November/December 2022 - 10

duets
BY PETER KONJOIAN, MOLLY DISHMAN AND PAM TEMKO
Gender Bias in Horticulture, Part 2
Next Generation Women Move Forward
their family businesses. My experience hybridized both of yours. It
was my dad's dream for me to join him in his greenhouse business,
but he never pressured me.
My mom pushed me away to graduate school and academia. She
wanted me to see the outside world before deciding to come home.
How sage her advice was; I loved my time as a university professor
and left without regret knowing I chose something I loved even
more. Parents have many jobs, and one is to give us strong wings
and deep roots. We'll come back to the topic of parents. Next, how
have you experienced gender bias in your horticultural careers?
Peter Konjoian is president of Konjoian's Horticulture Education Services Inc. His career
spans four decades as a commercial grower, researcher and consultant. Molly Dishman is
director of digital services at Bartlett Instrument Co. Pam Temko is general manager at
Dosatron International. Konjoian can be reached at peterkfes@comcast.net.
T
oday's guests are Molly Dishman and Pam Temko. Molly
is the daughter of Dave Bartlett of Bartlett Instruments, a
manufacturer of environmental control systems for small- to
medium-sized greenhouse applications. Pam is the general manager
of Dosatron International, a supplier of fertilizer/chemical injectors
used throughout the horticulture industry.
Peter: The gender bias topic was introduced in the October column
from the perspective of two industry leaders of my generation,
Bridget Behe at Michigan State University and Lela Kelly, owner of
Dosatron ... and Pam's mom! I'll refer to their comments during this
conversation to reference generational progress and underscore
where you two feel more progress is needed. Please start by sharing
your early career experiences.
Molly: I have worked for Bartlett Instrument Co. officially since
2018, but as a family business I've worked there unofficially longer.
I graduated from the University of Iowa with a degree in computer
science and marketing, and then joined ThoughtWorks Inc., an IT
consultancy company. The computer science industry's struggles
parallel some of the struggles the horticulture industry is seeing in
closing the gender gap.
Pam: After I turned 16, my parents, Lela and Eddy
Kelly, informed me I would start working in the family
business. No options. And as you can imagine, like
most teenagers, I wasn't too thrilled about the idea.
I have done every job at Dosatron: answered phones,
clerical, repairs, warehousing and helped in accounting.
After high school, I attended undergraduate school at
Georgia Southern University and then Kennesaw State
University for a master's in business administration.
Peter: Knowing both of your families makes me
appreciate different paths children take in joining
10 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022 GPNMAG.COM
Pam: I work in various industries including livestock and poultry
animal health, car wash, metal processing, water treatment, and
food processing. And, of course, one of our key industries is the
horticulture and irrigation sector, including ornamentals and food
crops. Recently we had a big emphasis on the cannabis market.
It quickly became apparent that no matter which industry I was
involved in, they were all male-dominated industries. The women
working in these industries are in the minority. I saw how my mom
navigated this world, and I was able to take those lessons and
apply them to my work.
Molly: I have experienced gender bias firsthand. I've been asked
when the engineer will be back at our booth. I've been told my seat
on the plane has been saved because I'm the skinny, pretty person
on the way back from a horticulture conference. These are in the
minority, but they still happen.
Computer science has an interesting story arc on this topic. In
1984, the number of women in the industry was 37%, but today
it's only 18%. A big challenge this creates in both industries is a
lack of role models. If you don't see people similar to you in an
industry, it's hard to picture yourself there. I, however, did not have
that problem; my mom is a computer scientist and also works at
Bartlett Instrument Co.
Pam: I sometimes experience gender bias when speaking to an
unfamiliar male who immediately asks to speak with someone else.
They assume a woman does not have the technical knowledge to
answer their question. The only way to overcome that bias is to be
technical enough to answer their question.
I have worked hard on understanding our products and their
practical applications. That means knowing how the pumps work,
how they are maintained, what happens when they break and best
practices for installations. With that level of expertise, even the
most reluctant male realizes that we are their equal in this area.
Because of the example my mother set, it doesn't even cross my
mind that I am not equal to any male.
Peter: Bridget and Lela both talked about strong moms who
taught them life lessons. The two of you cite learning from your
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November/December 2022

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