HILA Update: Alan Jones of Manor View Farm

Chuck Buffington, head of sales, Flowers Pro for Syngenta, addresses the crowd during the inaugural presentation of the Horticultural Industries Leadership Awards at the OFA Short Course in July. Syngenta’s Lawn & Garden division, consisting of Syngenta, Fafard and Syngenta Flowers, sponsored the event.

Last summer, the GIE Media Horticultural Group introduced the Horticultural Industries Leadership Awards (HILA), honoring representatives of each state along with five national winners who displayed extraordinary leadership qualities at their respective businesses.

The program culminated in a July awards presentation sponsored by Syngenta, Fafard, and Syngenta Flowers and held at the OFA Short Course in Columbus, Ohio. The following profile, on Georgia winner Stuart Cofer, typifies the inspirational stories of the various winners—all of whom set a high bar for 2012, when the program will introduce a new set of outstanding industry leaders.

The accolades keep coming for Alan Jones, owner of Manor View Farm in Monkton, Md. After last year's nod with a Horticultural Industries Leadership Award from GIE Media, Jones was presented with the Award of Merit from the Eastern Region of the International Plant Propagators' Society. It's the highest honor the Eastern Region can bestow upon a member.

"It's an honor to be recognized by the members of this wonderful organization," he said. "I continue to be amazed by what you can learn from IPPS and how the Society has benefited the industry. I look forward to being involved with IPPS for years to come."

One member from the Eastern Region is selected each year for significant contributions to plant propagation and production, such as the development of new practices or techniques; services rendered to the science and practice of plant propagation and production; and/or extraordinary service to the society. Jones was recognized for his contribution to all of these areas.

Manor View Farm is a 100 acre nursery that includes a Landscape Distribution Center, field production and a propagation division. Manor View Farm provides customers with the ultimate in quality products and services, and welcomes the challenge of locating hard-to-find plant varieties, finding larger sizes or meeting critical deadlines. The company is continually looking for new and better plant varieties, new and unique growers and suppliers, more efficient equipment and better delivery systems.

He discovered a fastigiate form of Quercus palustris that is known today as 'Green Pillar.' Jones introduced Thuja x 'Steeplechase' and more recently Chionanthus virginicus 'White Knight.'

Jones is a past president of the Eastern Region, has served on the regional board of directors and eleven different committees. He also currently represents the Eastern Region while serving on the International IPPS Board of Directors. In 2000, he was awarded the IPPS Eastern Region Fellow Award. Today he remains active on the Eastern Region Foundation Board.

The 2012 HILAs will be presented at next year's OFA Short Course. If you work with someone who has shown outstanding leadership qualities at the business or in the community/industry, and would like to nominate him or her, please e-mail your choice with a brief testimonial about the person to editor Kelli Rodda at krodda@gie.net.