Porter honored for years of service

By AMY SATTERWHITE / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard

Rep. Charles Curtiss reads a portion of a resolution honoring local nurseryman Ed Porter, right. (Amy Satterwhite photo)

To say Ed Porter has been busy would be an understatement.

In fact, Porter has accomplished so much in his lifetime, he was recognized by state officials Monday who presented him a resolution of the Tennessee General Assembly in honor of his work. Specifically, the resolution honors and commends Porter for receiving the 2002 Hall of Fame Award by the American Nursery and Landscape Association (ANLA).

Sen. Jerry Cooper, Rep. Charles Curtiss and Rep. Judd Matheny formally presented Porter with the award at the Tennessee Nursery and Landscape Association (TNLA) office on Lyon Street with family members and other supporters also present.

According to the resolution, which honors him as a citizen who has distinguished himself as a community leader, Porter’s extensive history in the nursery business came after he earned his bachelor’s degree at the University of Tennessee in 1958. He worked for the state and worked at and owned local nurseries before eventually establishing Porter Farms in 1995.

Porter is known to be a champion of many causes for the industry, and has led and served extensively with the ANLA, the Southern Nursery Association, the TNLA, as well as the Middle Tennessee Nursery Association.

He is also credited with serving as the state’s Commissioner of Agriculture, state chairman of the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service Committee, secretary-treasurer and vice president of the Southern Association of the state Department of Agriculture and chairman of the Tennessee Forestry Commission.

Additionally, the resolution also notes, he is civic minded, having served as president of the McMinnville Jaycees, vice president of the Tennessee Jaycees, president of the Chamber of Commerce, state chairman of the March of Dime’s Governor’s Gala, and governor of the National Alumni Association of the University of Tennessee. Porter is a Paul Harris Fellow, a Scottish and York Rite Mason and a Shriner.

He is credited with many other honors and awards and was thankful after the resolution was presented to him Monday.

“A lot of work went into putting this together and a lot of work was involved in accomplishing the goals that have been met there and I’m delighted that I’ve had an opportunity to do something for Tennesseans,” he said.

Porter, a deacon with First Baptist Church, is married to the former Paula Boster. They have three daughters and seven grandchildren.