Past Hall of Fame Inductees

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1988 Lee Kintzele – Sales Manager of DWF, started the Wholesale Florists and Florists Suppliers Association in 1963; WF&FSA’s top award is named for Lee.

1989 Bill Gunesch – President of CFGA in 1955, President and manager of Park Floral Company, first to use seed geraniums, first greenhouse extension agent in Colorado in 1940.

1989 Homer Pearson – President of CFGA in 1936. Elected to the Colorado House of Representatives in 1938, Speaker of the House 1940-46, Lieutenant Governor of Colorado 1948-52.

1990 George Dean – Asked to provide electrical work for greenhouses that over time evolved into Wadsworth Control Systems, the #1 greenhouse control system in the world.

1990 Leo Hollberg – A carnation grower that was president of CFGA in 1935 and Charter President of DWF in 1945.

1991 Chuck Haley – Instrumental in formation of the Rose Committee, then known as Western Branch of Roses, Inc. President of CGFA 1970-71.

1991 Mike Jultak – Charter Member of Unite Floral Industry (UFI), which later became United Floral Industry. Mike was an actor and the world was his stage.

1992 Gordon Koon – Gordon’s middle name is research, examples: carnation lighting, two year carnation cropping, centralized grading at DWF, first to use the poly tube with holes for greenhouse cooling. Charter President of CFF.

1992 Charlie Weddle – The Texas Tech and Michigan State University crew of Claude Hope, Bob Holley and Charlie Weddle, brought into the world a company called Pan American Seed Company. Their introductions of petunias, snapdragons & geraniums created what we call the Bedding Plant Industry today.

1993 Dick Kingman – Served as the Executive Vice President of the CFGA & CGGA for 18 years, he was the first paid executive for the Colorado industry.

1993 Tex Baker – A CSU Botany Professor who developed many of the sanitary practices used in greenhouses today, he also developed tip culture.

1994 Dave Tagawa – Dave started Tagawa Greenhouses Inc. in 1969 with the goal of having all five of the Tagawa brothers involved in the business, that has happened. Dave has been President of both CGGA 1985-1986 & Colorado Bedding & Pot Plant Association (CB&PPA) 1975-1976.

1994 O. Ben Haley Jr. – DWF general manager who promoted Colorado Carnations, bringing about branch wholesale houses and more carnation sales.

1995 Homer H. Hill – Homer was a grower of Colorado Carnations for Davis Brothers – he became known as Mr. Colorado Carnation.

1995 Ben Veldkamp Jr. – Started Veldkamp Flowers in 1960 and later became president of the then 65,000 member Floral Telegraph Delivery (FTD).

1996 Roger Weakland – Developed centralized grading for carnations, SAF & CFGA Promotion Committee.

1996 Frank S. Dardano – Frank opened Dardano’s Flowerland on April 25, 1965, the first greenhouse based garden center in Colorado.

1997 Al Gerace – Developed “Hardy Boy Plants” for Welby Gardens Company. An industry leader and supporter; President of CB&PPA in 1977 & 1978.

1997 Harold Crowley – Harold developed the Crowley Pink Sim Carnation, the carnation for the industry in 1945; President of CFGA in 1942.

1998 Jack Davis – Jack, a 2nd generation Wheat Ridge native, headed Davis Brothers Wholesale Florists during the 50’s & 60’s when the Colorado Carnation era was at its peak. He was also President of CFGA in 1956.

1998 Harry Lazier – Harry was the Henderson-Buckman advertising account executive for CFGA during the 50’s & 60’s that made ‘Colorado Carnations’ (the first trademarked perishable product in the world) a world famous product. He authored the book: Carnations-Elegance in Floral Arrangements in 1968.

1999 Claude Hope – Co-founded Pan American Seed Company in 1947 with Colorado State University Floriculture Professor Bob Holley & Plant Breeder Charlie Weddle. Pan American Seed Company bred zinnia’s, snapdragons, and petunias. The company was sold to the Ball Seed Company in 1963 and is located at Linda Vista in Cartago, Costa Rica.

1999 Dave Wagner – Longtime sales representative for Gard’N-Wise Distribution Company. Dave was one of the first graduate students under Professor Bob Holley at CSU. Dave promoted products to the greenhouse industry companies.

2000 Carole Howard – Owner of Lotito Greenhouses in Arvada. Carole served as the first woman President of the Colorado Greenhouse Grower Association (1995-1996). Carole was chair of the first ‘insurance’ committee who collaborated on a workers compensation insurance program & also created the gas purchasing program, known as the Greenhouse Service Foundation.

2000 Carl Anderson – Founder of Arapahoe Acres Nursery. Carl, a former schoolteacher, was named the GreenCO Person of the Year in 1994, honoring his dedication to the industry. In addition, Carl was the editor of the industry standard book: Successful Gardening in Colorado, published in 1994 . He was also the founder behind the ever popular: Denver Post Lawn & Garden Section.

2001 Dave Hartley – Dave, a former greenhouse extension agent for CSU, organized many ‘Boiler Room Chats’. He is well known for his work at Paul Ecke Ranch, where he helped develop new poinsettia varieties. Dave has also supported the CSU Trial Grounds and currently serves as their first ‘Dr. Bob Holley Professor’.

2001 Gene & Evelyn Yoshihara – The Yoshihara family has been in the growing and retail segment of the floral industry since 1949, and have devoted their lives to many industry causes. They have been honored by SAF, AFS, and AFMC awards, and others too numerous to name.

2002 The Echter Family: Bob, Steve & Dave – Colorado’s Floriculture Industry has long looked toward The Echter Family for their outstanding example of what a “Family Owned Greenhouse” can become. The Floriculture Hall of Fame is proud to recognize them as one of the industry’s finest.

2003 Mike & Flo Novovesky – Mike & Flo are most noted as industry supporters. They have been active in Bedding Plants International and FloraStar. They have been activists for the Holley Professor Program.

2004 Bob & Shirley Briggs - Bob and Shirley formed a corporation in 1990 to manage associations in the green industry and served as executive Director of the CFF through 2004.

2005 Donald E. McCrimmon - It is the Colorado Floriculture’s Board’s honor to recognize Donald E. McCrimmon for his contributions to the industry and his management of the Nexus Corporation and induct him into the Colorado Floriculture Hall of Fame.