People in the News

New Positions
Kurt Glaser to director of sales and marketing, CO-EX Corp., Wallingford, Conn.

Chris Fenwick to sales representative, western United States, Van Essen Nursery Co., Lebanon, Ore.

Jim Matya to director of account development; Amy Harlow to director of media services, Snitily Carr, Lincoln, Neb.

Business Changes
Dramm Corp., Manitowoc, Wis., has created a new division DRAMMwater, to focus on providing solutions to the water management problems facing the horticulture industry. Al Zylstra will head the new division. Dramm will also partner with Charlie Hayes, a bio-chemist.

Valent BioSciences Corp., Libertyville, Ill., has achieved ISO 9001:2008 registration of its U.S. operations.

Blooms of Bressingham, Sacramento, Calif., has launched a comprehensive new website at www.bloomsofbressinghamplants.com. The site has already been selected as a winner in the 2010 American Web Design Awards and features perennial varieties available in North America, the UK, Europe and Japan, and includes details on each variety as well as planting tips, garden care, uses and attributes.

Honors
Dan Batson of Perkinston, Miss., has been selected as the 2010 Mississippi winner of the Swisher Sweets/Sunbelt Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year award.

Rancho Tissue Technologies, Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., has been honored by the U.S. Commerce Association with the 2010 Best of Rancho Santa Fe award in the nurseries category.

Deaths
Wirt L. Thompson Jr., Upper Bank Nurseries, Moylan, Pa., died June 24.

Jim Wilson, former All America Selections director, died Aug. 1.

Andy Blodgett, former president of Waller Genetics, died Aug. 8.