It is no secret, I am a sports nut. So whether or not we are talking about Canton, Ohio (football), Cooper-stown, New York (baseball), Springfield, Massachusetts (basketball), Toronto, Ontario (hockey) or Atlanta, Georgia (college) as shrines to legends, leaders or innovators at a Hall of Fame — the OAN has its own in Wilsonville, Oregon.
The Oregon Nurseries’ Hall of Fame was founded in 1991 with an initial class of six people. Since then 47 more people — 35 individuals and six couples — have joined them. There have been 15 classes in all. All stand out as examples of leadership at the association, and major contributors to the industry.
This year several more are joining the Hall of Fame, and we intend to celebrate them! It’s a remarkable class.
George Anderson
George Anderson’s son, Rick, is fond of talking about the impact his father had on him and the business. OAN is proud to echo why this inductee is worthy. There is something about a leader who takes the road less traveled, and George exemplifies this style. He led the industry’s movement from growing in coffee cans and used food cans to the plastic containers of today.
Anderson Die & Manufacturing Company was one of the first companies to offer plastic pots for grow-ing and propagation, and set the stage to propel the growth of the Oregon nursery industry.
J. Frank Schmidt Sr.
When you think of the nursery industry, J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co. comes quickly to mind. Frank Sr. began his nursery career in the 1920s and was founder of Schmidt Ornamentals Nursery which later became Weedin Nursery. He was a pioneer in developing horticulturally sound nursery production processes, while in-troducing and producing many new cultivars and plant material for the industry.
This inductee served as the association’s president in 1938. His son, J. Frank Schmidt Jr., was inducted into the inagurual Hall of Fame Class of 1991 and with this honor, they become the first father-son duo to be in the OAN Hall of Fame.
Irene and Ray Burden
Rod Park, Park’s Nursery, said it best: “Sometimes you need to break the glass ceiling twice.” In my Oc-tober 2020 column, I examined women in leadership and I reminded the membership that Julia Hausch, co-owner of Roseway Nursery in Beaverton, was OAN’s first woman president in 1948. She was inducted into the OAN Hall of Fame in 1993.
The OAN would wait another 31 years before the next woman served as our president in 1979, when our Oregon nursery industry was starting to fulfill its destiny. That year, Irene Burden of Hazel Dell Gardens took the helm. The association was in the midst of a battle to be considered a part of agriculture. It was also dealing with subsequent high insurance costs. This sowed the seeds for our long-standing relationship with the State Accident & Insurance Fund (SAIF). Irene was bestowed Honorary Life Membership in 1993.
Rod Park and Joy Guidry
I think Rod is best described with the phrase, “Service over self.” I first got to know him at Metro when he was elected as Metro Councilor and brought his considerable intellect and nursery experience to the regional government. Respect for his ethics, strategic thinking and warm friendship made our relationship grow over the past 25+ years.
However, my predecessor, Clayton Hannon, said it best: “Rod is a logical candidate based on his service on the Oregon Board of Agriculture as its chairman, and his service at Metro on land use and water. Both paid div-idends to the industry.”
Rod was the Young Nursery Professional of the Year in 1986, and then OAN president in 1991. Add to it a plethora of other meaningful awards before being awarded the Clayton W. Hannon Distinguished Service Award in 2006. In 2018, he was inducted as an Honorary Life Member.
Rod and his spouse, Joy Guidry, are close personal friends with my family and I could not be prouder of Rod.
Doug and Jaime Zielinski
“Get ’er done, Stoney.” I can hear Doug’s voice in my head before he enters the room.
Let’s face it: Jamie is the rock of the Alpha Nursery operation and makes the organization perform seam-lessly. Regarding Doug, his wife, Jamie, said, “My first thought is that Doug has always worked hard and played hard. He is strong minded (stubborn?), but that’s how he gets things done. He’s very proud of Alpha Nursery, a dream he started after graduating from Oregon State University. He has given to many organizations, particularly the OAN, and he values what these groups have provided to him and the industry. He is also very proud of his two sons who continue in the family business and assure a legacy of Doug’s dream.”
Tom Fessler, Woodburn Nursery & Azaleas, added, “Whether he is at the nursery or on the farm, one thing that stands out: Doug cares for and supports his workers.”
Doug is a friend and a mentor and am so glad the OAN Awards Committee saw the value of elevating this leader to the Hall of Fame.
Celebrate with us
Our 2024 Hall of Fame induction will be held on Leap Year Day, Thursday, February 29, 2024 at the Ab-ernethy Center (606 15th St., Oregon City, Oregon 97045). It will run from 6–9 p.m. The cost is $109. Please join us there. I hope to see you!
From the February 2024 issue of Digger magazine | Download PDF of article
