BOARD MEMBERS
President
Lawrence, Kansas, USA
Water's Edge
847 Indiana St,
Lawrence, Kansas 66044 USA
E-mail: [email protected]
Susan Davis
IWGS President
USA
BIO
Susan Davis is co-owner of Water’s Edge, a water garden specialty business in Lawrence, Kansas. She manages daily operations at the store. In addition to staff training and development, much of her time is spent helping customers develop and achieve their fantasy of water in their garden. Susan has a rare ability to excite those around her and add a magical flare to any space! Water gardening and water in motion have given her a medium to express her talents. While she and partner Deb Spencer accidentally stumbled upon water gardening in the mid 1980’s, they continue to learn and share the ‘secrets’ of the world of water and to support the people around them.
Justin Titus
Vice-President
Overland Park, Kansas, USA
Monet Aquatics
Email: [email protected]
JUSTIN TITUS
IWGS 1st Vice-President
USA
BIO
Justin is the owner operator of Monet Aquatics, a water feature design, build and maintenance company. His education is in terrestrial plant propagation and display. He has been in the water garden industry since 2001 and self employed since 2005. Justin has a passion for efficient plant propagation and particularly enjoys the more difficult specimens. He is always looking for ways to improve systems in his business to increase the quality of product or service provided. Justin is a published author of several water garden related articles and frequent guest speaker for garden clubs and societies.
David Curtright
Secretary
Escondido, California, USA
Freshwater Flora & Fauna, Inc.
2137 Via Corte,
Escondido, California 92029 USA
E-mail: [email protected]
David Curtwright
IWGS Secretary
USA
BIO
David lives in north San Diego County, California, where for nearly 40 years he has operated a small aquatic nursery and consultation service. He also does pond planting and maintenance in high-end residential areas of southern California, and at Balboa Park and the Mission at San Juan Capistrano. He is the president of the Southern California Water Garden Society, and is locally recognized as an expert in the field. He joined the IWGS at its inception, but was inactive for several years. More recently, he has been active in club activities, and was elected to be the Society’s Secretary in 2015. He has written for the Journal many times, and is the Society’s librarian.
James Bennett
Director
Weymouth, Dorset, UK
Bennetts Water Gardens
Putton Lane, Chickerell
Weymouth, Dorset DT3 4AF UK
E-mail: [email protected]
JAMES BENNETT
IWGS Director
UK
BIO
James Bennett grew up surrounded by aquatics at his family’s waterlily nursery and fish farm in Dorset, England. He studied computer science and worked in software development and website design. In 2001 he joined the family business, Bennetts Water Gardens, where he learned plant propagation, pond construction & lake management. He is the third generation of his family at Bennetts Water Gardens, now a successful tourist attraction, and works alongside his parents and wife. In 2012 he succeeded his grandfather, Norman Bennett, as custodian of the National Plant Collection of Nymphaea®, with the ongoing work to document, develop and preserve an accurate collection of hardy waterlilies. James also serves on the committee of his local group Plant Heritage, a charitable plant society, whose mission is for the conservation of cultivated plants in Britain and Ireland.
Danny Cox
Director
Naples, Florida, USA
Naples Botanical Garden
4820 Bayshore Drive,
Naples, Florida 34112, USA
E-mail: [email protected]
Danny Cox
IWGS Director
USA
BIO
Danny Cox is the Aquatic Area’s Specialist at Naples Botanical Garden in Naples, Fl. He started his horticulture career at Naples Botanical Garden as an intern in 2010, and since 2011 he has served as the Garden’s primary water gardener, growing and maintaining the waterlilies and other aquatic plants. As a young horticulture professional, he is dedicated to increasing his knowledge of plants and working with people through education and civic engagement. Danny received his B.A. in Environmental Studies from Florida Gulf Coast University in 2014. During the summer of 2015, he completed an internship at Longwood Gardens to learn new techniques from Waterlily Curator, Tim Jennings. Last year, Danny worked with the IWGS to set up the 2016 New Waterlily of the Year Competition. Currently, he serves on the board of directors for the Naples Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society, as well as on the IWGS board.
Jeannie Suffern
Vice-President
Sherwood Park, Alberta, CANADA
Aqualine Aquatic Plants & Waterfeatures
23211 Township Road 514
Sherwood Park, AB, Canada T8B 1L1
Email: [email protected]
Jeannie Suffern
2nd Vice-President & Webmaster
CANADA
BIO
Jeannie Suffern is the co-owner of Aqualine Aquatic Plants & Waterfeatures, located in Sherwood Park, Alberta, Canada. Her mission is simple: promoting the growing of aquatic plants in Alberta, where temperatures range from 00C to -35C during approx. 5 months of winter, and up to +30C in the summertime, where the season is short but the daylight hours are long (17-19 hours daily). She shares her passion for water lilies with her customers, and delights in introducing them to the world of tropical water lilies. Jeannie is also a director for the Alberta Invasive Species Council and for the Colchester Agriculture Society. Even before joining our Board, Jeannie managed to scan ALL of our past Water Garden Journals so that we could archive them on our website. Very enthusiastic, Jeannie has been hard at work with website improvements, and is ready to take on the question of invasive species and related laws on an international level!
John Sou
Director
Bass Hill, New South Wales, Australia
Watergarden Paradise Aquatic Nursery
P.O. Box 7039,
Bass Hill, New South Wales 2197 Australia
E-mail: [email protected]
John Sou
IWGS Director & Webmaster
USA
BIO
John Sou, current manager at Watergarden Paradise Aquatic Nursery (Australia), is a qualified horticulturist who graduated from Ryde Horticultural College. He joined the water gardening industry over 20 years ago and has worked extensively in areas of aquatic and wetland plants identification, propagation and evaluating new plants' ornamental values. From time to time, John is also involved in landscape projects where he conducts site assessments and provides plant recommendations. Water gardening is John's passion. In his spare time, he also experiments with hybridising water lilies and other aquatic plants."
John Sou is the nursery manager at Watergarden Paradise Aquatic Nursery in Sydney, Australia. He joined the water gardening industry 25 years ago and has worked extensively in areas of aquatic and wetland plant identification, propagation and consultancy. John is a graduate from Ryde Horticultural College in Sydney.
Apart from being a passionate plant collector, he also experiments with hybridizing waterlilies, irises and other aquatic plants.
Kelly Billing
Director
Forest Hill, Maryland, USA
Water Becomes a Garden
2040 Brandy Drive,
Forest Hill, Maryland 21050 USA
E-mail: [email protected]
Kelly Billing
IWGS Director
USA
BIO
Kelly Billing has over 30 years of experience in the water gardening industry wholesale trade. Currently she is an Industry Consultant with a focus on 'Plant Greatness' (planning the most effective use of plants) and Improving Water Quality. Specializing in plant selection and procurement for projects of all sizes. She compiled and maintains the Aquatic Plant Invasive Species List for the nursery trade in the United States. Kelly is a Maryland Certified Professional Horticulturist. She writes regularly for various trade magazines and water gardening publications. She cooperated with Ben Helm on a water gardening book that was published in the US (Water Gardeners Bible) and UK (Water Gardens) as well as co-authored with Paula Biles, The Lotus, Know It and Grow It for the International Waterlily & Water Gardening Society, IWGS. A gardener since childhood, Kelly enthusiastically shares her knowledge and experience with International Organizations, Promotional Groups, related Associations, Garden Centers and Garden Clubs.
Kathy Cahill
Director
Chicago, Illinois, USA
Garfield Park Conservatory
300 N Central Park Avenue,
Chicago, Illinois 60624, USA
E-mail: [email protected]
Kathy Cahill
IWGS Director
USA
BIO
Demi Fortuna
Director
Mantua, Ohio, USA
Atlantic Water Gardens
4494 Orchard Street,
Mantua, Ohio 44255 USA
E-mail: [email protected]
Demi Fortuna
IWGS Director
USA
BIO
Demi’s first ponds back in 1986 were so bad he had to start studying to fix them, and he hasn’t stopped since. Now Director of Product Information for industry leader Atlantic Water Gardens, he lectures across the US, Canada and Mexico promoting water feature safety, efficiency and best practices. To his great and ongoing surprise someone must have been listening; in 2014 he was named Irrigation and Green Industry’s Waterscaper of the Year. When not talking or writing about water features, Demi is usually playing in one, under the strict supervision of his two sons Edwin and Ely and the boss, his wife Susan.
James Allison
Emeritus Director
Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, UK
Aquapic Water Garden Solutions
4 Dagmar Road, Cheltenham,
Gloucestershire GL50 2UG UK
E-mail: [email protected]
James Allison
IWGS Emeritus Director
United Kingdom
BIO
James Allison built his first pond in his teens, went on to study aquatic biology, and ended up managing a specialist pond and aquarium retail outlet in Gloucestershire (UK) for many years. He left that post fifteen years ago to set up his own business 'Aquapic - Water Garden Solutions' which deals in all aspects of pond creation and maintenance. Alongside that he writes and lectures around all things aquatic, and was editor of the IWGS Water Garden Journal for a number of years.
Rolf Nelson
Emeritus Director
Katy, Texas, USA
Nelson Water Gardens
1502 Katy Fort Bend Road,
Katy, Texas 77493 USA
Email: [email protected]
ROLF NELSON
BIO
Rolf Nelson became interested in Plants while working summers at a Nursery in Upstate New York. He attended the University of Maryland where he continued his interest in plants with a major in Horticulture. Graduating summa cum laude in 1977, he joined the staff at Lilypons Water Gardens in Frederick Maryland. After 6 months at Lilypons, Maryland he oved to Brookshire, Texas (just west of Houston) to start a Texas Branch for Lilypons. In 1996 Rolf left Lilypons and along with his wife Anita, they founded their own company; Nelson Water Gardens & Nursery, Inc. in Katy, Texas.
Rolf is a Founding member, Past Board Member, and past President of The International Waterlily and Water Gardening Society. He planned and hosted the 1992 IWGS Symposium in Houston, Texas and the 2010 symposium in San Angelo, Texas. Rolf has served on the Executive Steering Committee as well as numerous other committees during his 17 years on the Board. Currently Rolf chairs the Legislative committee. During 2009 and 2010, Rolf worked along with Jim Reaves, Legislative Director of Texas Nursery & Landscape Assoc (TNLA) to fend off Legislation Unfavorable to the Water Garden Industry. In September 2010, Rolf was inducted into the International Waterlily & Water Gardening Society Hall of Fame.
Over the years Rolf has written Numerous articles and given many presentations on water gardening and running a retail business. Rolf is responsible for introducing Nymphaea ‘Texas Shell Pink’ and along with Mike Swize N. ‘Lindsey Woods’ to the trade. He is especially proud of Lindsey Woods because it is named for a young cancer victim and proceeds from the sale of this lily are donated to Texas Childrens’ Hospital. To date over $80,000 has been donated for research to eliminate childhood cancer. Anita and Rolf’s interests have lead to the development of the now recognized categories of gravel bog filtration and disappearing fountains.
Jim Purcell
Emeritus Director
Eugene, Oregon, USA
Oregon Aquatics
90760 N Prairie Rd,
Eugene, Oregon 97402 USA
Email: [email protected]
Charles Thomas
Emeritus Director
Waynesboro, Pennsylvania, USA
13155 Buena Vista Road,
Waynesboro, Pennsylvania 17268 USA
Email: [email protected]
Ex-Officio, Honorary Life Term Director