Nov 26, 2013
ANLA and HRI Announce Research Team StaffSource: Jonathan Bardzik, ANLA

The American Nursery and Landscape Association (ANLA) and the Horticultural Research Institute (HRI), ANLA's research affiliate, are pleased to announce the hiring of the staff team that will provide leadership to the organizations' research efforts on behalf of the horticulture industry.

The American Nursery and Landscape Association (ANLA) and the Horticultural Research Institute (HRI), ANLA’s research affiliate, are pleased to announce the hiring of the staff team that will provide leadership to the organizations’ research efforts on behalf of the horticulture industry.

Dr. Joseph Albano joins the team as research director. Albano comes to ANLA and HRI from the USDA-ARS Horticultural Research Laboratory (USHRL) located in Fort Pierce, Florida, where he has served as Research Horticulturist for over 14 years. Albano’s research focus with USDA-ARS has been on plant nutrition, water quality and conservation, and alternative substrates. He led a major multi-researcher, multi-location collaborative water quality project funded by the Floriculture and Nursery Research Initiative (FNRI). Albano brings to ANLA and HRI an impressive record of accomplishment and deep knowledge of horticultural research and the research community in the U.S. Albano received his Bachelor of Science in Plant Science from California State University-Fresno, and his Master of Science in Horticulture and Ph.D. in Plant Physiology from Clemson University.

Jennifer Gray joins the staff as research programs administrator. Gray is well-known and respected in the nursery and landscape industry. For approximately fifteen years, Gray served in numerous capacities for the Ohio Nursery & Landscape Association, including communications and marketing activities, editing The Buckeye magazine, and overseeing grants and scholarships. Since 2007, she has served as associate executive director for the association. For ANLA and HRI, her primary responsibilities will include managing the fund raising campaigns, staffing the volunteer leadership groups, and overseeing the competitive grants program funded through HRI’s $11 million endowment fund. Gray has a degree in English from Otterbein College in Ohio.

“We are thankful to have two industry experts join us to help expand the visibility and capacity of HRI and ANLA’s research activities. There’s a tremendous opportunity to expand our research portfolio to include other industry sectors and better connect with the research community. Jennifer and Joseph are the right people at the right time,” said Michael V. Geary, CAE, ANLA’s executive vice president.

Albano and Gray will officially begin employment in November, and will transition to the new AmericanHort organization when the ANLA/OFA consolidation takes effect in January 2014. Gray will work from the office in Columbus, Ohio and Albano will join the Industry Advocacy & Research staff team based in Washington, DC.