Industry Veterans Take Lead Roles at BASF, Profile Products, AmericanHort
May 12, 2019 
BASF, Profile Products, and AmericanHort are among the several organizations who have boosted their management teams over the last month.
Jennie Smith Takes on Greenhouse and Nursery Lead Role at BASF
As part of a strategic effort to support the ornamentals market, BASF has named Jennie Smith as the new Greenhouse & Nursery Sales Manager and Biologicals Team Lead in the company’s Professional & Specialty Solutions group.
Based out of Des Moines, IA, Smith is responsible for the management of BASF’s four dedicated ornamentals specialists for greenhouse and nurseries servicing the U.S. and Canada as well as the overall growth of BASF’s biologicals portfolio.
Smith is a graduate of Iowa State University, BLS, 2006, and Massey University, Graduate Diploma, Rural Agriculture, 2012. She has traveled the world to broaden her understanding of the role horticulture plays within both local and global food systems.
In 2009, Smith traveled to Taiwan to research organic horticulture as part of a Rotary Group Study Exchange and was selected to be an Ambassadorial Scholar with Rotary International. In 2012, she traveled to New Zealand to attend Massey University, the highest-ranked agriculture program in New Zealand and top 20 of world university rankings for Agriculture & Forestry according to QS World University Rankings. Her graduate studies included a focus on global food systems and high-value horticulture.
Smith is also the Proprietor of Butcher Crick Farms, LLC in Carlisle, IA. After returning home from New Zealand, she took her robust garden of vegetables and entrepreneurial spirit and created Butcher Crick Farms. It didn’t take long for her to develop a reputation for incredible heirloom tomatoes — selling them, and a few other specialty plants and vegetables, at the Des Moines Farmers Market and local restaurants.
Smith is also an active member of Greenhouse Grower’s GROW Initiative.
Today, in her role as the Greenhouse & Nursery Sales Manager and Biological Team Lead, Smith leads a dedicated team that helps other growers improve their operations and plant health using integrated pest management strategies and biological based solutions.
Profile Products Welcomes Jeff Knape as Director of Business Development
Profile Products, which offers environmentally sound, site-specific solutions for soil modification, horticultural production, erosion control and plant establishment, has announced the hiring of Jeff Knape as Director of Business Development. Knape will focus on developing new and unique growth opportunities for the horticulture business.
“Jeff has established himself as a leader in the horticulture industry, and we are thrilled to have him on the Profile team,” says Jim Tanner, President and CEO of Profile Products. “His extensive experience and knowledge of horticulture will add to our already highly skilled team and will provide our customers with an unmatched experience.”
Knape has more than 20 years of experience in the consumer lawn and garden, professional turf and ornamental markets. Prior to joining Profile, Knape held a variety of positions with the Scott Miracle-Gro Company in global procurement, business development, product innovation, and most recently as director of sales and marketing. Like Smith, he has been an active member of Greenhouse Grower’s GROW initiative.
Knape has his bachelor’s degree in political science from The Ohio State University and an MBA from Case Western Reserve University. He will be based in Columbus, OH.
AmericanHort Welcomes New Director of Advocacy
Tristan Daedalus is AmericanHort’s new Director of Advocacy and Political Communications. Daedalus will be working with AmericanHort’s advocacy team in Washington, DC, to magnify AmericanHort and its policy positions. He will also be actively involved in the Impact Washington Summit this September 16-18.
Daedalus has a diversified background, having spearheaded communications efforts for two Congressional members, worked at advocacy organizations and data firms in DC, and most recently was the Director of Policy at the American Forestry Foundation.
Daedalus (email him at [email protected]) originally hails from New York and is an avid mountain biker.
Jiffy Has New Southwest Territory Manager
Robert Hunter is Jiffy’s new Territory Manager for Southern California, Arizona, and Nevada. Hunter is a globally experienced professional with a Masters in Agricultural Science, focused on commercial horticulture, from University College Dublin Ireland.
Hunter comes to Jiffy with a background that includes experience in fertilizers with Harrell’s, in plant protection with SePro, Cleary’s, and Nufarm, in biological controls with BioWorks and Mycotech, and in substrates with Pilkington and Fisons. He has also worked in ornamental production at Village Nurseries and El Modeno.
Hunter is based in San Diego, and enjoys regular travels to Asia, taking his dogs to the beach, and the occasional round of golf.
Lauren Blume, Beekenkamp
Beekenkamp Plants Ornamentals Expands North America Team
Beekenkamp Plants Ornamentals has expanded its North American team with two new Area Managers.
Lauren Blume brings nine years of horticultural experience as a Grower and Assistant Head Grower and resides in Texas. Blume will take on the region that includes the states of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, and Michigan.
Kat Wolper brings 16 years of horticultural experience in different horticultural companies. Wolper will take on the Western Region that includes California, Nevada, Arizona, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, Alberta, Montana, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado. and New Mexico.
SePRO Has New Regulatory Affairs Manager
SePRO has added Beth Sullivan as Regulatory Affairs Manager. Sullivan’s passion for regulatory affairs spans almost 20 years.
“Working in regulatory affairs allows me to help others through my attraction to complex challenges,” Sullivan says.
Sullivan received her Bachelor of Science in Environmental Health Science from Purdue University. Her previous roles as a Product Regulatory Manager afforded her with many unique opportunities including product stewardship and education. She served on different regulatory task forces and worked on a USAID project resulting in insect repellents being registered in 10 South and Central American countries vulnerable to the Zika virus outbreak.
“Beth brings a history of strong leadership and teamwork that will make her an integral member of our product development team. Her passion and knowledge of regulatory, coupled with her strong market awareness, will definitely make her a key contributor as we invest substantially into the future of our business” says Dr. Tyler Koschnick, SePRO’s Vice President of Sales and Research.
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