AmericanHort recently announced the election of four new members to the board of directors, including Matt Edmundson, president at Arbor Valley Nursery in Brighton.

The official welcome and installation took place at Cultivate’22 during July, in Columbus, Ohio. “We are excited to welcome these leaders who come from various segments of the green industry and encompass diverse experiences, skills, and backgrounds,” said Ken Fisher, president & CEO of AmericanHort.

Edmundson is a second-generation nurseryman and a third-generation owner of Arbor Valley. He has served in various leadership roles in the industry including Colorado Nursery and Greenhouse Association (CNGA), for which he currently serves on the board, the Colorado Horticulture Research and Education Foundation and the GreenCO legislative committee. He is an associate member at ALCC.

AmericanHort, a national organization, has the mission of unifying and cultivating successful horticulture businesses across the numerous segments of the industry—including greenhouse and nursery growers, retailers, distributors, interior and exterior landscaper professionals, florists, educators and more—and for the industry to enhance people’s lives through the benefits of plants.

With workforce being the #1 challenge within the landscape industry, some recruiters feel the immediacy of tapping into the half of our population that is poorly represented in landscape jobs at all levels. What would happen if women rose from only 10% of those employed in landscape jobs to 30 or even 50%? How much more work could get done?  

Char Farley Chacon, residential construction team manager, Designscapes Colorado, and her team of women volunteers from other ALCC companies are taking on the challenge to recruit and help more women be successful in the industry. As the “Women in Green” luncheon at ProGreen EXPO 2022 showed, women at all levels throughout the industry are ready to move on in their landscape careers and to bring other women along with them—including women who currently know nothing about the industry.

“There are things the men, who own 83% of landscape companies nationwide, may need to know about having more women employees and the strengths they bring to their work,” says Chacon. Women by nature are caregivers. “Many of us are moms” and often sandwiched between caring for kids and aging parents. Yet, they still work outside the home. The women who are juggling many plates in their personal lives while holding down a job also know a thing or two about management— both people and things.