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Meet the Leader: Mark Bigej

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Co-owner, chief operating officerAl’s Garden & HomeOAN member since 2009 OAN roles/positions:• Government Relations Committee Chair (2021, 2022)• Political Awareness Award (2019)• Past President (2017)• OAN Executive Committee (2011–2017)• Young Nursery Person of the Year (2002)• Yard, Garden & Patio Show Chair, Committee (2000) Tell us about yourself. I am part of the third generation […]

Meet the Leader: Tyler Meskers

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Vice PresidentOregon Flowers, Inc.OAN member since 2009 OAN roles/positions:• Board of Directors Greenhouse Grower Representative Tell us about yourself I am a first-generation American. My parents, Martin and Helene, immigrated from the bulb fields of Northern Holland to the Pacific Northwest in 1979 in pursuit of the American Dream. They started the family cut flower […]

Creating the future generation of nursery leaders

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The Oregon Nurseries Foundation announces its 2021 scholarship recipients The Oregon Nurseries Foundation (ONF) supports incoming or continuing college students who are preparing for careers in horticulture or related fields. Please join us in congratulating the ONF’s 2021-2022 Scholarship Award Winners. Students were evaluated based on academic achievement, nursery industry commitment, financial need and OAN […]

Meet the Leader: Joe Dula

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General ManagerMoana Nursery, Canby, Oregon OAN member since 2012 OAN roles/positions:• Farwest Show committee member.• OAN Board – Container Grower Position #3• Clayton W. Hannon Distinguished Service Award, 2019 Tell us about yourself I grew up in the nursery business. My parents, Joe and Judy Dula, started Dula’s Nursery in Canby, Oregon, in the late […]

Meet the Leader: Ben Verhoeven

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PresidentPeoria Gardens Inc.OAN member since 2012 OAN roles/positions:• OAN Board of Directors Executive Committee – member at large Tell us about yourself As a second-generation nursery owner, I grew up on a farm my father, Tom Verhoeven, started in 1983. My first job was filling flats for pocket change. Agriculture was just one my interests […]

Meet the leader: Jesse Nelson

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General ManagerHans Nelson & Sons Nursery Inc. OAN member since: 2002 OAN roles/positions: Board of Directors – Field and Bare Root Tell us about yourself: I grew up doing different little jobs around our family farm in Boring, Oregon, for as long as I can remember. My grandfather started Hans Nelson & Sons Nursery in […]

The Advocacy Issue, Part 5: The cost of doing business

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Rod Park once met a cattleman. The nurseryman and OAN past president was attending a conference years ago, talking to aggies from other sectors. The rancher reported that he had grown from raising 500 head of cattle to 1,000 head, but he was making the same net income. It was, essentially, double the risk, double […]