New Leaderships Roles at Dümmen Orange, Benary, and Express Seed Company
November 20, 2023 
Steve Rinehart, Kelly Nicholas, Dwight Deppen
Dümmen Orange North America has promoted Kelly Nicholas to Head of Technical Services. Nicholas originally joined Dümmen Orange during the summer of 2018 and served as a technical support specialist until her recent promotion.
“We are proud to see Kelly accomplish all that she has over the past five years,” says Nathan Sell, Managing Director of Annuals, Perennials and Pot Plants for Dümmen Orange. “She is an integral piece of our North American commercial business. Her impacts are seen at both the customer level and at our farms. We look forward to even greater things to come as she continues to expand her team.”
Nicholas now oversees all technical services for the company including supporting all production facilities supplying North American cuttings, giving technical presentations, performing quality checks on cuttings from various production facilities, keeping sales and product teams updated on production at the farms, and sending technical bulletins to support any issues that may develop.
Her career in commercial horticulture over the past two decades includes various roles for industry names like PanAmerican Seed, Ball Horticultural Company, and Midwest Groundcovers, LLC prior to arriving at Dümmen Orange. She has earned numerous performance awards for her professional efforts and served as an advisory board member for the horticulture program at Kishwaukee College from 2016 to 2018.
Nicholas earned a Master of Science degree in Plant Science and a Bachelor of Science degree in Horticulture from Montana State University.
Benary Appoints Dwight Deppen as New Sales & Marketing Manager for North America
Benary has promoted Dwight Deppen to Sales and Marketing Manager for Benary North America as of Nov. 1, 2023. Deppen will manage the sales and marketing team as well as all aspects of Benary’s sales and marketing endeavors in North America. He will report directly to the CEO.
“Dwight’s drive for success, his esteemed tenure with Benary, and his experience as a seasoned sales manager in our industry will serve Benary well as our new Sales & Marketing Manager for North America,” says Benary CEO Matthias Redlefsen. “Dwight has always been a team player and has earned this new opportunity.”
Deppen has a strong background in sales and has achieved accommodations for top sales throughout his career in ornamental horticulture. He has worked for Benary North America for more than a decade, first as Sales Manager in the western region for four years and most recently in the Midwest. Deppen’s many contributions to Benary include achieving Benary Plus’s highest sales volume year over year as well as being an integral member of Benary’s CAST planning team and other marketing events and efforts.
“I am honored to take on the new role at a company that is so passionate about breeding and its focus on customer needs,” Deppen says.
Steve Rinehart Appointed as Poinsettia Breeder at Express Seed Company
Steve Rinehart has been appointed as the new breeder for Express Seed Company’s poinsettia program. In October 2022, Express Seed Company became the exclusive licensee of the Syngenta Flowers poinsettia program. With the Express-Rinehart breeding partnership, there will be continuity, as well as an infusion of improvements and innovations to meet the current and future needs of growers.
Additionally, Express will offer poinsettia genetics from several breeding companies as part of InBlume Indoor Floral for the 2024 season. Rinehart Poinsettias joins a group of breeders producing at Vivero Internacional S.A. de C.V. for the North American market. This InBlume Indoor Floral poinsettia program includes leading varieties from Beekenkamp, Express Seed Company, Lazzeri, Rinehart Poinsettias, and Suntory. All varieties will continue to be purchased through existing brokers as well.
InBlume is Express Seed Company’s newly formed business unit focused on building indoor floral programs and represents a dedicated team of breeding, technical support, and industry experts. Grower success is key, the InBlume team strives to provide optimal varieties, product forms, supply chain, and growing recommendations to assist growers and promote indoor flowering crops. InBlume’s poinsettia portfolio is the perfect example of providing grower solutions, says Rebecca Siemonsma, Director of InBlume.
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