2017 Convention People and Activities
Photos courtesy of: Scott Evans, Winston Goretsky, Mel Grice, Stephen Maciejewski, Dale Martens, Julie Mavity-Hudson, Jay Sespico, Peter Shalit, Paul Susi
2017 Convention Logo
Hard-working Omaha Chapter members: Brandon Erikson, Randy Deutsch, Brent Ruttman, Loris Purtzer, Tom Bruning, Bonnie Bake, Linda Hall, Anne Vidaver and Scott Evans
Hilton Omaha Downtown Hotel
Convention Chair Jo Anne Martinez being greeted upon arrival at the hotel on Sunday
Sunday opening of Registration with Sylvia Svitak, Kathy Coleman, Mary Helen Maran (Registrar), Brandon Erikson
Phyllis and Pat Savage and Jim Roberts registering
Greeting old friends and new at Registration: Qiu Zhi-Jing, Winston Goretsky, and Betsy Gottshall
Levin Tilghman, Mel Grice (First VP), M J Tyler
Monday morning boarding the bus for the trip to the zoo
Arrival at Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium
Main entrance to the zoo, home of Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom
Susan Grose, Judges and Clerks Chairperson, and friend
Giraffes in their habitat
The impressive Desert Dome biosphere
Desert habitats created within the biosphere
Paul Susi, Marilyn Heinrich and Stephen Maciejewski (Conservation Co-Chairperson) taking a lunch break
The group enjoying sitting down for a picnic lunch at the zoo
One of the resident peacocks
The rainforest habitat
Primates watching the other primates
The indoor butterfly garden
The colorful fish habitat
Jelly fish at the aquarium
Jim Roberts, Levin Tilghman, Dell Sherk, Ben Paternoster, Mel Grice and Drew Norris back from the zoo trip
Informal dinner group: Jay Sespico, Mel Grice, Gussie Farrice (Seed Fund Co-Chair), Ben Paternoster, Marilyn Heinrich
(left to right) Susan Grose, Julie Mavity-Hudson, Mary Schaeffer, Paula Bozoian, Phyllis Savage, Mary Bozoian, Pat Savage
Events Chair Scott Evans giving instructions for the Tuesday garden tour
Trip volunteers Paul Susi and Winston Goretsky checking everyone in
Arrival at Lauritzen Gardens
Gathering in the lobby to register for the tour
Boarding the tram for the garden tour
Marilyn Heinrich and Sylvia Svitak (front), Arleen Dewell, Mary Schaeffer (second row)
The tram on tour around the gardens
Joan Wood, Mary Schaeffer and Mel Grice at the top of the hill with the Union Pacific train engine
Back down in the garden
Julie Mavity-Hudson (President), Susan Grose, Pat & Phyllis Savage
The colorful rose garden
Jo Anne Martinez, Irina Nicholson (Hybrid Registrar), Mary Jo Modica in the conservatory
Waterlily pond in the conservatory
Colorful tropical plants
Eileen McGrath, Mollie Howell, Betsy Gottshall
Laura Buckner and Barb Festenstein (Insurance Chairperson)
Hung Nguyen putting a marker at his native Vietnam home on the world map of garden visitors
Ben Paternoster, Anne Vidaver, Bonnie Bake enjoying the display of state license plate birdhouses
Bill Price, Bob Clark, Winston Goretsky (Second VP) in the gift shop
Susan Grose, Paul Susi (Awards Chairperson) and the group waiting for pick-up by the bus
The annual meeting of the Board of Directors
Board members listening intently
Filling plates at the Opening Dinner Buffet
The Conservation meeting first presentation by Carolyn Ripps (Seed Fund Co-Chairperson) reporting on the Brazil grant update
Mary Jo Modica presenting on her work visit to China and the GCCC
Qiu Zhi-Jing presenting on conservation of petrocosmeas in China
The crowd at the Omaha Host Chapter Social
John Daniel, Brent Ruttman, Irina Nicholson and Qiu Zhi-Jing
Watching the 4th of July fireworks at the social
Mary Jo Modica and Mary Helen Maran
Tricia Taylor and Nancy Moerer
Chapter hosts Tom Bruning and Brandon Erikson with Irina Nicholson
Judging School Workshop program by Bill Price
Luncheon honoring chapters and affiliates
Afternoon judging school session
School team Susan Grose, Phyllis Savage, Mary Bozoian
Maureen Pratt, Joan Wood, Wallace Wells
Convention Registrar Mary Helen Maran, Hector Wong, Fay Wagman
First-time convention attendees Claude and Carol Ann Smith from Nebraska
Socializing in the hallway between events
Qui Zhi-Jing, Hector Wong, Randy Deutsch and Alcie Maxwell enjoying a casual dinner at the hotel bar lounge
Dale Martens chairing the GHA meeting
Tom Bruning handing out door prize tickets at GHA
Jay Sespico, new editor of CrossWords
The GHA program "Adventures in Hybridizing"
Presentation by Brandon Erikson (Local Convention Co-Chairperson) at the GHA meeting
Edna Alexander, Winston Gorestsky, Dee and Bob Stewart decide on door prizes with advice from Brandon Erikson
Nancy Kast and Michael Riley (Finance Chairperson) selecting door prizes
Mel Grice and Betsy Gottshall, Plant Sales Co-Chairs
Sally Robinson and M J Tyler assist with Entries check in on Thursday morning
Classification Chair Bob Stewart reviewing Margery Anderson-Clive's entries
Charles Huston grooming plants in his educational exhibit
Entries Chair Jim Roberts with helper Brent Scheuerman handling entries
Volunteers Rosemary Platz and Irina Nicholson with Flower Show Chair Tom Bruning
Informal outdoor growing discussion group led by Alcie Maxwell
Alcie Maxwell with some images he prepared for the discussion
Sales volunteers helping set up the plant sales area
Informal lunch buffet
Students and parents with Student Grant Committee Co-Chair Jeanne Katzenstein
(Clockwise from lower left) MJ Tyler, Sally Robinson, Dell Sherk, Levin Tilghman, Maureen Pratt, Peter Shalit, Bob Clark, Mike Horton, Carolyn Ripps
(Clockwise from lower left) Betsy Gottshall, Mollie Howell, Alan LaVergne, Hung Nguyen, Paulo Castello da Costa
Speakers Chair Scott Evans helping set up the AV equipment for the students' programs
Lawrenceville student Jonny Yue presenting "Expedition Ecuador 2017"
Students Annika Goldman and Hiroki Nagao presenting "Cuba Expedition 2017"
Hiroki Nagao presenting his poster "Geographic Distribution of Gesneriaceae in Cuba"
Lawrenceville students Hiroki Nagao, Annika Goldman, Jonny Yeu, Alex Small
Hung Nguyen presenting "Gesneriad Seed Production”
Answering questions from the audience at the end of the seed presentation
Thursday annual meeting dinner
Patrice Manning, Mary Jo Modica, Gary Vellenzer
Debra LaVergne, Lisa Flaum, Catherine Cornett, Dal and Paul Johnson
John Zickefoose and Society Founder Elvin McDonald
Annual Meeting dais: Julie Mavity-Hudson, Mel Grice, Winston Goretsky, Mary Schaeffer, Jo Anne Martinez
Annual Meeting Dais: Tom Bruning, Bob Clark, Brandon Erikson, Peter Shalit, Leonard Re
Secretary Leonard Re attending to business
President Julie Mavity-Hudson presenting a charter to Rita Gindt-Marvig for the new Minnesota Gesneriad Society chapter
Arleen Dewell presenting Tom Bruning with an Award of Appreciation
Elizabeth Varley presenting Stephen Maciejewski with an Award of Appreciation
Seed Fund Co-chair Gussie Farrice presenting Hung Nguyen with his 2016 seed donation award
Gesneriads Editor Peter Shalit introducing the Society’s Founder Elvin McDonald
The program’s introductory slide
Elvin McDonald presenting
Some early Society history
Early plant sales line-up
Maureen Mark, Bonnie Harris, Nancy Moerer, and Patty Daniel making selections at plant sales
Dee Stewart and Dale Martens search for special plants
Sales check-out volunteers John Daniel and Winston Goretsky (among many)
Breakfast with Judges Chair Susan Grose giving instructions
Judges and Clerks: Laura Buckner, Steve Scheuerman, Qiu Zhi-Jing, Dee Stewart
Show room after the judging was completed
Judges looking over the entries after judging
Informal buffet lunch
(left to right) Julie Mavity-Hudson, David Pierce, Molly Schneider, Nancy Moerer, Jo Anne Martinez
Afternoon opening of the flower show
Connie Rowley with her award-winning arts needlework entry
Friday afternoon meeting of the Board of Directors
Qiu Zhi-Jing looking over the auction items
Lisa Flaum and Catherine Cornett back in the plant sales room
Qiu Zhi-Jing presenting his program "Petrocosmeas at Fairy Lake Botanical Garden”
Qui Zhi-Jing talks with Li Zhang and Jonny Yue as he signs his book on petrocosmeas
Bill Price, Jeff Jackson, Brandon Erikson at the pre-dinner cocktail hour
Austin Grevious and first-time attendee Maureen Pratt
Paul Kroll, Jim Roberts, Paulo Castello da Costa, Hung Nguyen
First-time attendees Douglas Brull, Charles Huston, Matthew Luken, Emmet Byrne
Mary Bozoian and Phyllis Savage
First-time attendees Barbara Taswell-Miller and Bruce Miller
First time attendees Randy Deutsch and Pamela Schwager
John Daniel and Table Favors Chair Nancy Moerer
Eileen McGrath, Ben Paternoster and Susan Grose
Kathy Spissman (Corresponding Secretary) and Johnnie Berry
Stuart Hammer, Dee and Bob Stewart
Linda Hall and Gussie Farrice
Barb Festenstein, Sylvia Svitak, Lan Sarkis and Olive Ma Robinson
A banquet toast!Doris Brownlie, Deanna Belli, Bill Price and others
Elvin McDonald, Master of Ceremonies at the Awards Banquet
Paul Kroll receives his award for Artistic Sweepstakes from Paul Susi
Dale Martens receives her award for Runner-up to Horticulture Sweepstakes
Brandon Erikson winner of Best in Horticulture and Horticulture Sweepstakes, among other awards
Appreciation from the attendees recognizing the many awards earned by Brandon Erikson
President Julie Mavity-Hudson signing the renewal MOU with the Gesneriad Conservation Center of China
Closing the evening with a look at the exhibits in the show room
Best in Horticulture plant of Kohleria ‘Bud's Little Gollum’ (hybridized and shown by Brandon Erikson)
Peter Shalit creating videos with Brandon Erikson and Dale Martens
The Flower Show Room – an impressive sight
Show photographers Bob Clark (Membership Secretary) and Mel Grice finish their photo assignment
Arleen Dewell leading the Saturday morning show critique for judges and clerks
David Pierce, Jon Dixon, and Sarah Ingalls looking to buy at the Seed Fund table
Jeff Jackson presenting "Hybridizing the Weird and Wild”
The audience listening intently
Selecting mini AV door prizes provided by Jeff Jackson
Hector Wong presenting "Growing Gesneriads in Urban Honolulu”
Discussing plants that Hector Wong brought for door prizes
Enjoying the final luncheon at convention
The live auction begins
Auctioneer Bill Price with helpers Joan Wood, Francisco Correa, Michael Riley, and Molly Schneider
Silent auction volunteers Doris Brownlie, Dell Sherk, Molly Schneider, Elizabeth Varley, Betsy Gottshall
Canadians going through the phytosanitary inspection process
Loris Purtzer, Nancy Kast and others take another look at the show
One last look at the show before breakdown
Charles Huston sharing cuttings with Qiu Zhi-Jing at breakdown
Qiu Zhi-Jing, Vilma Dallas, Bill Price, Winston Goretsky and Leonard Re taking the Hilton shuttle bus to Nosh Wine Bar and Lounge for the closing event
Casual conversation at Nosh winding down after the convention activities
Winston Gorestsky, Leonard Re, Stephen Maciejewski, Randy Deutsch, Qiu Zhi-Jing, Bill Price and Tom Bruning at Nosh
Brandon Erikson with Bill Price wearing the 2017 Society tee shirt designed by Carol Ann Bonner
Anne Vidaver, Scott Evans, Loris Purtzer and Bonnie Bake
Tricia Taylor, Nancy Moerer, Stuart Hammer and Pamela Schwager
Bonnie Harris, Margery Anderson-Clive, Wallace Wells, Steve Harris
Molly Schneider, Francisco Correa, Michael Riley and Clay Anderson
Paul Lee, Bob and Dee Stewart, Julie Mavity-Hudson, Mary Schaeffer and Susan Grose
Mary Schaeffer, Julie Mavity-Hudson, Paul Susi and Qiu Zhi-Jing
Tom Bruning table-hopping to see everyone
Sunday morning goodbyes for Brandon Erikson and Jeff Jackson
Some of the 47 first-time attendees, many of whom we hope to see again next year in Massachusetts
One more walk over the Bob Kerry pedestrian bridge for the registration team: Jay Sespico, Mary Helen Maran, Kathy Coleman … they’ll greet you again next year in Massachusetts
An Omaha sunset view from the hotel