Pro Manager Mastercourse Floriculture brings international managers in touch with the cream of Dutch horticulture technology

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands: The Pro Manager Mastercourse Floriculture is back in the Netherlands after a 30-month break due to Covid-19.

Organisers Jungle Talks brought together a group of talented managers aged between 25 and 40 years old to represent international, ‘future-proof’ floricultural companies.

The Pro Manager Mastercourse is a 14-day programme from 5 until 17 June 2022, including touring industry leaders in the Netherlands. It aims to allow horticultural professionals to connect with peers from around the globe and make new friends and potential new business partners.

Today, the group will visit GreenTech Amsterdam, the top horticulture technology event in the Netherlands. In the evening, they will attend the AIPH International Grower of the Year (IGOTY) Awards 2022. Established in 2009, the awards celebrate best practices and recognise the ‘best of the best in ornamentals production.

The news is that a new category class has been added – International Young Grower of the Year (YIGOTY) with three finalists of the Pro Manager Mastercourse Floriculture tonight vying for the highest honour.

The three finalists are:

Chris Rocheleau has experience as a Head Grower at three nurseries in the USA. He has a Bachelor of Science in Plant, Soil, and Insect Sciences from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Currently, Chris is a National Sales Manager for ForemostCo, USA, where he leads a team to create a library of growing cultural and technical sheets.

Pablo Bazzani is General Manager of Plazoleta Flowers, Colombia, where he is responsible for leading and supervising financial, production, sales, and logistics procedures and results. Prior to this role, he gained experience as a Marketing Assistant and Marketing Manager for Perfection® Group, Colombia.

Matyas Bartha is the Head of Operations at Silver Vase, an orchid grower based in Florida, USA. Having joined in 2010, Matyas started out as a Production & Maintenance Assistant before taking on the role of Grower and New Plant Production Development, ultimately progressing to the Head of Operations in 2018.

The finalists have presented their business ideas to the jury, which is made up of three expert horticultural entrepreneurs. The judges are: Leonardo Capitanio, AIPH Vice-President and CEO of Vivai Capitanio (Italy); Wouter Duijvestejn, Owner of Beyond Chrysant (The Netherlands); and Stephanie Berkhout, Lead Grower at Qualitree (Canada). Leonardo Capitanio, president of the jury will announce the winner.

Later this week, the manager will embark on a visit to Royal FloraHolland, Dutch Flower Group and the world horticultural expo 2022 Floriade. A visit to the FlowerTrials is also on the agenda.

The Pro Manager Mastercourse is a fortnight rogramme that includes educational farm tours, meetings and inspirational sessions from lead strategic partners, including Koppert, Ridder Growing Solutions, Hortilux Schrèder, Logiqs, Horticoop, Dümmen Orange, Horti XS, Letsgrow, Van Krimpen, and Van der Valk Horti Systems.

Organiser Ed Smit is delighted with the upbeat mood among participants. ‘Every Mastercourse is an intensive experience, for me as an organiser, but also for the participants and business partners involved. However, I can already see it was worth it again this year and we hope to continue now Covid-19 seems to be kept at bay, at least during the summer months in Europe.”