NGA
NURSERY GROWERS ASSOCIATION
NGA
NGA founders were involved in other organizations, but felt the need for an organization focused strictly on the issues facing nursery growers.
Farm Bureau served all agricultural interests but in serving many masters, Farm Bureau could not take sides when the interests of the other crops conflicted with those of nurseries. This was especially true when the conflicts involved intrastate quarantines and shipping protocols.
The NGA founders created an organization open to nursery owners and principals by invitation, with no offices or full-time staff. Members met regularly for dinner meetings to learn about issues of mutual interest. Board committees monitored key issues and took action when necessary, recruiting volunteers via the NGA phone tree (pre-internet days).
A good example of NGA action occurred when the Giant Whitefly invaded California. Suddenly, ficus hibiscus and other plants were covered with a waxy white filaments secreted by the bug. John Kabashima of U.C. Cooperative Extension approached NGA with a proposal: we could wait two years for the State to fund research or if we could come up with $10,000 in two weeks, he could send some graduate students to Central America over Christmas break to research natural controls. The NGA phone tree raised the money in four days, the students found a predatory wasp and within three years, the Giant Whitefly virtually disappeared in California.
NGA is run by a diverse all-volunteer board of directors representing the broad range of small and large nursery operations in California. The president may also appoint adjunct (non-voting) board members from academia and affiliated fields for additional expertise.
2016 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
NGA PRESIDENT | MIKE BABINEAU
VILLAGE NURSERIES
NGA VICE PRESIDENT | MARIA MARTINEZ
MB LANDSCAPING & NURSERY
NGA TREASURER | TODD FLAMMER
SUNNY SLOPE TREE FARM
NGA SECRETARY | JOHN KELLER
MONROVIA
NGA DIRECTOR & PAST PRESIDENT (‘06-’08) | JOHN SCHOUSTRA
GREENWOOD DAYLILY GARDENS
NGA DIRECTOR & PAST PRESIDENT (‘09-’12) | ROBERT CRUDUP
VALLEY CREST TREE CO.
NGA DIRECTOR | EDGAR TUNA
CROP PRODUCTION SERVICES
NGA DIRECTOR | FRANK CHAVEZ
AGRO FRUITS INTERNATIONAL, LLC.
NGA DIRECTOR | EDWIN ALVARADO
NICK’S NURSERY
NGA DIRECTOR | TOMOHARU IWO
T-Y NURSERY
ADJUNCT BOARD MEMBER | MICHAEL FRANTZ
FRANTZ NURSERY
ADJUNCT BOARD MEMBER | DONNA BROWNE
AGRI-TURF DISTRIBUTING
NGA PAST PRESIDENTS
2010-2012 | ROBERT CRUDUP
VALLEY CREST TREE CO.
2009 | LIZ GALLAGHER
PARDEE TREE NURSERY
2006-2008 | JOHN SCHOUSTRA
GREENWOOD DAYLILY GARDENS
2004-2005 | MIKE PROFFITT
EL MODENA GARDENS
2003 | ROBERT CRUDUP
VALLEY CREST TREE CO.
2002 | TOM HOUSE
VILLAGE NURSERIES
2000-2001 | BERT TIBBET
MAGIC GROWERS
1999 | DENNIS CONNOR
MONROVIA NURSERY
1998 | BRAD BOWERS
VALLEY CREST TREE CO.
1997 | LANCE TIBBET
MAGIC GROWERS
1996 | HAYDI DANIELSON
MONROVIA NURSERY
1995 | JERRY ROBINSON
RAINFOREST FLORA
1993-1994 | DAVID SASUGA
ALTMAN SPECIALTY PLANTS
1992 | DALE RAHN
QCOM
1991 | TOM LARSON
NAKASE BROTHERS NURSERY
1990 | GARY HAYAKAWA
THREE STAR NURSERY
1989 | GILBERT RESENDEZ
MONROVIA NURSERY
1988 | LYNN STROHSAHL
BORDIER’S NURSERY
1987-1985 | KEN ODA
ODA NURSERY
1984 | NORMAN GROOT
EL MODENA GARDENS
1983 | TED NAKASE
NAKASE BROTHERS NURSERY
1982 | JIM POORBAUGH
MONROVIA NURSERY
1981 | BOB SEAT
SEA TREE NURSERY
1980 | HANK ISHIDA
UNION NURSERY, INC.
1979 | BUD BORDIER
BORDIER’S NURSERY
1978 | BRUCE USERY
MONROVIA NURSERY
DON LEWIS (DECEASED)
1973 | KEN INOSE (RETIRED)
EL MODENA NURSERY
1972 | JAN GROOT
PACIFIC COAST NURSERYMAN
JACK EDDY
BING BORDIER
BORDIER’S NURSERY
JACK BOETHING
BOETHING TREELAND FARMS, INC.
STEPHEN BIEMEL
MITSUA NURSERY
BOB ADAMS
RICHARD GRIFFIN
1968 | BILL TOMLINSON
TOMLINSON SELECT NURSERIES
1967 | JAMES HINES, JR.
HINES NURSERIES, INC.
1966 | MARKIE McCABE (DECEASED)
MONROVIA NURSERY
1965 | CECIL SHIRAR
HINES NURSERIES, INC.
1964 | TOMMY TOMLINSON (DECEASED)
SELECT NURSERY
1963 | OVE HOYER (DECEASED)
DELAMO NURSERY
1962 | JIM PERRY (DECEASED)
PERRY’S PLANTS
