Executive Director Announcement

The Alabama Nursery & Landscape Association's Board of Directors is pleased to announce the selection of our association's new executive director. 

James Harwell, the ALNLA past-president who has been serving as our Interim Executive Director since last September, will be taking the helm permanently. 

As a child growing up in Montgomery, James watched as his father, Ben, began a small retail garden shop.  The year was 1955. After graduating from Auburn University in 1972, James joined his father in the business and for 33 years served as President of Harwell's Green Thumb Nursery. Over that time, HGTN grew to include 3 retail garden centers and a landscape division. James also supervised a growing operation in Wetumpka, which supplied the family's retail centers. Last August, James retired from Green Thumb.

James's service to the industry extends beyond the ALNLA board.  He has been an Alabama Governor of the American Nursery & Landscape Association, is on the AU College of Agriculture Dean Advisory Council, and served as a member of the search committee for the AU Horticulture department head.  He is also active in both his church and his community.

James and his wife Libby were looking forward to James's retirement last August, when circumstances forced him to step into the position of acting exec of our association in order to keep the Gulf States Horticultural Expo on track.  Despite little experience in the field of trade show management, James came out of his short-lived retirement and rose to the challenge, putting together a team of  board-member volunteers, making several trips to Mobile and making and answering more phone calls than you can count.  The result was a sold-out exhibition floor and excellent attendance, along with a decrease in expenses to the three states involved.

James also brought the Alabama Green Industry Economic Impact Study, the data for which was gathered in 2003, back to the top of the priority list and oversaw its publication last month. Just last week, while still Interim Director, he testified to the House Ag Committee field hearing in Auburn about the need for the inclusion of the green industry in disaster relief decisions.  His testimony will be posted on the association website, www.alnla.org, in the next few days.

With the publication of our Economic Impact Study, the strengthening of our relationship with the Department of Agriculture, and our increased willingness to accept the challenge of speaking up for our industry at the local, state and national level, the ALNLA stands poised to become the association our industry needs it to be.  These are truly exciting times to be a member of ALNLA.

Six months after his retirement from one career, James has embarked on another.  I hope you will join us in welcoming him as our new Executive Director.


Sincerely,

Your ALNLA Board of Directors

Carole Barton, Barton's Greenhouse & Nursery, Inc.
Steve Hanna, Hanna's Garden Shop
Dave Bradford, Landscape Services, Inc.
Steve Thomas, Greene Hill Nursery, Inc.
Jim van Antwerp, Flowerwood Nursery, Inc.
Andy Zimlich, Nursery Supplies, Inc.