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Profile Products’ vice president of Florikan® Brian Patterson was elected to serve as 2022-23 chairman of the Florida Fertilizer & Agrichemical Association (FFAA) board of directors. Elected at the association’s 90th annual meeting, Patterson will serve a one-year term on the 15-member board. 

FFAA is an organization dedicated to educating about and encouraging the responsible use of fertilizers and pesticides in Florida. Over the years, FFAA’s primary focus has shifted from research to lobbying for science-based fertilizer and agrichemical regulations. Today, FFAA represents fertilizer and limestone distributors, and agrichemical and ag biotech manufacturers. 

The FFAA has become an essential organization for Florida’s agricultural input producers and distributors. Patterson’s dedication to the organization and agriculture in Florida have shown through over his 10 years of active membership to the FFAA.  

“It’s more important than ever before to be cognizant of the supply chain and do everything we can as board members to ensure Florida is producing safe and affordable food,” Patterson said. 

Patterson joins the following additional elected FFAA Officers to one-year terms; Eric Johnson as Vice Chairman and Rhonda Trimble as Secretary/Treasurer.

Florikan was recently acquired by Profile® Products, which will further expand the company’s global footprint. Florikan is a leading manufacturer, blender and distributor of controlled release fertilizer to high-value ornamental horticulture, agriculture, golf, turf and professional landscape markets throughout the world. 

The Florikan line will also join HydraFiber® advanced substrate and Sunterra peat to expand Profile’s global footprint by giving greenhouse and nursery operations, as well as blenders, a single source of primary crop production inputs.

Profile® Products is pleased to announce the hiring of Justin Olmstead as the market development manager – golf. 

“We are excited to have Justin join the Profile team,” said Profile’s global director of golf John Maeder. “He brings over 20 years of experience and relationships in the golf industry. He will be working with the other members of our Profile Golf team to create growth and awareness of how our products can bring a new level of performance and sustainability to professional turf managers.”

Olmstead got his start at Michigan State University where he pursued a bachelor’s degree in crop and soil sciences. He began his career as an assistant superintendent at Milwaukee Country Club and later a superintendent at Glen Flora Country Club. In recent years, Olmstead moved to sales and service as the turf product manager at Precision Laboratories and a turf specialist with Conserv FS. 

“I’m excited to learn and grow in this new role with Profile Products,” Olmstead said.

Profile® Products is proud to announce that Lauren Deem recently achieved the prestigious designation as a Certified Erosion, Sediment and Stormwater Inspector (CESSWI).

“When Lauren joined our team in 2021, we knew she’d be a great addition with her background in soil science,” said Matt Welch CPESC, CESSWI, Profile Products director of technical development. “This certification is a testament to not only her skill and knowledge, but Profile’s growing team of dedicated, certified experts."

As a technical services associate, Deem oversees Profile's Soil Solutions Software (PS3) and assists customers with soil testing. Before joining Profile, Deem worked as a soil scientist in an agriculture lab, providing insight and recommendations for soil reports. She has a bachelor’s degree in environmental science from Allegheny College and a master’s in environmental management from the University of Hawaii.

The CESSWI certificate recognizes an individual’s expert knowledge in erosion, sediment and stormwater regulations, which earns them higher credibility on job sites. Certificate holders are rigorously trained to ensure that the projects they oversee meet local, state and nationwide requirements for permitted construction sites.

For more information regarding CESSWI Certification, please visit https://envirocert.org/cesswi/.

Profile® Products is pleased to announce the hiring of Valerie (Val) Henshaw as the new vice president of marketing. In this role, Henshaw will lead the company’s marketing strategy for all of Profile’s businesses, including horticulture, erosion and vegetative solutions, sports fields, golf, landscape and animal health. She will bring new concepts, tools and methods to the Profile team that will elevate the company’s approaches to marketing, research and development, sales and more.

“Val brings a sharp marketing mind, unmatched leadership skills and an impressive record of delivering results for major companies that drive innovation and growth,” said Shane Porzio, president of Profile Products. “We’ve built a tremendous amount of momentum in all of our businesses, and Val’s expertise in data-driven strategic marketing will continue to drive our vision, articulate our values and connect our customers with the solutions they need for their environments.”

Henshaw has more than 20 years of consumer marketing experience, including notable expertise in brand management, marketing communications and product management, particularly in the retail horticulture industry. Prior to joining the Profile team, Henshaw held leadership positions with Bayer Lawn and Garden and SBM Life Science among others.

Storm Water Solutions announces 2022 young professionals.

Profile® Products is proud to announce Matthew Welch, CESSWI, CPESC, has been recognized in Storm Water Solutions magazine’s 2022 Class of Young Pros. Nominees are selected for their exemplary performance in storm water and erosion control. Welch was one of only ten professionals named to the class of 2022.

“Our team is extremely knowledgeable and always looking to the future when developing solutions for storm water and erosion control,” said vice president of business development and technical services Marc S. Theisen, M.Sc., CPESC, CPSWQ, CESSWI. “Matt’s expertise and innovative passion has made monumental impacts on the products we create to better serve our customers and better the environment. This award is a testament to that drive and prowess.”

As Profile’s director of technical development, Welch works closely with specifiers to ensure proper erosion and sediment control solutions are applied to projects. Welch has more than 13 years of experience in the erosion control industry with a focus on raising awareness of environmentally friendly best practices. Through his initiatives, he’s educated the industry about the importance of selecting and specifying the best erosion and sediment control technologies based on site-specific conditions. He spearheaded the development and launch of Profile’s Spec Builder™. This easy-to-use online tool has helped specifiers not only save time, but also stay current on product specifications for erosion control and reclamation.

As a regular contributor to industry publications, Welch’s work has been used as an education tool for many companies and have sparked larger discussions within the industry. Topics include fire reclamation, enacting environmentally friendly solutions to erosion and storm water control projects, and replacing outdated practices with hydraulically applied technology. 

Welch was nominated to the International Erosion Control Association’s (IECA) 4 Under 40 award class in 2021 and is the current president of the IECA Great Lakes Chapter. He is also an active member of the AASTHO NTPEP Erosion Control Committee. He holds a bachelor’s degree in conservation and environmental science from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
 

Profile® Products, the manufacturer of patented HydraFiber® advanced-engineered substrate revered by professional growers and blenders, is now offering its exclusive technology to independent garden centers. Glee™ Potting Mix is an ideal addition that optimizes supply chain management, sustainability, shelf space management and profitability. One bag of this compact substrate is one-third the size and weight of traditional soils, which significantly reduces freight and storage costs, allows for easy transport to and within the store, and cubes out perfectly on any retailers’ shelves or displays, generating higher profitability than traditional potting soils.

Consumers are quickly gravitating toward Glee because it is lightweight, efficient, clean, easy to use and consistently produces terrific results across all crops. A 0.4-cubic-foot bag weighs in at only 7 pounds, which makes it easy to carry and transport. Its compact, compressed material can be expanded by hand up to 2.5 times its size, enough to fill 25 quarts, rivaling any 50-pound bag of standard potting soil. Glee’s proprietary formulation allows for more efficient water management and improved air space, as well as 6-month feeding that leads to faster, stronger rooting and plants that bloom all season long.

“Glee provides IGCs with an opportunity to offer something new and innovative in a category that has relied on the same old technologies for many years,” said Jill Fiore, retail brand manager at Profile Products. “It’s cleaner in the store and cleaner to use. More importantly, the potting mix is easy to manage from a moisture standpoint and will provide consumers with healthier plants and consistent, guaranteed results. That creates a better overall experience and higher customer satisfaction.”

Glee Potting Mix can be used for all types of indoor and outdoor plants, including flowers, fruits, vegetables, herbs, perennials, greenery and succulents.

Visit GleeGrows.com/Become-A-Retailer to learn more about how to add Glee to your shelves.