Get to Know the New President of Ball Hort
November 18, 2020 
Al Davidson
Among the many organizational changes announced by Ball Horticultural Company last week is the appointment of a new president, Al Davidson, who will conduct the day-to-day management of the company, including goal strategies.
Davidson has been with Ball for 33 years and has held many roles, including Sales Manager at Ball Seed, Director of Supplier Relations, and President of Ball FloraPlant. Most recently, he held the position of President of Ball Seed, where distribution has grown, strengthened, and gained market share.
“There’s a benefit to having worked in several roles as I have over the course of 33 years with Ball,” Davidson told Greenhouse Grower magazine earlier this week. “It’s given me many chances to understand the needs of the customer at all levels – from the breeder-producer perspective, to supply management, and on to sales. You can even count my experience in my family’s greenhouse business long before my tenure at Ball, learning the business of general greenhouse operations. I’ve had quite a well-rounded exposure within the industry, which will serve me well as President.“
When it comes to the biggest challenges the industry is currently facing, Davidson says labor is no doubt No. 1, including both access and cost.
“Our customers are looking for effective solutions, and labor is at the top of our minds as we plan for the future,” Davidson says. “It’s about raising awareness in the industry with the next generation of workers – wherever they come from – and how we build our workforce and talent.”
Speaking of the next generation, Davidson notes another challenge is predicting just what kind of products the new, younger consumer is looking to buy, and whether our industry’s products meet their needs. If they don’t, Davidson argues, it’s time to explore new avenues of breeding and bring those adjacents into our core.
“Today’s consumer is also where the greatest opportunities lie,” Davidson says. “The greenhouse industry is seeing and reaping the benefits of home-bound consumers now actively pursuing gardening and plants in their lifestyles. We need to rise to the occasion and keep their interest through a post-coronavirus world. We need to find and supply the products they want, where they want to buy it, and provide them the information they need to be successful.”
The fundamental goal at Ball, Davidson notes, is to find, create, breed, produce, and market new and exciting plants for the industry.
“Ideally, we do that through our strong vertical integration that provides a stable and reliable supply chain to get these products to our customers and into the marketplace,” he says.
So, how will all of Ball’s brands and its customers benefit from this move?
“By taking on the role of President, this frees up Anna Ball to further involve herself in industry relations, to set strategy and company culture, and to focus on programs like Seed Your Future, which benefits horticulture members long-term,” Davidson says. “My time will be spent working with our worldwide companies to continuously improve our products and strengthen the supply chain. With customers’ needs at the forefront, achieving our company goals means they’ll see the value this move offers.”
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