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All-America Selections announces the 2021 winner of the America in Bloom/All-America Selections Showcase Garden Contest

All-America Selections (AAS) announced Gloucester, Massachusetts as the 2021 winning community in their America in Bloom/All-America Selections (AIB/AAS) Showcase Garden contest.

In early 2021, twenty AIB participating communities were offered the opportunity to plant an AAS Showcase Garden. The number of 20 gardens was chosen to celebrate America in Bloom’s 20th Anniversary in 2021. Each community received a minimum of twelve zone-appropriate AAS Winner varieties at no cost to their communities.

The community’s gardens must be on public display with all plants labeled with variety names.

Tim Lauer named president of the National Greenhouse Manufacturers Association

The National Greenhouse Manufacturers Association (NGMA) has announced that Tim Lauer, of Albert J. Lauer, Inc. in Farmington, Minnesota, has been named the new president of NGMA’s Board of Directors. He assumed the role after Tom Vezdos stepped down from the position.

Lauer brings over 26 years’ experience in the greenhouse industry. He is proudly the third generation following in his father’s and grandfather’s footsteps. His grandfather founded Albert J. Lauer, Inc. in 1947; and Tim, as the company’s vice president, continues designing, manufacturing and building aluminum greenhouses for commercial growers, retail garden centers and institutional markets today. Being a member of NGMA for many years, Tim most values the opportunity to learn, discuss, collaborate and network with other business owners, engineers and designers.

Kate Santos joins Longwood Gardens

Per a press release, Longwood Gardens has appointed Kate Santos, Ph.D., as Director of Research and Conservation. She will lead the “organization’s science-based activities, strategically driving excellence in research, conservation, land stewardship and ecology with local, national and global impact.”

Santos joins Longwood with 15 years of experience leading for-profit business functions in horticulture. Most recently, she founded Kate Santos LLC, a botanical consulting firm, bringing solutions to the world’s most growth-oriented horticultural companies.

Before that, Santos spent six years at Dümmen Orange, where she served as North America operations director and regional director of supply chain for the Americas, managing leadership teams across North America, Central America and South America. Santos also spent time working in research at Costa Farms in Miami, Florida.