PRESIDENT
Ed Bemis
Bemis Farms Nursery
Spencer, MA
VICE PRESIDENT/TREASURER
Carol MacLeod
Evergreen Gardens of Vermont
Waterbury Center, VT
DIRECTORS
Jake Pierson
Pierson Nurseries
Biddeford, ME
James Pagliarini
Central Nurseries
Johnston, RI
Mark Hixson
Monrovia Growers
Granby, CT
PAST PRESIDENT
Peter House
East Haven Landscape Products
East Haven, CT
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
M. Virginia Wood, CMP
NEWSLETTER EDITOR
Kristen Dreyer
NEW ENGLAND
NURSERY ASSOCIATION
8-D Pleasant Street South
Natick, MA 01760
(508) 653-3112
NewEnglandNurseryAssociation.org
PRESIDENT's MESSAGE
Fall is here...
Fall is here and I hope all are doing well! Some NENA members reported that summer sales were flat while others saw their best season yet. The drought has had an impact on products and consumer confidence and my colleague on the NENA board, Jake Pierson, continues to express concerns about plant shortages so that's a concern as well.
NENA members continue to use ingenuity and creativity that allow many of us to thrive. From innovative social media marketing and sales strategies...to “agritainment" ventures...and diversification, offering new products and services...it's very exciting to see.
NENA’s strong alliance with HRI continues at a fast pace. The board met recently to review grant applications and the 2017 recipient will be announced early next year. For 2016, we continue to support Professor Raul Cabrera of Rutgers University with his important research on graywater reclamation for use in irrigation.
NENA is proud to help “power” New England GROWS! Our thanks to Rich Clark and Jake Pierson who both represent NENA on the GROWS board this year. They’ve put together another amazing event that includes an extraordinary educational line up, an energized exhibit hall, and countless opportunities to connect with colleagues! You’ll find their tips in this issue of our e-newsletter. Mark Hixson and I had the privilege of serving on the GROWS Educational Advisory Committee this year and we've listed some of our top seminar picks as well.
Enjoy this glorious fall weather. I’ll see you at NENA’s Annual Breakfast meeting on Friday, December 2 at GROWS!
Ed Bemis, President
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NEW ENGLAND NURSERY ASSOCIATION
BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2016