History

Celebrating Decades of Leadership


FNGLAHistory

Until 1951, the Florida State Nurserymen were part of the Florida State Florist and Nurserymen Association. Given the growing importance of its specific industry within Florida, some nurserymen believed it was time for a separate organization.



FNGA Early Leaders



The first official organized meeting was held in Miami on May 25-27, 1952.  An organizational plan was adopted for the ‘Florida Nursery Growers Association.’ Dave Stabler of Winter Haven Nursery agreed to be president and James F. Griffin, Jr. arrived as Executive Secretary in early 1953. FNGA gained more strength and clout by absorbing the members of the Florida Foliage Association in 1993, the Florida Ornamental Growers Association in 1995, the Florida Landscape Designers Association in 1999, and the Florida Citrus Nursery Association in 2007.  “Landscape” was added to the FNGA moniker in 2004, renaming it as the Florida Nursery, Growers, and Landscape Association (FNGLA). Throughout this time, FNGLA established itself as the largest state nursery and landscape association in the nation.


foliage.field.test

Now, entering its 7th decade of industry service, FNGLA is in its prime representing all industry sectors, among them are seven divisions: Citrus Nurseries; Floriculture; Foliage; Garden Centers; Landscape Firms; Woody shrub and tree producers; and, Horticultural suppliers.  As a vertically integrated association, FNGLA also fully represents and targets the needs of Florida’s landscape design, contracting, irrigation and maintenance companies.

FNGLA produces two of the nation’s largest nursery/landscape industry-only trade shows: the Tropical Plant International Expo and The Landscape Show. FNGLA also maintains a network of 14 Chapters geographically located throughout Florida.  


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FNGLA conducts industry advocacy in Tallahassee and Washington, and offers marketing, professional education, industry certifications and apprenticeships as some of the services FNGLA delivers to its members and the industry-at-large.

FNGLA Presidents

2021-22 Sarah Spatola
2020-21 Martin Hackney
2019-20 Shawn Thomas
2018-19 Will Womack
2017-18 Ed Bravo
2016-17 Robert Shoelson
2015-16 Billy Butterfield
2014-15 Sanford Stein
2013-14 Michael Marshall
2012-13 Wes Parrish
2011-12 Halsey Beshears
2010-11 Carolan Mahr
2009-10 Monty Knox
2008-09 Rosemary Warner
2007-08 Dave Self
2006-07 Paul Polomsky
2005-06 Richard Carroll
2004-05 Bill Rocky Klinger
2003-04 M .E. Buck Wurster
2002-03 Jerry Frye
2001-02 George Hackney
2000-01 Dr. Joe Cialone
1999-00 Jane Van Cleave
1998-99 Alvaro Somoza
1997-98 George Finora
1996-97 Alan Shapiro
1995-96 Russ Mueller
1994-95 Lori Schaefer
1993-94 Tomas Aiello
1992-93 Gary Roberts
1991-92 Sandra Guckenberger
1990-91 Michael Raimondi
1989-90 William D. Reese
1988-89 Ron Arkay
1987-88 Wayne Hardy
1986-87 George Kimmel, Jr.
1985-86 Roy G. Davis
1984-85 Earl Christenbury

1983-84 Edwin Bolling
1982-83 Colleen Boggs
1981-82 Jerry Soowal
1980-81 Fount May
1979-80 Robert L. Hartwig
1978-79 Walter A. Gammel
1977-78 William G. Adams
1976-77 James D. Blakely
1975-76 George Russell, Jr.
1974-75 John A. Blaser
1973-74 Richard A. Gladwin
1972-73 Joseph C. Shaw
1971-72 Joseph Welker
1970-71 Beverly Turbeville
1969-70 Jack Christmas
1968-69 Lawrence W. Clements
1967-68 Richard C. Johnson
1966-67 Jack Siebenthaler
1965-66 Jerry Turner
1964-65 R.E. Ed Brown
1963-64 Charles Culbreath
1962-63 Charles Chaplin
1961-62 N. Curtis Peterson, Jr.
1960-61 Verne Buck
1959-60 P.D. Shoemaker
1958-59 Roy S. Rood
1957-58 Milton Link
1956-57 Edwin Fraser
1955-56 Gervin Pringle
1954-55 Hugh Lalor
1953-54 Charles R. Wedding
1952-53 David K. Stabler, Sr.

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