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Bios of AOS Officers, Trustees and Nominees
Howard J. Bronstein In 1998, Howard was the recipient of the prestigious AOS Silver Medal for outstanding service and contributions. More specifically, Howard co-authored the computer program that maintains the AOS awards system at headquarters; created and maintains the computer program used by the 30 judging centers to store their records and to submit their awards to headquarters; and co-authored the original AOS Awards-2002 CD program. The latest version of the program includes the registered orchid hybrids to date and some 4,000 awards pictures. He became an Accredited AOS Judge in 1992, and was the Treasurer of the Northeast Judging Center for many years. Howard was very active for many years in his home society, the Massachusetts Orchid Society. He held many leadership positions at the MOS, including President, a member of their Board of Directors, and for five years was show Chair. He was also the show Chair for the 1992 Eastern Orchid Congress and AOS Trustees Meetings in Boston. Howard is a Life Member of the MOS. Professionally, Howard is owner and President of Telecommunications Sciences, Inc., a consulting company he founded in 1979, in Boston. After 40 years of living in the Boston area, he moved his company and residence to Lake County, Florida, in September 2002, where he is enjoying year-round gardening, the warmth of Florida and his new home. Now active in the Central Florida Orchid Society, he is on the committee for hosting the Spring 2006 Members Meeting in Orlando. " will continue to serve the AOS with passion and enthusiasm," says Howard.
Tim Brooks He has been a member of the American Orchid Society since approximately 1990 and growing orchids for 35 years. Tim has been active in his local society, the Blue Grass Orchid Society, and served three terms as president. He has also been very active in the Mid-America Orchid Conference, serving as past president and chair of several working committees. In 2006 he was the recipient of The Mid-America Orchid Congress, F.L. Stevenson Orchidist of the Year award. Tim is also an AOS Accredited Judge with the Cincinnati Judging Center and served as the Center’s Secretary from 2002 thru 2008. In 2009 he became the Vice-Chair of the Cincinnati Judging Center. He has also judged at numerous judging centers across the United States as well as AOS sanctioned shows abroad Presently a member of the AOS Affiliated Societies Committee, Tim has assisted with planning and organizing the “Evening at AOS” held in January 2008 during the World Orchid Conference and coordinated the AOS Fall 2008 Members Meeting held at Longwood Gardens and the Hotel DuPont.
Fred Clarke He is a passionate orchid grower and hybridizer whose curiosity in orchids is broad and varied. Although Cattleya hybridizing has been his sustaining interest, he is also actively creating new Catasetinae, Bulbophylum, Australian Dendrobium, and Paphiopedilum hybrids. His pioneering work in Catasetum intergeneric hybrids led to the development of several notable hybrids, most recently the grex, Fredclarkeara After Dark, which has produced “the blackest flowers ever witnessed”. This grex has received many highly acclaimed awards from the American Orchids Society, including nine First Class Certificates, four Awards of Merit, three Cultural Certificates of Excellence and an Award of Distinction. Fred is an Accredited Judge in the Pacific South Region. His plants have received hundreds of quality awards from the American Orchid Society.
Tom Etheridge Tom has been a member of the American Orchid Society since 1977, has been involved in AOS judging since 2000 and been an AOS accredited judge since 2007. Luanne and he spearheaded the establishment of two new judging sites in the Pacific Northwest (Vancouver, BC and Silverton, OR) to better serve growers in the region. He currently serves as Chair for the Oregon Site. He has written the annual Special Awards and FCC articles for “Orchids” magazine for several years. On the local level, in addition to judging, Tom has served as Vice-President and Show Chair for the Mary’s Peak Orchid Society. He travels extensively to give talks on orchids and orchid culture, particularly in regard to cool-growing genera. Luanne and he regularly mount displays at orchid shows in Oregon and to date have received more than 60 AOS awards, three of the AOS Special Awards and one AOS show trophy. Tom also serves as Chairman of the Board for the Odontoglossum Alliance. Professionally, Tom holds a PhD in physical chemistry and he works as a research scientist in the high-tech industry. In this role he regularly combines business travel with opportunities to judge orchids and meet with orchid growers across North America. He is honored to be asked to serve as AOS Trustee and is looking forward to working with other volunteers to ensure that the AOS remains relevant to orchid enthusiasts at all levels.
Norman Fang Norman is active in a number of organizations that help him continue to develop his skills, as well as teach others about the fine science of orchid propagation. He is a frequent guest speaker at orchid societies and conferences. Norman is an accredited AOS judge with, and the leading commercial-grower donor to, the Pacific South Judging Center. He also endeavors to generously support several other judging centers and societies. He served seven years on the Research and the Education Committees of the AOS. Norman is a veteran exhibitor at major American shows such as The Fascination of Orchids Show, San Francisco International Orchid Show, Santa Barbara International Orchid Show, New York International Orchid Show, Ft. Lauderdale Orchid Show and Miami International Orchid Show, bringing back new insights to help improve California's Southland Orchid Show, on whose board he served many years. He has traveled and judged in Asia, South Africa, Canada and South America. Norman is AOS Representative for the Taiwan Orchid Growers Association, and has been the AOS Judging Coordinator for the Taiwan International Orchid Show since 1996. He is also one of the founding members of the International Phalaenopsis Association, and is a Life Member of the AOS. "It's an honor and a privilege to serve the orchid community as an AOS Board member," says Norman. "I hope that my experiences in retail and marketing prove beneficial in bettering our services to the greater AOS membership. We have a wonderful opportunity to reach out and grow the hobby and our membership base, and I believe that we'll be successful in those endeavors."
Mario Ferrusi Graduating from high school in 1967, I took on several jobs before getting hired by General Motors in St. Catharines, Ontario, where I worked until my retirement in December 2007. I met ny soon-to-be wife, Conni, on a vacation in Southern California. After a short long-distance courtship, Conni moved to Ontario and we were married. It's actually Conni's fault I even got into orchids! I had cacti and African violets growing on the kitchen window sill where she also kept her garlic. Conni got tired of the thorny cacti attacking every time she got garlic and suggested I try orchids like her aunt grew in Santa Barbara along with her African violets. The gauntlet was dropped! I purchased my first phalaenopsis seedling. A month later, a complete set up, including lights and fans, and a stand, (as well as 23 more plants!), was listed for sale in our local paper, and purchased! Over the years, the family grew along with the orchid collection. Our daughter, Ilia, was three months old when the orchid disease first got me. She's 29 now, and working on her PhD. Jared, now 24 came along four years after Ilia, and is currently living and working in Ottawa, Ontario. Rhys, now 22, was snuck in two years after Jared by Conni, and is living and working in Sarnia, Ontario. I don't do things by half-measures! I became involved, almost immediately, in groups of fellow orchid addicts. Conni and I have held various positions in our small local society. I've also been president of the Southern Ontario Orchid Society, as well as other positions and am currently Program Chairman. In 1998, I became a fully accredited AOS judge, and have served as Chair, Vice-Chair, and currently, Treasurer of the Toronto Judging Centre. Orchids are a "family affair" for us. Ilia, Jared, and Rhys, have grown up with orchid "aunts" and "uncles" in Canada and the United States. Ilia's got several plants of her own that she flowers regularly. Jared helps with displays at shows and occasionally minds the greenhouse when we travel. Rhys has even won five AOS Show Trophies for his own displays. Conni's the "people person" and can feed a group of 20 at a moment's notice! Everyone ends up either clerking or selling at shows. Orchids have enriched my life in so many ways that I cannot begin to count them. I'm honoured beyond words, and humbled, to be asked to serve as a Trustee for the American Orchid Society. Thank you!
Carlos F. Fighetti He is the past President and a current Trustee of the Greater New York Orchid Society, where he also served for eight years as show Chair of the prestigious New York International Orchid Show. In addition, he is a Trustee of the Ramapo Orchid Society, and a member of the North Jersey Orchid Society, the Manhattan Orchid Society, the Puerto Rican Orchid Society and the Peruvian Orchid Society. Carlos was the founding president and is a current director of the International Phalaenopsis Alliance. An accredited AOS Judge, Carlos has amongst his judging experiences two World Orchid Conferences, the Tokyo Grand Prix Orchid Show, the Taiwan show and several Latin American shows. He has lectured about orchids all over the USA and Canada, as well as at many international venues. Carlos lives in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, where he grows approximately 1,200 orchid plants. He grows a mixed collection, although "I now have quite a few species." A grower of note, his plants have received more than 90 awards from the AOS for horticultural, flower quality and cultural merits, including three FCCs. He has also received eight AOS show trophies and many other awards for exhibits at orchid shows around the country. Professionally, Carlos retired as a Senior Research Associate of the Engineering School at Columbia University, where he was the Director of a well-known research laboratory working on nuclear reactor safety. "The main emphasis was in determining the integrity of the reactor cores and the meltdown levels for normal operating, as well as accident conditions for just about every nuclear reactor in the world, including the Russian designs," says Carlos. With that professional background, it should come as no surprise that Carlos feels that "the success of any organization lies in the ability to keep up with the times and embrace modern technology. The AOS, through its leadership and committees, is always looking for effective ways to stay in the forefront and be able to offer members the latest and best information on orchids. As long as we do this, we will continue to grow as an organization."
Pete Furniss They have been involved with orchids since the 1960s but their passion dates to the early 1980s. He has served in various positions with the AOS including Assistant Treasurer, Treasurer, Executive Vice President, and President. He was made an Honorary Vice President in 1999, given the AOS Gold Medal of Achievement in 2002, and the AOS Ambassador Award in 2004. His service on the World Orchid Conference Trust began as Trustee in 1992; and he has been President twice – 1996 to 1999 and 2005 to current. The Organizing Committee of the 17th World Orchid Conference presented him with a Gold Medal of Appreciation in Shah Alam, Malaysia, in 2002. From 1995-2007, he was an Honorary Advisor to the Asian Pacific Orchid Conference Main Committee and served on the International Orchid Commission from 1993 until 2008. He was a Vice Chairman for the last 6 years of that service. He has been a member of the Atlanta Orchid Society since 1981 and served as President in 1986; the Greater New York Orchid Society since 1991; and charter member of the International Phalaenopsis Alliance as well as the Pleurothallid Alliance. The Furnisses have both been Accredited AOS judges for 17 years in the Atlanta Judging Center. They have received some 39 AOS awards, one of which was the 2007 Benjamin Kodama Sr. Dendrobium Award for the most outstanding example of the Dendrobium Alliance awarded during the previous year. Pete also serves on the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Orchid Committee as well as the RHS Advisory Sub-Committee on Orchid Hybrid Registration.
Aileen K. Garrison Exposure to growing orchids came in 1974, when a next-door neighbor gave Barney a plant as a "thank you" for helping him build a small greenhouse in his backyard. That led to membership in the Atlanta Orchid Society and the American Orchid Society, which in turn led to obtaining more orchids, along with books on how to grow them. Next came the greenhouse, then another, and enough books to fill an entire wall. As a member of the Atlanta Orchid Society, she has served as Secretary, Vice President, President and Trustee. She is also a founding member of the South Metro Orchid Society, and an honorary member of the Northeast Alabama and Alabama Orchid Societies. At the urging of the late FL Stevenson, a dear friend and former President of the American Orchid Society (1984-1986), Aileen joined Barney in the AOS judging program. and has been an accredited judge since 1992. She served as Chair of the Atlanta Judging Center from 2000-2004, is currently Vice-Chair, and in 2004, she was appointed Chair of the AOS Judging Committee. She continues to judge as many shows as possible, and attributes this love for traveling to growing up as an "Army Brat". Elected a Trustee of the American Orchid Society in 2004, she welcomed the opportunity to give of her time and energy to help AOS better serve its members. "What started out as Barney's hobby is now a family affair, and it is hard to imagine life without orchids and our wonderful orchid friends."
Don Ghiz Don grew up and went to school in Massachusetts. After receiving his chemical engineering degree, he went to work in the oil industry and worked many management jobs in various field locations before being transferred to headquarters in Houston, TX in 1975. Retired now, he still lives in Houston. About growing in Houston, Don says, "Many people think of orchids as tropical, but that's a total misconception. Houston's hot summers and unpredictable winters can challenge the best of growers. There are many genera we can't grow in Houston because of the heat." He tells us of his childhood days and being in the woods amongst the Cypripedium acaule and not even knowing that they are orchids "I wish I could grow one here," he says. After retiring in the nineties, he finally had enough time to develop his orchid growing skills and knowledge. He began training to become an orchid judge. Now an accredited judge, he would tell you that, in some ways, it changed the way he looks at orchids - not better, not worse, just differently. "It's like putting a frame on a beautiful picture," he says. "Sometimes it enhances the view, other times it detracts." Even while a student judge, Don found time to hold office in the Houston Orchid Society and the AOS. He has held various offices including president of HOS, and is currently on the Board of Directors there. Within AOS, he has worked on various committees and is currently on the Publications Committee. Last year, Don attended and judged the Taiwan International Orchid Show, and the World Orchid Conference in Miami the previous year. He tells us that it's not just the orchids themselves, but the travel and social interaction with others that makes orchids and AOS so interesting.
Deane Hall In Colorado, where he spent a lot of time in the mountains, he got involved as a volunteer with the Denver Rock Garden Society and also with Denver Botanic Gardens (DBG). He helped publish the Rock Garden Society's monthly newsletter and was a member of the DBG Public Relations Committee. His active involvement with Denver Botanic Gardens earned him a place on its Board of Trustees where he has served for some twenty years, having been both Board Secretary and also Chair of its Planning Committee for a number of years. As a Board member he is currently on its Long Range Planning Committee and its Horticulture Committee. Due to his late parents' growing of camellias, Deane has been involved with the American Camellia Society (ACS), serving on its Board which manages the Society's Massee Lane Gardens at its headquarters in Georgia. In addition to serving on the board, Deane was on the Strategic Planning Committee which just over a year ago proposed and got accepted a complete change in the Society's governance and programmatic structure designed to try to stem declining membership. He is also currently Chair of its Massee Lane Gardens Council. With his love of the Colorado mountains and their wildflowers, Deane became involved with Betty Ford Alpine Gardens (BFAG), named in honor of the former First Lady, in Vail, Colorado, eighteen years ago. He has been active in various BFAG programmatic initiatives such its garden interpretive program, its newsletter, and its wintertime fundraising gala. He has served on the BFAG Board on and off over fifteen years or so and is the current President of the Board of Trustees. Deane spends some winter time in South Florida and is a member of the Fort Lauderdale and Deerfield Beach Orchid Societies, and he also belongs to the Denver Orchid Society, With the Denver Society has used his desktop publishing skills on its newsletter, and with the AOS he has served on its Outreach Committee and its Technology Committee. He has also worked with the Affiliated Societies Committee on several newsletter workshops for orchid newsletter editors.
Robert Henley Its been a wonderful journey for Dot and me, says Bob, referring to his wife of 33 years and fellow ambassador for the AOS and South Florida orchids. Their hobbyist collection now numbers 1,000+ plants, with an emphasis on cattleyas. The Henleys main growing area is a 12x50 slat house which is extremely overcrowded. Bob grew up in Richmond, Virginia, and attended Hampden Sydney College prior to becoming a mechanic and then a pilot in the United States Air Force. After his stint in the Air Force, Bob managed a chain drug store for seven years. The next career step was taking accounting classes at George Washington University, followed by 32 years of service with the IRS civil enforcement as opposed to audit. Bob has been a staple in South Florida orchids for more than two decades, very often being tapped for the most demanding of hands-on administrative duties by local societies. He has been the show Chair for the Fort Lauderdale Orchid Societys prestigious show from 1991 to 2007. He also has served as FLOSs President (twice), Vice-President, and currently serves as its Treasurer. He was the show Chair for South Florida Orchid Societys wonderful Miami show in 1992, 1994 and 1996, and served as the SFOSs Treasurer from 1988-97. He was the Deerfield Beach Orchid Societys show Chair for their first five shows, the last three of which (2001-03) were held at the AOS Visitors Center and Botanical Garden. Bob has also served as President, Vice-President and Treasurer of the DBOS. Bobs tireless dedication is perhaps underscored best by the fact that his volunteer peers in all three societies FLOS, SFOS and DBOS have made him a Life Member in each. For the past nine-plus years, Bob has volunteered at AOS headquarters one day a week. Beyond this, he was the project manager of an Affiliated Societies Committee task force charged with revamping the Society's popular slide program offerings. Bob has been an AOS trustee since 2006. All of these responsibilities are in addition to being co-show Chair for the 19th World Orchid Conference held in Miami in 2008. I look forward to giving my time and experience to help bring some positive attention to all of the good work thats being done and will be done in the future, says Bob.
Carol Holdren In March, 2001, the AOS Visitor's Center and Botanical Gardens opened in Delray Beach, FL, and Carol helped with the ground breaking ceremony, worked on the volunteer program, and was chair of the Grand Opening. She was also a member of the committees for the 2002 and 2003 AOS Galas. She has received an AOS Silver Medal for her volunteer work and was a Trustee from 2001 to 2004. She is presently a member of the Affiliated Societies Committee where she is on the Orchid Society Newsletter Editors Task Force. She has been active with local area orchid societies and the South Florida Leadership Council, a group of orchid societies affiliated with the WPBJC, which hosted "An Evening with Art Moore" in 2006 and the AOS Fall 2007 Members Meeting and Symposium. Carol has one son who lives with his family in El Paso, TX and two step daughters, one in Houston, TX and one in Oklahoma City, Ok. Between Carol and John they have 6 grandchildren and 1 great grandchild. Now the only boat they have is a kayak, but their present home provides Carol with a better place to grow orchids than she had in the past. Carol and John live in Boynton Beach which is 10 miles north of the AOS Headquarters. "This is a great time to be an AOS member. A lot of exciting things are happening and I am pleased to be a part of the organization as it moves forward."
D. Lowell Jacks After 30 years in public education, Lowell retired to Blue Ridge, Georgia to become a "gentleman farmer." He resides on a small 40-acre farm, and his hobbies are gardening, cooking, reading and needlepoint. He has been involved in the design and implementation of needlepoint projects for three different Episcopal churches in Rome, Georgia; Highlands, North Carolina; and Blue Ridge, Georgia. His farm animals currently include chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, guineas, emus, peafowl, and two Italian Greyhound dogs. Lowell has been involved with orchids since he attended his first Atlanta Orchid Society show in 1974. He became an AOS Accredited Judge in 1984, and has served as Chair of the Atlanta Judging Center for seven years. Additionally, he has served as President of both the Atlanta Orchid Society and Mid-America Orchid Congress (MAOC). Lowell has received the prestigious FL Stevenson Orchidist of the Year Award given by the MAOC on two separate occasions, and currently serves as Chair of MAOC's Constitution and By-Laws Committee. A two-term (six years) AOS Trustee, Lowell has served on various AOS committees, including the AOS Judging Committee both as an appointed member and as a Judging Center Chair. Lowell continues to be actively involved in orchids at the local (Atlanta Judging Center), regional (MAOC), and national (AOS) levels. "I look forward to working with the new Officers, the staff and the Board in striving to achieve the goal of the American Orchid Society meeting the needs of the orchid community and being the finest and most respected horticultural society in the world."
Alan Koch
Karen McBride Karen notes that she did not have a notable horticultural past. After graduating with a bachelor's degree in math from St. Mary's College, she became a pension actuary and co-founded Pension Consultants, Inc., a company specializing in the design, implementation and administration of pension plans. She continues with that company today, as shareholder and, still, as its Vice President. Born on an Air Force base in Fresno, California, Karen grew up in Des Moines, Iowa, and then did the typical military-family trek across the country, with stops in Maine, Florida and Illinois. Minneapolis has been her home since 1971 Before discovering orchids, Karen also performed in Community Theater and enjoyed cheering on her sons in their track meets, baseball and football games. "In their college years, they helped care for my orchids whenever an 'urgent' orchid show took me out of town," says Karen. "In those days, I'd number the trays of orchids and leave diagrams and specific instructions about watering and fertilizing. When I returned from the first of those trips, my son Joe proudly told me that he had also been careful to play the Barry Manilow CD while watering, just like I did." Karen proudly notes that her plants and she have won four AOS awards (three quality and one cultural). Her favorite orchid is Paphiopedilum Molly McBride, a cross made by a friend and recently named for her first grandchild. Karen is Treasurer of the Mid-America Orchid Congress and Past President of the Orchid Society of Minnesota, following terms as 2nd Vice President, 1st Vice President, and President. An Accredited AOS Judge, Karen has been an AOS Trustee since 2006, is currently the Society's Assistant Treasurer and is former Chair of the Special Funding Committee. "This last position as Chair of the AOS's Special Funding Committee is very special, as well as surprising," says Karen, "especially when I remember searching for my first job out of college. I told the recruiter that I was interested in something related to computers but was open to anything else - except fundraising! When first approached to be on an AOS committee, I realized how much I had gotten from this world of orchids and orchid people, and I just wanted to give back. I have been having fun and enjoying giving ever since, and I look forward to continuing to be an ambassador for 'orchids' in my capacity as an AOS Trustee."
Fred Missbach
Nancy Mountford Nancy received her first orchid in 1970, a keiki from an Epidendrum growing in the greenhouses of the Botany Department at Rutgers University. She has always been fascinated by the challenge of growing tropical plants and was hooked on the challenge of growing something "so exotic as an orchid." Nancy notes that, "It was wonderful to visit the old nurseries in the northern New Jersey area such as Lager & Hurrell and the Pattersons." She graduated with a B.A. in Zoology from Douglass College (RU) the following year, married and moved to Maryland, where she worked as a Marine Biologist for the University of Maryland's Chesapeake Biological Lab for the next nine years. While in graduate school in Zoology at the University of Maryland, she started Cove Corporation, specializing in the identification of benthic invertebrates. Nancy joined the National Capital Orchid Society (NCOS) in the early 1970s and has been a member of the Maryland Orchid Society for almost that long. She was on the board of directors for the NCOS for 12 years. Nancy first joined the AOS in 1974, and started in the judging program in 1993. She is now an Accredited Judge and the Vice-Chair of the National Capital Judging Center. She has traveled extensively in her judging capacity, having judged at the European Orchid Congress in London, the WOC in Vancouver; and international shows in Colombia, the Dominican Republic and Taiwan. Nancy is a talented exhibitor, having won the AOS show trophy in the NCOS, SEPOS, and GNYOS shows, and has won gold, silver gilt and silver medals for exhibits at the London Orchid Show. "Setting up an exhibit gives you a chance to show off your plants and to bond with like-minded orchid growers," says Nancy. "The people of the orchid community are my network of friends and family. They are, truly, what makes this lifestyle so interesting and rewarding, and I am gratified to giving back to that community in my capacity as a Trustee."
Chris Rehmann Chris was born and raised in southern New Jersey and resides there with his wife Loretta. After graduating from Drexel University with a BS in Civil Engineering and an MS in Environmental Engineering, he spent two years in the U.S. Public Health Service before returning to a family engineering firm in New Jersey. Chris and Loretta have two sons and four grandchildren. Chris Jr. is an Associate Professor of Civil Engineering at Iowa State University. Richard heads the Information Management Division of Adams, Rehmann & Heggan Associates. Chris has balanced the management of his Civil-Environmental engineering firm of 100 professionals and staff with his passion for orchids. As a member of the Sandpiper Orchid Society, he has served in many offices, including President of the Society. "Meeting orchid hobbyists has always been a rewarding experience. They are just nice people," said Chris. Chris and Loretta have traveled to Ecuador, Costa Rica and Belize to meet orchid people and view orchids in their natural habitat. "I was thrilled seeing Cattleya maxima in full bloom or the single Sobralia flower by the roadside. Seeing Costa Ricans cataloging the orchids of Montverde Forest Reserve with the same passion we see in our hobbyists was exciting," says Chris. Chris entered the AOS student judging program in 1990, and became an Accredited Judge in 1996 with the assistance of Accredited Judges Bill Smith, Rainforest Orchids; Mark Werther, Sentinel Orchids; and mentor Walter Off, Waldor Orchids. "These people shared their passion for orchids, their knowledge of orchid judging and the obligation for judges to service the orchid hobbyist and exhibitor. The thrill of participating in ribbon judging was to listen to icons of orchid knowledge such as Dr. William Wilson, Dr. Ben Berliner, George Vazquez and many others who were willing to share their knowledge." Chris has served as the Chair of the Mid-Atlantic Judging Center for five years, and has judged throughout the United States. Chris had the pleasure to judge the first Quito, Ecuador orchid show, as well as the World Orchid Conference in Vancouver, Canada. Chris is a Vice President of the AOS, served on the Judging Committee and is a member of the Library Committee of the AOS. "It is my obligation to give back to the members of the AOS for all of the good times shared, satisfying experiences given, and friendships graciously extended to me in all the orchid venues I have attended," says Chris.
Benjamin Singer In 1979, already a professional orchidist for 18 years, winner of 10 First Class Certificate awards and 100 Awards of Merit, and a grower with an international reputation, Ben tired of the orchid business, although not of orchids! He sold the nursery and turned to inspecting nature's own orchid nurseries throughout the world. Enamored of air travel, he has accumulated more than 5,000 hours in airplanes on his way to see orchids in Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Thailand, South Africa and the United States. "There is always another orchid to see," he says. Ben's career and passion in orchids has culminated in a substantial financial gift to the AOS, as well as the passing to the AOS of, arguably, the finest orchid-related library in the world (which will come to the Society at his passing, via a bequest in his will), which contains more than 3,500 books, periodicals, catalogues, artwork and other memorabilia. A member of the AOS since 1964 and a Life Member since 1981, Ben has served on various Society committees for six years. Despite the great distance and hardships of travel, his track record of attendance at AOS Members Meetings is impressive. He was appointed to the AOS's Board of Trustees last year. At the age of 18, Ben was the youngest person ever elected to judging status by the Royal Dutch Horticultural Society. "Orchids and orchid people are the finest things that I know," Ben says. "My gifts are my way of thanking them all for a lifetime of enjoyment. I look forward to contributing in whatever manner I can to the betterment of the Society."
Taylor B. Slaughter In 1982, Taylor began serving on AOS committees, first with Membership, then Education, which she Chaired (1986-87), Publications, and Library. She is currently a member of the Judging Committee. Taylor became an AOS-accredited judge in 1987, and was the Chair of the National Capital Judging Center from 1999-2003. She served as an AOS Trustee from 2003-2004, a Vice President from 2005-2007 and is now again a Trustee. She has been a Life Member of the AOS since 1985. Taylor's interest in judging grew out of her other passion - learning and teaching about art in museums. She was a professional volunteer docent (teaching guide) at Pittsburgh's Carnegie Museum of Art (for 26 years) and Frick Art Museum (for 20 years). She believes her training in the appreciation of art helps her to recognize the beauty in orchids. "The American Orchid Society has given me so much over the years, in knowledge and orchid friendships, that I believe it is both a duty and a pleasure to serve in any way that will help our orchid community. Today the AOS continues to face great challenges and the Board of Trustees must find solutions to them. I believe we need to increase member services, especially through our Web site, where useful information, both specifically about orchids and more generally about what the various parts of the organization are doing, can be made available. I look forward to working on these and other challenges to help the AOS continue to grow in service to its members."
Frank Smith After joining the American Orchid Society in 1975, Frank entered the judging program in 1981. In the mid 1980's he was a member of the American Orchid Society's affiliated society committee, serving as the vice chair of that committee for several years. In 1987, while chairing the Eastern Orchid Congress and Fall AOS Trustees meeting in Orlando, Frank was elevated to the level of accredited AOS judge and has been active in the judging program ever since. He currently participates as an accredited AOS judge in the Florida North Central region. For most of his years in the orchid world, Frank has tried to focus on educating and encouraging young orchid growers to become more active in the American Orchid Society. While he is proud of the success and=2 0notoriety he has attained in hybridizing, Frank will tell you that his utmost joy comes from the people he has worked with and the friends he has made in this hobby he loves. In the early 1980's Frank was approached by the Belz family and asked to provide and maintain orchids in the lobby of their new hotel being built in Orlando. This was the beginning of Krull-Smith Landscapes, which has become one of the most successful interior and exterior landscaping companies in Florida. Since that time Frank has designed and installed landscapes at Walt Disney World, on the beaches of South Florida, and all the hotels located at Universal Studios in Central Florida. In addition to the main orchid nursery and Krull-Smith Landscapes, Frank Smith operates several other successful enterprises employing dozens of people and proudly participates in and contributes to numerous community events and causes. Frank Smith chaired the Spring AOS Members Meeting in Orlando in 2006 and has chaired the membership committee for the American Orchid Society since 2006.
Sandra Tillisch Svoboda She started her orchid life as a pot washer for her husband Al and became fascinated with the history of her husband's complex paph collection which included many of the oldies like Paph. F.C. Puddle. Al's knowledge, love and enthusiasm for orchids were contagious and when they built a second greenhouse, she decided it would be hers and that was the moment that orchids became an important part of her life. Sandra has served two terms on the board of trustees of the American Orchid Society and has been chair of the Outreach, Publications, Education and Website Committees. She coordinates the Question and Answer column in ORCHIDS magazine. Sandra is an accredited judge in both the American Orchid Society and the Cymbidium Society of America judging systems and is treasurer of the AOS Pacific South Judging Center. She is the present Editor in Chief of the Orchid Digest. She was president of the Cymbidium Society of American and co-chair of the annual Cymbidium Society Congress. Locally, she has served on the boards and been president of the Orchid Society of Santa Barbara and the local branch of the Cymbidium Society. Sandra served on the board of the Santa Barbara International Orchid Show and, for several years, was the show manager of this prestigious show - one of the largest in the nation. Besides the plants themselves and the never-ending opportunity to learn about them, Sandra loves being involved in the orchid world because it offers an opportunity to meet and work with so many amazing and fascinating people. "The challenge that faces us today is to keep our societies and journals relevant. We must embrace new technology that will enhance the way that we share information and educate people. Things are changing rapidly, and we need to adapt to these changes. I look forward to being part of the process that will move our organization forward and meet the needs of the AOS membership."
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