Agent's Bio

Here is a bio. of myself and what I will be doing.

Many of you worked with Laura Miller at the extension office for many years. She did a great job of helping growers with their problems and bringing timely and useful information in the forms of workshops and seminars. As of last week I have replaced her as the commercial ornamental production extension agent. I hope to continue the University of Florida/IFAS tradition of the extension mission by bringing you helpful information for your commercial operation needs. I have had an ornamental background since leaving the University of Florida with a B.S. degree in horticulture and a M.S. degree in horticulture with a minor in agronomy weed science in 1998. I was employed as a propagation manager with Speedling, Inc., Cherry Lake Tree Farm, and Holmberg Farms. I have consulted and scouted for pests for a few agricultural operations. I also own a small diversified farm in Plant City which produces woody ornamentals, tree and woody liner and starter material, and organic vegetables. My position with the cooperative extension service is a multi-county role which includes both Hillsborough and Polk counties. My program efforts will help improve commercial greenhouse, nursery and sod operations through the adoption of Best Management Practices, integrated pest management, sustainability, and resource management. I will help commercial operators become more efficient with natural, human, and time resources in their operations to increase productivity. My job is also to help producers gain useful information from the university research efforts and to be a clearing house of information via talks, seminars, workshops and electronic media. I hope that all of you will introduce yourselves to me in the near future. Please don’t hesitate to call or email me with any problems or informational needs. My program in extension and the resources at my disposal are only as useful as your voicing of what the problems and needs are in your operations. So if you get the notion, drop by, call, mail, or email what you would like to see in future programs. I look forward to working for you.