Meet 2025 HILA winner Belal El-Hassan

Photo © Joanna Wojewoda

Read the full profile on Belal here.

Watch a video of Belal from the Horticultural Industries Leadership Awards at Cultivate'25 here.

Belal on training:

“Starting out, I always focus on the basics. In college, they’re learning to irrigate on the computer. But when they come here, I want them to first irrigate by hand. Learn what it feels like to water by hand.

“I enjoy teaching people how to sense what’s going on in the greenhouse. Walk around and observe, smell, listen. I rarely use a cart when I’m going from one place to the other. I walk the greenhouse and observe. If you’re driving, you can’t pay attention to the plants. Once the basics are covered, then we go on to the next level. Education is how I work. I don’t believe in the old-school management style. I like to train my guys to problem solve, although we don’t call things problems — we call them challenges.”

What others are saying:

“What sets Belal apart is his willingness to provide thoughtful, constructive feedback on new products and ideas while maintaining an open mind. His collaborative nature has been invaluable in driving innovation and improvement within the industry. He treats everyone with dignity and respect, fostering a positive work environment where every individual feels valued — regardless of their role.” — Trevor Golding, Gold Leaf Technologies

Stay tuned for a full profile of Belal!

Meet the rest of the HILA Class of 2025:

Bill Dewar, Dewar Nurseries

Heather Gronek, Plant Development Services, Inc.

Tom Knezick, Pinelands Nursery

Gary Neels, Qualitree

Susie Raker, Raker-Roberta’s Young Plants

John Gaydos, Proven Winners, Lifetime Achievement Award

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