March 2023 - 7

INDUSTRY NEWS
innovative solutions, gathering consumer insights,
and producing practical and actionable solutions. "
The 2023 funded projects are:
Focus Area: Gathering Consumer Insights
* Assessing the Effectiveness of Marketing Strategies of
Native Plants - Alicia Rihn, University of Tennessee
Focus Area: Quantifying Plant Benefits
* Categorizing and Summarizing the Environmental
and Ecological Benefits of Plants - Melinda
Knuth, North Carolina State University
Focus Area: Creating Innovative Solutions
* Use of Drones in Nursery IPM Programs for
Agrochemical Application and Monitoring Plant
Health - Stanton Gill, University of Maryland
* Pulse Electricity as a Fumigant Alternative
Nonchemical Preemergence Weed Control in Seedling
Beds - Marcelo Moretti, Oregon State University
* Combating the Vector of Rose Rosette Disease - Ioannis
INDUSTRY MOURNS PASSING
OF MANDY GERACE
The horticulture industry as a whole was saddened to
hear of the passing of Mandy Gerace on Feb. 4. Gerace
grew up in the horticulture industry, third generation of
Welby Gardens in Colorado. Welby Gardens posted the
following tribute on social media:
" On Feb. 4, 2023, the green industry lost one of its most
dynamic young leaders with the passing of Mandy Gerace.
Mandy was currently serving as the president of the Colorado
Nursery and Greenhouse Association board, which she had
been a part of since 2017. She graduated from Colorado
State University in 2009 and worked for the Shane Co. for
nearly 10 years in sales and marketing/advertising.
Mandy was the youngest member of the Gerace family's
third generation and had worked at Welby Gardens for 13
years. Initially, she joined Welby Gardens on the Hardy Boy
sales and marketing team and her role eventually evolved
into the Hardystarts program manager. In that capacity,
PROVEN WINNERS
WELCOMES NEW RETAIL
ACCOUNT MANAGER
Proven Winners has named Amy
Howard as a new retail account
manager for the Southeast U.S.
In her new role, Howard will
focus on the needs of independent
garden centers, more specifically on
Tzanetakis, Tobiasz Druciarek, University of Arkansas
* Creating New Genetic Resources Toward Preventing
Rose Rosette Virus Infecting Roses -
Jeanmarie Verchot, Texas A&M University
Focus Area: Producing Practical and Actionable Solutions
* Periodical Cicada: Study of Potential Controls
for the Tennessee Nursery Industry - Douglas
Airhart, Martine Patiance Bowombe Toko,
Tennessee Technological University
* Coordinating a National Response to Low
Fertility Cultivars of Invasive Nursery Crops -
Ryan Contreras, Oregon State University
* Beauty Is Only Skin-Deep - Francesca
Peduto Hand, The Ohio State University
* Copper-Based Nanoparticles (Cu-NPs) in the
Management of Boxwood Blight - Srikanth Kodati,
Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station
* Assessing Mouse Ear Disorder of Emerging Nursery
Crops - Brandon Miller, University of Minnesota
Mandy developed relationships with
breeding companies throughout
the world.
In August 2020, Mandy joined
the Syngenta Flowers production
team as a Root-N-Sell account
manager. As Mandy's health would
no longer permit her to travel,
which she enjoyed tremendously,
Syngenta transitioned her to sales operation and CRM lead,
working closely on the company's Salesforce.com project.
Mandy lived life to the fullest and loved with every ounce
of her being. She easily made her way into the hearts of
everyone around her with her positive energy and funloving
spirit. Mandy will undoubtedly be missed, and in the
hereafter, she will always be one of us. "
Mandy's family has set up a memorial fund to help care for
her children, Ethan and Reese Foster, at www.everloved.com/
life-of/mandy-gerace.
Mandy Gerace
strengthening existing relationships.
She will also work to create new
partnerships and brand-building
opportunities within this vital segment
of the gardening industry.
Over the past 11 years, Howard has
worked for Spring Meadow Nursery
as a territory sales representative in
the Southeast region. There, Howard
was influential in building relationships
in the garden center channel and
within the wholesale grower network.
Proven Winners says her work created
significant demand and generated
substantial sales for Proven Winners
ColorChoice flowering shrubs.
Howard can be reached at
ahoward@provenwinners.com.
GREENHOUSE PRODUCT NEWS 7
http://www.Salesforce.com http://www.everloved.com/
March 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of March 2023
