Amanda Staehely, co-owner of Columbia Nursery in Canby, Oregon, took the reins of the Oregon Association of Nurseries Board of Directors at the 2023 OAN Convention.
The annual event was held at Brasada Ranch, a destination resort east of the Bend area in Central Oregon. In her presidential speech, Staehely described growing up on a nursery (Simnitt Nursery), becoming a professional ballet dancer, and eventually working her way back to the nursery industry after marrying a nurseryman, Wayne Staehely.
From there, Amanda became more and more involved in the business and then the industry, joining her chapter board and then the OAN Board of Directors before accepting the role of OAN President. Her father, Jerry Simnitt, served in the same office in 2012 and served as a role model for her involvement.
“The two most important men in my life have inspired me to be a part of this organization, and I feel incredibly lucky to not only be a part of it, but to raise our children with this extraordinary community,” Staehely said.
Staehely accepted the gavel from Todd Nelson of Bountiful Farms Nursery Inc., Woodburn, Oregon, who became Past President. Joining them on the 2023–24 OAN Executive Committee are President-Elect Ben Verhoeven, Peoria Gardens, Albany, Oregon; Vice President Darcy Ruef, Al’s Garden & Home, Woodburn, Oregon; Treasurer Patrick Newton, Powell’s Nursery Inc., Gaston, Oregon; Secretary Jesse Nelson, Hans Nelson & Sons Nursery Inc., Boring, Oregon; and Member-at-Large Chris Robinson, Robinson Nursery Inc., Amity, Oregon.
The Executive Committee is a subset of the OAN Board of Directors. That board also includes 10 members representing specific industry sectors. There are five new such representatives joining the board and five returning representatives. The new members include Patrick Peterson of BASF Turf & Ornamentals, representing associate members; Dave Daniel, Fall Creek Farm & Nursery Inc., representing container growers; Blake Nelson, Bountiful Farms Nursery Inc., representing container growers; Sam Barkley, J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co., representing field and bare root growers; and Andrea Avila Aragon, Smith Gardens, representing greenhouse growers.
Returning members include Adam Farley, Countryside Nursery, representing container growers; Joe Dula, Moana Nursery, representing field/bare root growers; Jay Sanders, KG Farms, representing field/bare root growers; Tyler Meskers, Oregon Flowers Inc., representing greenhouse growers; and Gary English, Landsystems Nursery, representing retailers.
Those concluding their board service in 2023 include past president Josh Robinson of Robinson Nursery Inc., Tom Brewer of The HC Companies, Ron Kinney of Monrovia, Lorne Blackman of Walla Walla Nursery Co. Inc., and Wes Bailey of Smith Gardens.
