Exciting developments are shaping the future of horticulture— from AI-powered support to must-attend experiences at Cultivate’25. In this issue, discover how Prides Corner Farms empowers its team, explore strategies for business succession, and see how advocacy efforts and certification programs are driving industry progress.
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• Search AmericanHort online content and resources quickly and efficiently.
• Learn about Cultivate’25 education sessions, exhibitors, and other experiences.
• Connect with the latest HRI research initiatives.
• Discover the latest advocacy efforts and information on topics such as AEWRS, H-2A/H-2B, tariffs, and more.
• Answer questions you may have on member benefits.
• Access information about industry best practices and guidance related to topics like pest and disease management.
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Jasmine Gonzalez joined the AmericanHort Operations team in the fall of 2024. She is responsible for database management, event coordination, and client services.
Jasmine holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies with a focus on Leadership and Public Advocacy, along with a minor in Gender Studies from Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania. Building on her experience in various administrative, IT, and financial-related roles in both higher education and the private sector, she is excited to apply her experience to further the association’s mission.
As a Spanish speaker, she is passionate about assisting with the Spanish-language educational programming AmericanHort is developing.
Join us at Cultivate’25 from July 12–15, 2025, at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, OH, where professionals from across the supply chain can connect, learn, and grow.
With a dynamic lineup of educational sessions, industry production tours, hands-on workshops, and the largest all-industry horticulture trade show, attendees will gain insights into the latest innovations, research, and business strategies shaping the future of horticulture.
Our morning keynote addresses and Women in Horticulture Luncheon are in new locations at the convention center.
Keynote: The Bucket List Life
Sunday, July 13, 8:00 – 9:15 AM
Battelle Grand Ballroom
Kenyon Salo shows you how his three simple concepts of living “The Bucket List Life” will guide you to fulfillment on your lifelong journey. Learn how to create phenomenal experiences, share powerful stories, and help others along the way.
AmericanHort State of the Industry Address
Monday, July 14, 8:00 – 9:15 AM
Battelle Grand Ballroom
American Hort leadership, Ken Fisher, President & CEO; Matt Mika, VP, Advocacy & Government Affairs; and Dr. Charlie Hall, Chief Economist, will provide insights into where our industry stands and what the future holds.
The Intuitive Edge: Unlock Success Through Your Inner Wisdom
Monday, July 14, 12:00 – 1:30 PM
Short North Ballroom
Keynote speaker Meg Morrison will empower you to be confident in your decision-making and trust your instincts. You’ll gain tools and insights to navigate complex decisions, achieve a better worklife balance, and build stronger, more effective teams.
This is a ticketed event. Tickets can be purchased as an add-on to your Cultivate registration until July 7.
Learn more about these eventsand sign up at AmericanHort.org/Cultivate or scan the QR code.
In each issue of Connect, we’ll be “hiding” a new small graphic. When you find it, email us at ConnectSeekAndFind@AmericanHort.org, and tell us where you found it.
Disfruta de nuestro contenido educativo disponible en tu propio idioma. Mantente al tanto de las últimas técnicas de cultivo, optimiza tu operación y apoya el desarrollo profesional de tu equipo. Participe de todas estas charlas educativas en persona con un All-Access Pass.
This series of grower-focused education will be taught entirely in Spanish! Cover essential growing techniques, optimize your operation, and develop your team. Attend any of these sessions with an All-Access Pass.
Strengthening employee knowledge and honing skill sets are built into the company culture at Prides Corner Farms. The third-generation family wholesale container nursery based in Lebanon, Connecticut, does this in a big way by having up to 20 employees attend the annual Cultivate educational conference and trade show each year.
Corner Farms comprises four farm locations covering
nearly 700 acres. The more than 3,000 plant varieties they grow are sold primarily to independent garden centers and landscapers from the Northeast to the MidAtlantic and out to the Midwest.
With 300 full-time staff and 750 staff during peak production, keeping them up on the latest issues, techniques, and innovations in the industry is paramount for the business to perform its best. The educational opportunities that being a member of AmericanHort affords, especially those at Cultivate, play a key role in staff preparedness.
“It’s a great opportunity for us to see what’s coming next, to see the future,” says Jack Sellew, Prides Corner Wholesale Yard Manager. “We get ideas that we try to implement for the future of Prides Corner every day.”
Nearly 20 Prides Corner staff members attend Cultivate each year. The manager of the tissue culture and diagnostics lab is an annual attendee as it’s the “marquee show for that technology and what’s out there,” says Jack.
As a rule, they bring different people every year so they can get new ideas and feel inspired, and some even come back with key takeaways that the management team might have overlooked.
“Every new person who goes to Cultivate comes back and says, ‘You know, I can’t believe how big and exciting our industry is,’” says Jack.
“It’s looked at as a benefit,” adds Ben Sellew, Sales Representative for Massachusetts. “If you get tagged to go to Cultivate, you’re a rising star here. It’s a way to grow your tool belt, too.”
Preparation for Cultivate starts with a preCultivate meeting of all staff attending the
tHRIve education at Cultivate’25 offers an opportunity for attendees to engage with cutting-edge research funded by the Horticultural Research Institute (HRI). The symposium and sessions provide insights into the latest advancements that enhance the horticulture industry's quality, productivity, and sustainability. As the research and scholarship foundation of AmericanHort, HRI is dedicated to directing, funding, promoting, and communicating horticultural research to benefit the industry and the environment.
Hydroponic culinary herbs offer quick crop cycles, high margins, and superior flavor, making them an attractive option for greenhouse growers. This symposium will feature experts from the CEAHERB team sharing the latest research on cultivar selection, propagation, hydroponic systems, and environmental management. Attendees will also gain insights into food safety, postharvest handling, and marketing strategies to maximize profitability. Whether you're new to hydroponic herb production or looking to refine your techniques, this session will provide practical takeaways to enhance your operation.
• Roberto Lopez, Associate Professor at Michigan State University
• Christopher Currey, Associate Professor at Iowa State University
• Alicia Rihn, Assistant Professor at University of Tennessee
• Brian Whipker, Professor at NC State University
Saturday, July 12
Panel: Out of the Pot into the Water— Hydroponic Herb Production
Sunday, July 13
Utilizing Rice Hull and Other Non-Chemical Weed Control Strategies in Container Nursery Production
Managing Thrips Parvispinus: Strategies for Prevention and Control
Advancing Propagation & Plant Health: Research-Driven Solutions, from the Floriculture Research Alliance
Monday, July 14
Panel: Labor Challenges and Opportunities in the Nursery Industry: How Behavioral, Economic, Engineering, and Production Influences Automation Adoption in the Green Industry
Applications of Unpiloted Aerial Systems in Ornamental Horticulture Production
Tuesday, July 15
Flatheaded Borer Management: Research and Hands-On Solutions
Included with both All-Access and Expo Plus Passes
Located in C170, off the Main Concourse
Visit AmericanHort.org/Cultivate or scan the QR code for more information.
We extend a warm welcome to the new members who joined in February and March.
Premium Members
KB Landscape Supply Inc Wildwood, FL
Mortellaro’s Nursery Ltd Schertz, TX
Agromillora McMinnville, OR
See the full list of 100+ new members at AmericanHort.org/NewMembers or scan the QR code.
When Alicia Rihn first attended Cultivate as a HortScholar in 2013, she had no idea the experience would shape her career for years to come.
Dr. Bridget Behe, a now retired professor at Michigan State University’s Department of Horticulture, encouraged Rihn, then a Ph.D. student in horticultural marketing, to apply for the HortScholar program, knowing firsthand the value of the program.
The “beyond the classroom” experience gave Rihn the chance to view her work through the lenses of those actively working in the horticulture industry. She met business owners, growers and other academics, and each of these interactions shaped her studies.
“We got to meet and greet the folks that you maybe wouldn't have an opportunity to meet until you were working within an organization,” Rihn said. “Some HortScholars were looking for jobs at the time, and they were able to network and learn about the different opportunities that were available to them.”
For Rihn, the HortScholars program is not just a one-time event but an ongoing resource. She says she routinely runs into her HortScholar colleagues and the industry leaders she met during her HortScholar experience at industry events.
The HortScholar connection has proven to be a continuing thread throughout her professional life.
Dr. Rihn is now an assistant professor at the University of Tennessee’s Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, where her research focuses on plant benefit information, native plant perceptions, alternative pest control methods, e-commerce, and point-of-sale information. She’s interested in addressing how people perceive and interact with products and the best marketing strategies to add value for customers and businesses.
Now, when she attends Cultivate, she presents her research and networks and visits exhibitors to see companies’ marketing strategies. More than a decade since her first experience as a HortScholar, Rihn now contributes to the community that helped shape her path one summer.
Rihn is participating in the Horticultural Research Institute’s tHRIve presentations this year. Read more about the tHRIve symposium and sessions on pages 8–9.
By Jim Rein, Estate & Succession advisor, Pinion
Despite a succession plan’s vital importance to a business owner’s and their family’s longevity, wealth building, retirement funding, and/or legacy protection, an astounding 59% of horticulture businesses lack a formal succession or exit plan, according to a survey by PivotPoint Business Solutions. Without a plan, years of hard work—and the future of your business—could be at risk.
While you can’t control the weather, the economy, or industry disruptions, you can control how you prepare for the future. A well-structured succession plan ensures that when the time comes to transition, whether to family, a trusted buyer, or another exit strategy, you do so on your terms.
Succession planning may not feel urgent now, but waiting too long can limit your options. Acting today can make all the difference.
Succession planning doesn’t happen overnight—it takes foresight, strategy, and oftentimes, difficult conversations. The earlier you begin, the smoother the transition will be.
“Transitions don’t feel urgent until suddenly they are,” says Tommy Irvine, agribusiness
advisor at Pinion. “And often, the toughest discussions involve money, succession, or death—topics people tend to avoid.”
Delaying the process can turn a planned transition into a stressful, last-minute scramble. By starting early, you give yourself clarity, control, and peace of mind.
Many family businesses delay succession planning because it requires tough discussions about leadership, ownership, and financial arrangements. However, avoiding these conversations can lead to confusion and conflict later.
Proactively addressing these topics now, before a transition is imminent, ensures a smoother path forward for you, your family, and your business.
“If it feels too hard to have these conversations, enlist a succession advisor who is trained in facilitating them,” advises Davon Cook, family business advisor at
Your team is the backbone of your greenhouse. Ensure they have the skills and confidence to grow thriving plants, solve problems, and meet production goals.
Taught by experienced industry professionals, this self-paced, online training covers 15 courses divided into three modules:
1. Substrate, Nutrition, and Growth Management
2. Pest, Disease, and Water Quality Management
3. Optimizing Greenhouse Efficiency in Lighting, Quality Control, and Business
