February 2021 - 19

DUETS
passion for sustainability. We were
blessed to be a small part of it that
also became a major part of our
families' lives.
Peter: That's another great point,
Justin, that dedicated people are
essential to keep an operation
running smoothly allowing key
individuals the freedom to serve the
greater industry. Over my decades
of association with OFA, it amazed
me to witness how the select group
of past presidents committed not
just the two years of service as
president but also two years before
that as vice president learning the
ropes, and two after as immediate
past president to assist the
successor. You folks gave six years
of your lives to help OFA evolve into
its national role eventually growing
into AmericanHort.
Please recap your experiences as
a leading voice of our greenhouse
industry at the national level. Take
us through your journey starting
when you became a greenhouse
grower and owner to rising to OFA
president to making a contribution
at the highest level of our industry
for many years.
Justin: My time with a major
corporation in personnel paid
dividends, as well as my military
service. All this contributed to my
confidence and development. It was
nearly 30 years ago I was voted
onto the OFA Board. Following that
initial involvement, I spent the next
10 years in various leadership roles
within the association as committee
member, committee chairs and
eventually the culmination of the
presidency from 1999 to 2000.
During my time with OFA and
work with SAF, two major outcomes
came to fruition. Through much
perseverance Congress created
the Ornamental Plant Germplasm
Center (OPGC) and the Floriculture
Nursery Research Initiative (FNRI).
Following my time at OFA came
committee assignments with SAF
and the election to the Board at
SAF in Washington, D.C., During
these 14 years, I met and worked
with some of the finest people one
could ever wish to call colleagues
and friends. It has been the most
gratifying period of my life and
long lasting.
Peter: OFA opened doors for
countless fellow growers of ours,
as well as members of our allied
trades. The two of us participated
together on committees, boards
and conference programs. I enjoy
comparing and contrasting our
experiences from the businesses we
operated to the ways we served our
fellow growers given our respective
skill sets and philosophies.
Justin: Well, Peter, you and I go
back nearly 30 years in friendship
and leadership positions, first
serving on the OFA board and
committees and including several
years presenting programs at
the Short Course. Our lives were
similar in business and family
and, while we both utilized the
applied sciences, you were more
familiar with the latter given your
research training and its potential
application in the greenhouse.
Peter: Again, you hit the nail
on the head my friend. We indeed
share the background of the family
greenhouse operation in childhood
and as career paths. What intrigues
me is comparing how larger
businesses like yours and small
operations like mine share nearly
identical line items on our budget
sheets. The only difference from my
view is that the larger operation has
more " zeroes " following line item
dollar amounts.
Over the years, I watched
you and a handful of other
fellow growers serve as OFA
presidents. Completing the six
year commitment appeared
exhausting. Witnessing that, I
decided not to accept an invitation
to get in line to serve OFA in that
capacity. Rather, I chose to keep
my service focused on conducting
research and bringing the science
you referenced to fellow growers
through education. In the end, we
can all agree that it truly does take
a village.
Are the challenges different
for growers and policy makers to
Our industry is
an industry of both
art and science, with
the most important
component a passion
for sustainability.
achieve common goals? How do we
work with our politicians to realize
local, state and national goals?
Justin: Academia needs to realize
their existence is not the same
as it was 50 years ago. Through
technology and communication
the world is at our doorstep. We
need to create a system of focused
science, we are in a war for survival
and something needs to be better
focused. Re-institute a Manhattan
Project approach within entomology,
pathology and horticulture or any
of the disciplines that impact the
grower's world. We no longer can
afford how the universities do
things independently. Regarding the
politicians, it would seem this would
be a soft sell to them ... to adopt
a rational resolution and proactive
approach. The problem is the reality
that universities will be slow to
accept change.
Peter: As always, Justin, I enjoy
your perspective on issues such as
these. Thanks so much for sharing it
with us today.
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GREENHOUSE PRODUCT NEWS 17
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February 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of February 2021
