for 8 years to improve quality and expand the operation. Tony is an active member of MTNA and TNLA. The winner here must be younger than 35.
The Retailer of the Year is Monte Stanley of Stanley?s Greenhouse. Stanley’s is a 66-year-old family owned garden center located 5 minutes from downtown Knoxville; supplying gardeners with quality shrubs, perennials, herbs, annuals, houseplants, and poinsettias. Most of their inventory is raised on the 17-acre site. The judges remarked that Stanley?s is first class, an unbelievable operation.
Lee J. Greathouse, CLP, is the Landscaper of the Year. BS in Ornamental Horticulture and Landscape Design from UT in 1973; employed by North River Nursery in Chattanooga and Green River Nursery in Hendersonville. In 1981, he and Alfred Stewart started Greathouse Landscape Co.; member of TNLA since 1983. Greathouse Landscape Co. specializes in landscape installation, maintenance and technical design/build for residential and commercial projects.
Drew Sullivan was recognized as Salesman of the Year. He first worked for John Waller Landscape while attending MTSU but stayed 18 years as a supervisor and garden center manager. He started his own landscape installation and maintenance business in 1990. In 1992 he helped Paul Dickens create Dickens Turf and Land. Supply Co. and is now the General Manager. He has tremendous knowledge and passion for this industry and he is respected by all.
Dr. Charles Hall was recognized as Committee Chair of the Year. Charlie is a Professor and Extension Economist in the Dept of Agricultural Economics at UT. Dr. Hall?s Extension program focuses on the economics of producing and marketing horticultural products grown in Tennessee. His major areas of specialization include marketing strategies for firms at the wholesale and retail level, financial analysis for horticultural firms, and the situation/outlook for major horticultural crops.
Hall of Fame winners include Jerry Riddell, Hugh Conlon and Jimmy Driver. They are honored for their dedication and service to the Tennessee nursery industry.
Jerry Riddell become a nurseryman while completing his first career with the Tenn. Park System; where he received numerous prestigious awards during his 19 year tenure. The family built Hardin County Nsy in Savannah from the ground up beginning in 1982; growing over 190 different species in over 1 million containers. He joined TNLA in 1982 and served as Chairman of the Education Comm for 4 years; receiving both Chairman of the Year and Nurseryman of the Year Awards.
Hugh is my counterpart in east Tennessee, serving 33 counties as Area Extension Specialist with UT Extension. He works with commercial nursery, greenhouse growers, landscape managers, garden center operators and their employees. Hugh is active in the International Plant Propagators? Society, Perennial Plant Association, and the Garden Writers Association. His career has been devoted to teaching his love for plants.
He dreamed of selling azaleas on the side of the road and of well behaved children. He and Faye opened the first ?drive-in nursery sales yard? in Middle Tennessee on Hwy 56 South in 1970. Some say he was an innovator, he says merely a survivor. He lobbied for a tax exemption on farm commodities, fought for our research station, served as president of MTNA and TNA, awarded the Tennessee Wholesale Nurseryman of the year in 1995.
Jimmy Driver embodies the very spirit of the 20th century nurseryman: He is still seeking one more good year. A TNLA member for 35 years.
Congratulations to all.