America in Bloom announces new president, vice president

Dr. Charlie Hall, Professor at Texas A & M University, is the new America in Bloom (AIB) President. The new Vice President is Katy Moss Warner. Each will serve a two-year term.

Hall, a native of North Carolina, has served on the AIB board since 2010 and as co-chair of the fundraising committee and as vice president. He received his B.S. in Agricultural Economics from the University of Tennessee, and a Master’s Degree in Ornamental Horticulture and Landscape Design from the University of Tennessee. He obtained his Ph.D. from Mississippi State University in 1988 and began his academic career at Texas A&M University in 1988, where he spent 13 years on the faculty before joining the faculty at the University of Tennessee in 2002. In August 2007, Dr. Hall returned to Texas A&M University as Professor and Ellison Chair in International Floriculture.

Dr. Hall’s expertise in the production and marketing of green industry crops is nationally recognized in academia and the horticultural industry. His major research, teaching, and extension areas of specialization include strategic management, market situation/outlook, cost accounting, and financial analysis. He is an invited speaker at numerous regional, national, and international meetings of various industry-related associations and organizations. A number of his webinars are available on the AIB website at www.AmericaInBloom.org.

“...Communities all across the country are embracing the ideals of AIB and are finding a great number of benefits from doing so. Not only do those communities have the opportunity to enjoy the aesthetic benefits of their efforts, but they are finding many economic, environmental, and health/well-being benefits as well," says Dr. Hall. "To me, that is the exciting part of America in Bloom — how quality of life is enhanced by the program."

Katy Moss Warner has served on the AIB board since 2005 and has chaired the symposium committee for the past three years. She is President Emeritus of the American Horticultural Society (AHS), a national, non-profit, member-based organization with the vision of “making America a nation of gardeners, a land of gardens.” Warner was Director of Disney's Horticulture and Environmental Initiatives at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida for 24 years. From 1976 to 2000, she provided the leadership necessary to ensure that Disney's horticultural traditions of beautiful gardens and themed landscapes were sustained. She is a Longwood Fellow with Longwood Gardens and the University of Delaware as well as a Loeb Fellow with the Harvard Graduate School of Design. Katy judges for America in Bloom and international competitions.

"America in Bloom is growing. Our flagship programs have better participation than ever and we are launching some exciting new programs that will offer towns and cities across America even more opportunity to enhance their communities and plant pride," Warner says.

Dr. Marvin Miller, who has served as president since 2005, assumes the role of past president and continues to be actively involved on the board with projects he has initiated in the past. With secretary/treasurer Michael Geary, he will continue to provide leadership to AIB on the executive committee.

A complete list of America in Bloom board members can be viewed at www.AmericaInBloom.org.