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Evelyn Alemanni is a self-employed writer, web site designer,
award winning gardener and artist from Elfin Forest, California. She has
judged for the America in Bloom program since 2003 and also serves as
an international judge for the Canadian Communities in Bloom program and
for the international LivCom Awards; experiences which Evelyn says has
given her the opportunity to share wonderful ideas and inspirations with
communities in many countries, and to build networks of people
committed to improving their hometowns. She has judged more than 60
towns in five countries.
In 2001, Good Morning America named Evelyn’s garden one of
the five best in the U.S. San Diego Home/Garden Lifestyles has twice
named it one of its gardens of the year. Garden Ideas and Outdoor Living
featured it on its cover. It has also been in Garden Shed, Better Homes
and Gardens, Gardens, Decks and Landscapes and many other
garden-related magazines. |
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Sue Amatangelo brings a well rounded background to her judging for America in Bloom. After a successful career as a medical technologist, Sue worked in medical sales and management before raising a family and working part time as a golf instructor.
Sue is currently the Director of “Home and Garden Showplace,” a division of True Value where she is in charge of 220 independent garden centers across the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean. Sue is a Plan Commissioner for the city of St. Charles, Illinois, and is the author of Absolutely Beautiful Containers. |
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Darlene Blake is a life-long gardener, community activist, internationally recognized public speaker, and world traveler. She is past President of The Des Moines Garden Club and a Master Gardener. When not communing with nature, she is a career transition consultant with over 20 years professional speaking experience and has served on many boards and commissions.
Darlene is the Managing Consultant in Des Moines, for Drake, Beam, Morin, Inc., the world's leader in career transition services. Darlene has a Master's Degree in Education from Mankato State University and leads her own diversified corporation. She holds a US Patent and is in Who's Who of American Women, Who's Who in America, and Who's Who in the World.
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Billy Butterfield, Orlando, Florida, has been active in the landscape field for 35 years. His management experience is in the areas of commercial and industrial landscape management. Billy is the Manager of AmeriScapes Landscape Management Services, LLC, a landscape management company he started in 1995 which now has grown into a $4 million operation covering four central Florida counties.
Billy is a Certified Pest Control applicator and is licensed in Aquatics through the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Billy is an irrigation specialty contractor, an FNGLA Certified Landscape Contractor and Certified Horticulture Professional, and is a Certified Landscape Professional through Planet. He currently serves on the Orange County Farm Bureau, the Orange County Ag Advisory Board as Chairman, and on the Action Chapter Board of the Florida Nursery, Growers, and Landscape Association as past president.
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Diane Clasen, Raleigh, North Carolina, has been a judge for America in Bloom since its inception in 2002. In addition to America in Bloom, Diane has judged in Canada’s Communities in Bloom and WinterLights Celebrations. She has also judged in Communities in Bloom’s International Challenge in Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom.
As a Master Gardener Diane is an avid volunteer. Her backyard has been on numerous garden tours and was selected as one of the top ten amateur gardens in Cincinnati by the Cincinnati Horticultural Society. Her yard has also been recognized by the Ohio and National “Backyards for Wildlife” programs; scouted by editors from Better Homes & Gardens magazine; filmed for HGTV’s Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Network; and was the subject of an article featured in the October 2007 issue of Cincinnati Magazine. She founded the Mason Tree Committee and served as its Chairman for six years. Diane is a long term member of the Greater Cincinnati Herb Society and served as its Vice President and President.
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Jack Clasen, Raleigh North Carolina, has been with America in Bloom (AIB) since its inception and has judged cities, universities, and business districts throughout the United States and international communities in Canada, Ireland, and Scotland. Jack chairs the Contest Committee, the Judges Selection and Training Committee, and serves on America in Bloom’s Board of Directors.
As a Master Gardener Jack is an avid volunteer. He co-founded Mason in Bloom, which participated in AIB in 2004 and 2005. Jack was a member of the Mason Tree Committee, vice president of the Mason Library Board of Trustees, supervised the period landscape restoration at the Mason Historic Society, and chaired the annual “Art in the Garden” Tour.
Jack’s own garden has been on numerous garden tours, was selected by the Cincinnati Horticultural Society as one of the ten best amateur gardens in Cincinnati, filmed for Home and Garden TV’s Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Network, scouted by editors of Better Homes and Gardens Magazine, and featured in the October 2007, issue of Cincinnati Magazine.
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Cindi Cope received the “2009 State of Arkansas Park and Recreation Volunteer of the Year Award” for her contributions, dedication, and commitment at the state and local level. Cindi serves on the Arkansas Litter Free Zone Advisory Committee, the Fayetteville Natural Heritage Association, the Community Wildlife Habitat Project, and the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks board of directors. She volunteers in the schools to promote the “Litter Free Zone,” promoting the Fayetteville Public Schools Green Team, and visits 10 classrooms each summer to teach about monarch butterflies.
In her spare time Cindi is an active Washington County Master Gardener, chairs the Fayetteville Tree and Landscape Committee, serves on the “Fayetteville Forward” committee, and volunteers for Keep Arkansas Beautiful. She has co-authored “The Ozark Friendly Landscape, Using Plants for Beauty and Biodiversity” and “Arkansas History as Told Through its Plants.” |
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Linda Cromer has served her community, Greendale, Indiana, in a variety of political positions including Planning Commissioner, Chairperson of the Park Board and Tree Board, and Housing Authority Commissioner. She sits on the Executive Boards and plays an active role in the efforts of several national and state non-profit organizations dedicated to social justice and environmental issues.
Linda, who received a fine arts education at the University of Kansas, learned to love gardening at her grandmother’s knee. Owner and operator of a floral shop and greenhouse for over a decade, she has spent the bulk of her professional life traveling as an international representative for a labor organization, and has used those travel opportunities to audit design and horticulture classes at a number of universities, and to study the diversity and individuality of public gardens and the communities where they are located.
Linda is past president and active member of the local Garden Club and spearheaded her community’s first participation in the America in Bloom Program in 2005.
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Bill Hahn has served the city of Akron, Ohio for 34 years in various capacities. Since 1993 his title has been City Arborist and Horticulturist. Bill has received several citations for his work including Akron’s winning the 2003 America in Bloom national competition for the 101,000-300,000 population category, Neptune Park Historic Restoration, and the Akron Noise Attenuation Project being featured by Scenic America as an “Environmental Solution” to highway noise.
Bill has been a registered Landscape Architect since 1984, and earned an Associates Degree in Ornamental Horticulture from Ohio State University in 1974. He is an environmental enthusiast, is well traveled, visiting many of the national, state and provincial parks, gardens, arboreta and nursery growers. He is member of ONLA, ISA, and Scenic America, serves on the Contest Committee of America in Bloom |
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Ed Hooker is the historic architect for Fort Riley, Kansas. After
graduating from Auburn University with a degree in architecture, Ed
began his career in historic preservation with the Alabama Historical
Commission, the Alabama State Historic Preservation Office, where he
worked with communities to realize the potential of their threatened
historic landmarks. He later was the historic architect for the Mobile
Historic Development Commission, where he staffed the city’s
Architectural Review Board and provided preservation guidance and
architectural design assistance to residents of Mobile’s 8 historic
districts. |
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Dwight Lund was born and raised in a family greenhouse business that started as a wholesale florist. Dwight, who lives in Warrenville, Illinois, attended the University of Illinois earning a BS degree in Floriculture. Over the next 40 years he held positions as grower, manager, partner and eventually president of the company. During the years the wholesale florist business evolved to a retail greenhouse, flower shop and garden center.
In addition Dwight spent 20 years in education teaching Horticulture classes at Kishwaukee Community College and DuPage Area Vocational Education Authority. Dwight was a judge for America in Bloom in 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007, and with Communities in Bloom (Canada) International Small City Category in 2008.
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Marlborough B. Packard is a Professor of Historic Preservation at the Savannah College of Art and Design in Georgia; he began teaching at the college in 1992. Professor Packard holds a B.A. degree in art education from Adelphi University, an M.A. in art education from Hofstra University and an M.F.A in historic preservation from the Savannah College of Art and Design. He has been active in the preservation of the built and natural environment since 1963, both as a consultant and as a developer of historic properties.
His expertise includes graveyard preservation and conservation, decorative arts, preservation technology, nonprofit management, material culture studies, community redevelopment and he is a practicing artist specializing in painting and relief sculpture. A committed environmentalist, Professor Packard lives in The State of Maine for three months each year in a home he designed and built which functions without electricity, minimal gray water discharge, and features a solar assisted composting toilet. The surrounding landscape is 100 percent xeriscaped and produces thirty to forty quarts of wild blue berries each year. |
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Alex Pearl, Centerville, Ohio, has been an AIB judge since the organization's inception. In fact, Alex was one of the judges during the pilot program in 2001.
For for than 20 year Alex has worked with the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections, Warren Correctional Institution, Lebanon, Ohio as a Vocational Horticulture Teacher. In this time period he has developed a leading Horticulture program that has been a model for others to emulate.
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Ed Rhinehart, The Villages, Florida, is a retired businessman originally from Vermilion, Ohio. Ed is a community volunteer, worked in the greenhouse industry, and wrote a weekly garden column for many years.
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Bruce Riggs currently free-lances in horticulture and is involved in several not for profit institutions. He is also very involved in the family landscape design business with his wife Melanie Menachem Riggs who is also an AIB judge. They reside in New Rochelle, New York. He recently held the position of Curator of Science at the Bruce Museum (no relation!) of Arts & Science in Greenwich, CT.
During his 18 years at the New York Botanical Garden, Bruce was very involved with the Horticulture and Education Divisions. He administered the creation and implementation of the internationally recognized interpretation program for the NYBG.
He has recently been very involved in elementary school science and horticulture programs. He has worked on projects for the American Association of Museums and the Institute of Museum Studies. He has been very involved with Mountain Top Arboretum in Tannersville, NY, serving as President since 1998. Bruce is an avid traveler having visited numerous gardens and natural areas.
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Melanie Riggs, New Rochelle, New York, began her career as a horticulturist for the Wildcliff Museum Greenhouses where she worked as the greenhouse Exhibitions Director for many years. Melanie graduated from the University of Vermont with a degree in Plant Science and Botany. She subsequently has studied Landscape Design and has graduate coursework in Botany.
Her passion for plants and gardens compliments her passion for travel. Melanie has traveled extensively throughout Europe, South and Central America, Southeast Asia, North Africa and North America.
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Barbara Vincentsen is owner of Vincentsen Associates, a medium-sized award-winning
architectural firm in Westfield, New Jersey. She grew up in a gardening family and has continued her family tradition in her own gardens, which have plantings shared from three generations of close family and friends. Her Westfield garden was featured in the 2010 America in Bloom program in Westfield.
Barbara is a licensed architect in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York, and is a licensed professional planner and certified interior designer in New Jersey. She is actively involved in her community, serving on the boards of the Friends of Mindowaskin Park Committee and Fairview Cemetery Committee. She is a member of the Westfield Service League and Downtown Westfield Corporation Design Committee, and a past president of Central Section of New Jersey Chapter of the AIA.
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Jim Warneke, St Cloud, Florida, is the former manager of Walt Disney World’s pest management department. For 22 years he was responsible for program development in termite control, structural pest management, mosquito control, aquatic weed control, and lawn and ornamental pest management, as well as wildlife capture and relocation. Jim’s programs and treatments have been on the cutting edge, from creating one of the most compressive bed bug programs in the lodging industry, to implementing a lawn and ornamental program that reduced the use of traditional chemicals and promoted less toxic products and the use of beneficial insects.
Jim was active in programs at the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival. He was responsible for initiating the garden character Dr L Bug. The character interacted with children teaching about good bugs and bad bugs, and allowed children to release lady bugs in the garden for insect control. Jim was instrumental in developing pest management green and LEED programs for Disney’s new Aulani vacation hotel in Oahu, Hawaii, and the Disney Cruise Lines.
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Katy Moss Warner is President Emeritus of the American Horticultural Society (AHS), a national, non-profit, member-based organization with a bold vision of “making America a nation of gardeners, a land of gardens. Katy was the Director of Disney's Horticulture and Environmental Initiatives at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, responsible for the landscapes of four theme parks, 15 resort properties and over 70 miles of roads on the 30,500-acre property. For 24 years - from 1976 to 2000 - she provided the leadership necessary to ensure that Disney's horticultural traditions of beautiful gardens and themed landscapes were sustained. Katy, who lives in Windermere, Florida, has traveled extensively and has hosted garden tours in Italy, England, Belgium, Czech Republic, Argentina, Morocco as well as many destinations within the USA. In addition to judging for America in Bloom and international competitions, Katy is a member of AIB's Board of Directors. |
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Diana Weiner is a horticulture consultant and lecturer from Meadowbrook, Pennsylvania. For 16 years she served as the Community Horticulture Educator and Master Gardener Coordinator through Cornell University for Cornell Cooperative Extension of Orange County, NY. Currently she coordinates the volunteer program for and lives at Meadowbrook Farm, the historic estate of philanthropist J. Liddon Pennock , in Abington Township, Pennsylvania.
Diana is a Certified Nursery Professional, has judged for the Dutchess County Fair, Sullivan Renaissance, and other national contests. She is a member of the Garden Writers Association of America, The International Plant Propagators Society, the Perennial Plant Association, and the American Horticultural Society. She currently sits on the board of Briar Bush Nature Center and the Meadowbrook Bird Sanctuary. She enjoys writing, cooking, antiques and shade gardening and lectures to groups around the country. She has a degree in Agronomy from the State University of New York at Cobleskill.
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