Staff

Steve Carver, Ph.D. Manager – Technical Education Ext 18 Liaison: • Grower Extension • Grower Committee • Academic & research activities Steve has had a varied and rewarding journey in the green industry. After receiving an MS in plant pathology in 1977, he joined the diagnostic lab of a lawn care company. There he honed his skills, identifying all manner of abiotic and biotic problems on turf and woody ornamentals from all over the country. He also conducted extensive training seminars for company personnel. Steve returned to school and received a Ph.D. in floriculture in 1994. Since that time, he has been involved in all aspects of OFA’s grower education, outreach, and publication efforts.	Michelle Gaston Director – Professional Development Ext 17 Liaison: • Short Course Planning • Ohio Certified Florist • Outreach Education Michelle began her OFA career in 1991 as a Short Course intern. After receiving her degree in Agriculture Communications from The Ohio State University the following year, she began full-time employment in OFA’s communications department. Michelle now oversees the coordination of the association’s educational programs. Michelle is a member of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), the International Association of Exhibitors and Events (IAEE), and Ohio Agriculture Communicators Association. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, home and garden projects, and photography.
John R. Holmes, CAE Executive Director Ext 23 Liaison: • Board of Directors & Executive Committee • Constitution & Bylaws • Nominations • Strategic Planning • Past Presidents’ Council After serving on staff with the Indiana House of Representatives, John worked in the government affairs division of the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies. He later spent several years with the Indiana Health Care Association, serving as both vice president - legislative & political affairs and executive director of the affiliated Indiana Health Care Foundation. Before joining OFA in February 2002, John was executive director of the Alliance of Indiana Rural Water. In addition to his OFA responsibilities, John is very active in America in Bloom and serves as Board Secretary/Treasurer. He received his B.A in Political Science from Purdue University and a law degree from Indiana University. Licensed to practice law in Indiana, John is certified in association management by both the American Society of Association Executives and the US Chamber of Commerce.	Terese Houle Manager – Events Ext 11 Liaison: • Short Course & Event Management After graduating from Mercyhurst College in 1996 with a B.S. degree in Hospitality Management, Terese spent approximately 10 years working with Hyatt Hotels and Resorts. She started with Hyatt as a small meetings sales manager and finished as a Director of Sales and Marketing. Before joining OFA in 2007, Terese was a Regional Director for HelmsBriscoe Performance Group, where she assisted meeting planners by researching hotels and other meeting venues that matched their meeting criteria, negotiating rates and concessions by leveraging HelmsBriscoe’s volume purchasing power, and facilitating the contracting process. Terese is a member of the American Society of Association Executives and MPI-Ohio Chapter. She enjoys spending her free time traveling, reading, and taking long hikes in Hocking Hills.
Laura Kunkle Director – Membership & Communications Ext 26 Liaison: • Communications & Public Relations • Generation Next • Membership • Nominations • America in Bloom With OFA since 1998, Laura oversees OFA’s membership and communication activities. She also serves as the administrator for the America in Bloom program. After graduating in 1990 from Miami University with a B.S. degree in Mass Communications, Laura spent eight years as a morning-drive radio station disc jockey. Laura is a member of the American Society of Association Executives, the Ohio Ag Communicators Association, and the International Association of Exhibitors and Events (IAEE). In her free time she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, reading, sports, and playing with her two dogs.	Michelle Mazza Coordinator – Special Projects Ext 37 Liaison: • Event Management Michelle joined the OFA staff after spending several years at Ball Publishing as the Conference and Events Manager. She brings knowledge of all aspects of horticulture industry events, meticulous planning and attention to detail, and infectious enthusiasm to the Short Course and other events that OFA manages. Michelle received her B.S. in Marketing from Northern Illinois University. A native of the Chicago suburbs, Michelle relocated to the Columbus area in 2007 with her husband, Vince, and young son, Alex. In her free time, Michelle enjoys scrapbooking, gardening, making jewelry, and spending time with friends and family.
Wendy McAtee, IOM Director – Expositions Ext 14 Liaison: • Short Course Decorations • Trade Show With 25 years at OFA, Wendy McAtee is the most tenured of the OFA staff. She started with OFA in 1980 as the Trade Show Manager. Ten years later she took a break from the association before returning in 1994. Now the Director of Expositions for OFA, Wendy is a member of the American Society of Association Executives and the International Association of Exhibiotrs and Events. Wendy is a 1992 graduate of the Institute for Organization Management at the University of Notre Dame. In her free time, Wendy enjoys spending time with her family and reading.	Brian McLaughlin Manager – Membership & Administration Ext. 15 Liaison: • Membership • OFA technology and database • Short Course registration Prior to coming to OFA, Brian was the database specialist and member service coordinator for the Greater Columbus Chamber of Commerce. At the Chamber, Brian maintained all member information, worked with the events department on member-to-member networking events, helped coordinate trade shows, job fairs, annual fund raising campaigns, and member benefits. Brian is a five-year veteran as an OFA Short Course volunteer, working with advance registration, set-up, and tear-down. Brian’s other experiences include operation manager, production, and programming.
Jan Orick Coordinator – Administration Ext 38 Liaison: • Accounts Receiveable & Payable For nearly 20 years Jan worked for the State of Ohio in the graphics/printing industry . She became co-owner/operator of a sign and desktop publishing company which turned out to be her first real hands-on experience performing receivables and payables. She enjoys working with numbers and pursued that type of position. Jan spent several years assisting in various areas of accounting. Before coming to OFA in 2007 she spent five years as corporate cashier at the Wasserstrom Company where she performed the daily bank deposit of receivables. Jan spends her free time keeping in touch with family and friends across the country via the internet. She loves spending time with her dogs, enjoys reading, and growing house plants.	Tracy Phillips Administrator - Trade Show Services Ext 12 Liaison: • New Varieties • Exhibitors • Membership After graduating from high school in 1988, Tracy worked in customer service for Weekly Reader Books, and in the data entry department of Wendy’s International. A few years later she joined LifeCare Alliance, and throughout the years worked in the Meals-On-Wheels department, fiscal department, and the Visiting Nurse Program. After the birth of her second son in 1998, Tracy decided to be a stay-at-home mom, until 2001 when she joined OFA. Tracy has two sons, Tucker and Cole.
David Savoia Director - Administration Ext 20 Liaison: • America in Bloom • Finance • O.F.A. Services Inc • Ohio Workers Compensation Program (CCI) • APPI Energy Savings Program Before joining OFA in 1998, David was the staff accountant with the Greater Columbus Chamber of Commerce. Prior to that, he spent 14 years with the General Electric Company working in various areas of accounting, including General Accounting, Affiliate Accounting, and Business Analysis. David is a member of the American Society of Association Executives.	Libby Streamer, CMP Coordinator – Administration & Events Ext 10 Liaison: • Short Course housing & event support • Office administration Originally from Wheeling, West Virginia, Libby moved to Columbus in the late 1980s. Before joining OFA in 2000, she spent over two decades in the retail sales management industry before joining OFA. Libby is a member of Meeting Professionals International. In addition to flower and vegetable gardening, Libby’s main loves are her family and her church activities. Whenever possible, Libby and her husband David travel back to West Virginia to visit Libby’s daughter, son-in-law, and grandchild Faith Ann.
Mary Jane Weals Office Assistant Ext 31 With OFA since 1998, Mary Jane Weals has spent nearly 50 years in the floriculture industry. She spent most of those years working in the office with her late husband Carl, a sales representative for the Ball Seed Company. Mary Jane was also a sales rep for 20 years for Institution accounts in Carl’s territory. Mary Jane attended The Ohio State University, studying agriculture education. She spent two years teaching horticulture to high school students. For 35 years, from the early 1960s to the mid 1990s, Mary Jane chaired the OFA Short Course’s Spouses Program. Mary Jane has three children and six grandchildren.	Alicia Wells Coordinator – Communications Ext. 16 Liaison: • Membership • Communications • Education • OFA web site Prior to coming to OFA in 2006, Alicia was the Scholarship Program Coordinator for FIRST. At FIRST, she was involved in updating the association website, creating the monthly e-newsletter, and administering the scholarship program. Alicia’s background in the horticulture industry is varied and includes experience in education and association work, public gardening, biotechnology, floral design, and retail garden center operations. Alicia graduated, with high honors, from Michigan State University with a B.S. degree in Horticulture. In her free time, Alicia enjoys gardening, traveling, training her dog, and spending time with friends and family.
Professional Consultants Rich Batcho, CLT, Batch-O-Blooms, Oreland, Pennsylvania Raymond Cloyd, Ph.D., Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas Jody Spivey, Expressions Floral Design Studio, Columbus, Ohio Bridget White, White Ink, New Orleans, Louisiana Frank Zaunscherb, ZMI, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

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