Skip To Main Content

External Advisory Committee 2024

The worst thing that can happen to any organization is to become insulated from the “real world”. And to keep that from happening to the Department of Horticulture, we’ve assembled a first-rate team of volunteer advisors to tell us the truth about our performance. Each member of our Advisory Committee represents an important segment of Iowa’s horticulture industry. Twice a year, this team of horticulture professionals travels to campus to meet with faculty, staff, and students to receive departmental updates and to offer important feedback and opinions about our teaching, research, and extension/outreach programs. The committee also is charged with the responsibility of advocating for the department and for horticulture in general.

Brian Abels
Golf Course Supt. at
Ames Golf and Country Club
briandabels@hotmail.com
Jerald Deal
Deal’s Orchard
1102 244th Street
Jefferson, IA 50129
dealsorchard@gmail.com
Lyle Ditmars
Ditmars Orchard
19475 225th Street
Council Bluffs, IA  51503
lyleditmars@hotmail.com
www.ditmarsorchard.com
712-256-7053
Shawn Fopma
PBI Gordon Corporation
Regional Sales Rep. IA/NE/CO
2912 Primrose Lane (Home)
Pella, IA 50219
515-710-2402
sfopma@pbigordon.com
Amber and Preston Gable 
Backcountry Winery
3533 Fenton Avenue
Stratford, IA. 50249
515-257-6739
backcountrywinery@gmail.com
Richard Gladon
Emeritus Assoc. Professor, ISU
1821 Northwestern
Ames, IA. 50010
515-460-4935
gladon@iastate.edu
Mike Gooder
The Plantpeddler
530 Second Avenue SW
Cresco, IA 52136
mikeg@plantpeddler.com
Kay Gradoville
Graddy’s Greenhouse Tomatoes
1200 W. 20th Street
Carroll, IA 51401
k@graddys.com
Dean and Judy Henry
Berry Patch Farm
62785 280th St.
Nevada, IA 50201
Judy- 515-450-8736
Dean – 515-231-9227
dean@berrypatchfarm.com
Tom Hughes
Hughes Nursery and Landscaping Services
5201 Nursery Road SW
Cedar Rapids, IA 52404
Tom@hughesnursery.com
319-396-7038
Jon Hungerford
Corteva
7100 NW 70th Avenue
PO Box 183
Johnston, IA. 50131
515-343-7851
jon.hungerford@corteva.com
Liz Kolbe
Practical Farmers of Iowa
1615 Golden Aspen Dr., Suite 101
Ames, IA  50010
515-232-5661 (Office)
641-325-1121 (Cell)
liz@practicalfarmers.org
Brian Krug
Syngenta Flowers
20971 350th Street
Adel, IA. 50003
515-422-4825 (Work)
919-740-1050 (cell)
Brian.Krug@syngenta.com
Jeff Lamoureux 
Executive Director
Iowa Turfgrass Institute
1605 N. Ankeny Blvd. Suite 210
Ankeny, IA. 50023
515-635-0306
jeffl@iowaturfgrass.org
Kelly Norris
Award-winning Author and Plantsman
Des Moines, IA  50309-2897
712-621-5399
gardens@kellydnorris.com
Paul Ovrom
Iowa Dept. of Agriculture and Land Stewardship
502 East 9th Street
Des Moines, IA 50319
515-242-6239
paul.ovrom@iowaagriculture.gov
Patty Reisinger
Trees Forever – Retired
2645 Quasqueton Diagonal Blvd.
Lot 6
Independence, IA 50644
pattyp@netins.net
Greg Rinehart
Rinehart’s Family Farm
703 Kale Road
Boone, IA 50036
gtrinehart@gmail.com
Randle (Randy) Robinson 
Golf Course Superintendents of America (GCSAA)
206 Centennial Drive
Huxley, Iowa 50124
641-485-3249
rrobinson@gcsaa.org
Chris Schlosser
Iowa Cubs Sports Turf
One Line Drive
Des Moines, IA 50309
chriss@iowacubs.com
Close Video Player