Page 6 - MNLGA Free State Winter 2024_WEB

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE
VANESSA A. FINNEY
Executive Director
6 WINTER 2024 • Free State News
In this final issue of Free State for 2024, we pay tribute to our dear friend and
colleague, Stanton Gill, who so deeply impacted Maryland’s entire green
industry, and countless individuals, as well.
On behalf of the MNLGA board of directors, I’d like to thank the following
members for contributions of their time, financial contributions, and/or
plants for the decoration of CMREC for Stanton’s memorial gatherings. As
always, your generosity is boundless. The décor and displays created were
truly lovely and a fitting tribute to Stanton. Thank you: Tanglewood Farm,
Season to Season Horticultural Services, White House Nursery, MNCPPC –
Pope Farm, Hillcrest Nursery, Walnut Springs Nursery, W. H. Boyer, Griffin,
George W. Radebaugh Wholesale Growers, Valley View Farms, and Wildlife
Gardens.
I am using my column this month to share my thoughts presented at his
memorial gatherings. Please join us at the MNLGA Annual Meeting on
January 8th, for an additional tribute.
I wish you all a safe and healthy holiday season and look forward to seeing
you all at MANTS, January 8 – 10th.
Good evening. I am Vanessa Finney with the Maryland, Nursery, Landscape,
and Greenhouse Association. I’d like to share some personal reflections on how
Stanton has impacted my life, as well as our industry, as a whole.
I began working with the MNLGA in the summer of 2001. I came from the world
of public accounting and really knew very little about association management
and the horticulture industry.
There were a few people that went out of their way to introduce themselves Wholesale growers
to me; to help me; guide me; mentor me. Stanton, of course, was one of those
people. Prior to this period in my life, I didn’t know what Extension was, and
Stanton provided me an education on that and introduced me to pretty much of exceptional,
everyone he knew. He literally drove me around and introduced me to nursery
and greenhouse growers, explaining who was who and how their operations field-grown, fully
worked and why what they did was important. I didn’t ask him to do this, he
basically just said “come on, Vanessa, next Tuesday, we’re going to go visit some finished trees
nurseries.” This is who Stanton was – he connected people, and he mentored,
and he genuinely cared about their well-being and success. and shrubs
Beyond helping me on a personal and professional level, Stanton could always
be counted on to instigate industry educational events and assist in their
planning. Stanton had a mental rolodex of contacts - colleagues and potential
speakers. He pretty much knew an expert for potentially any talk. And he
always was forward thinking, promoting education on such topics as solar
and biocontrol years before these topics and management practices became
mainstream.
(continued on page 11)
Adamstown, MD • 301-874-8300 • waverlyfarm.com