Assembly Speaker John A. P�rez announced a spate of leadership and policy committee changes Wednesday, less than a month before the Legislature adjourns its regular session for the year. Mike Gatto, D-Los Angeles, will assume the chairmanship of the powerful Assembly Appropriations Committee beginning Friday, shortly before the panel decides the fate of scores of Senate bills.

Other key changes in committee chairmanships, all involving Democrats, include these:

• Joan Buchanan of Alamo taking control of the Education Committee;
• Das Williams of Santa Barbara, Higher Education;  
• Felipe Fuentes of Los Angeles, Revenue and Taxation; 
• Bob Wieckowski of Fremont, Judiciary; 
• Rich Gordon of Menlo Park, Business, Professions and Consumer Protection;
• Michael Allen of Santa Rosa, Public Employees, Retirement and Social Security; 
• Ben Hueso of San Diego, Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee.

All changes in Assembly committee chairs will take effect Friday, including two involving Sacramento Democrats: Roger Dickinson will lead the Banking and Finance Committee, while Richard Pan will assume the gavel of the Health Committee.

Several Assembly members said privately that they knew of no controversy sparking the committee changes. Several changes replaced members who will be termed out or leaving the Assembly this year. Policy committees, except for the Appropriations Committee, largely have completed their duties for the current year.

The NORCAL Board of Directors is pleased to announce that John H. Dane has been named the new Chief Executive Officer effective August 6, 2012.

Dane noted "California's growers and shippers represent a world-class industry that brings happiness to thousands of customers each day. I greatly look forward to working with NORCAL's Board, staff and members to make NORCAL a strong voice for the industry and to provide the best possible programs and services to members".

An experienced association leader, Dane has served as Executive Director for the 22,000-member, Sacramento-based California State Firefighter's Association (CSFA) and the United States Rowing Association (USRowing) a Congressionally-chartered membership and Olympic team organization.

With CSFA, Dane created new business partner and sponsor relationships; targeted new member benefits; improved membership recruiting and, in 2011, launched a "Pathway-to-a-Degree" program with Brandman University developing the next generation of industry leaders.

As Executive Director of USRowing, Dane developed new revenue sources; enhanced member services and events and re-structured the national coaching staff to create a cost-effective and internationally competitive program. As a result of this improved program and world-class talented athletes, the United States Men's Eight team won gold for the first time in forty years and Women's Eight team won silver for the first time in twenty years at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece.

A Certified Association Executive through the American Society of Association Executives, Dane has been an active member of the Board of Directors of the California Society of Association Executives. His initiatives emphasized strategic planning though 2015, new university-affiliated executive education and leadership development.

With a strong background in protecting business profitability in state legislatures and regulatory agencies, Dane has built effective nationwide advocacy networks in twenty-one states, including California, for marine, recreational vehicle and automobile manufacturers.

Dane holds a master's degree from Virginia Polytechnic and State University. His wife, Lisa, is a marketing consultant and freelance movie producer.

They have two sons- Erik, Assistant Professor of Organizational Behavior at the Jones School of Business at Rice University in Houston and Alexander, an urban planner and project leader at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colorado.

Both John and Lisa Dane enjoy working as fundraising volunteers for the nonprofit organization CASA - Court-Appointed Special Advocates for Children.

The University of California Nursery and Floriculture Alliance (UCNFA) is planning the following one-day grower education program:

Nursery and Greenhouse Runoff Treatment Workshop

Buehler Alumni and Visitors Center, Alpha Gamma Rho Room 
Alumni Lane 
University of California 
Davis, CA 95616
August 21, 2012
8:00 am - 5:00 pm

This two-part program will provide updates on methods and technologies for managing and treating runoff from nursery and greenhouse operations. The morning seminars will feature collaborators from the Water Education Alliance for Horticulture and deliver the latest information on selecting water treatment methods including chemical techniques and ecological alternatives. Updates on methods for managing nursery runoff including using constructed wetlands will be presented along with current nursery pest and disease research being conducted at NORS-DUC, the National Ornamentals Research Site at Dominican University of California located in San Rafael.

After lunch, attendees will travel by bus to nearby Winters to tour Hines Growers LLC and Four Winds Growers, two progressive nurseries that have incorporated successful water treatment systems into their operations. While at the nurseries, additional presentations on water treatment resources for growers on the Internet and disease detection products from Agdia will be offered.

The full agenda is attached.

The workshop moderator will be Dr. Loren Oki, UC Extension Specialist in the Plant Sciences Dept. at UC Davis. Loren will be assisted by Dr. Paul Fisher, Associate Professor and Extension Specialist in Floriculture, Environmental Horticulture Dept., University of Florida who is the lead researcher for the Water Education Alliance for Horticulture. Continuing Education Units have been approved by CDPR (4 other) and CCA (4 soil and water management).

We are including a vendor trade fair as part of the morning's activities to provide attendees with the latest information on water treatment products. We estimate attendees will have 1.75 hours during the morning session to visit with vendors. With two weeks to go until the event we have 37 registrants.

Although space is limited, we would like to invite your company to participate in our trade fair on a first come, first served basis.

We offer the following attendance and advertising opportunities for a $100 vendor fee:

• A tabletop display at the event for your company product materials.
• Your logo advertising your sponsorship at the workshop.
• Your logo advertising your sponsorship in all email and web-based promotions.
• Your company or product information included in each registration packet.
• Registration for one company or association representative to attend the workshop.

Please fill out the attached vendor registration form and return to Linda Dodge by email (lldodge@ucdavis.edu ) or Fax 530-752-8419.

We apologize for the delay in getting this information out. If you wish to pay the vendor fee by check, please fill out the form stating as such and bring the check with you on the day of the workshop. (Make the check out to "UC Regents".)

• Agenda
• Trade Show Vendor Registration Form

Thank you,

Linda Dodge, SRA

Dept. of Plant Sciences, Mailstop 6

University of California

One Shields Ave.

Davis CA 95616

mailto:lldodge@ucdavis.edu

phone/fax 530-752-8419

cell 916-201-8989

University of California Nursery and Floriculture Alliance

http://ucanr.org/sites/UCNFA/

9:00 am - 2:00 pm

Please pre-register for this workshop. The fee for pre-registered participants is $25.00 per person (until August 30, 2012) and includes a delicious barbeque.

Registration is payable by cash or check to the "Santa Barbara County Flower and Nursery Growers Association" at the door on the day of the workshop. No-shows will be billed $35.00.

After August 30, 2012 and walk-in registration will be $35.00 per person, contingent on available seating. Handouts and lunch cannot be guaranteed for walk-ins.

Online pre-registration (information only, no payment required)

Mail or fax in pre-registration (information only, no payment required)

• Read More... 

The California State Floral Association

Presents....

Calif Flora 2012  "LEGENDS"

October 13-14, 2012

Hosted by:  Mayesh Wholesale Florist, Inc.

• Click Here for Program   
   
• Click Here for Registration Form 

California Certified Florist (CCF) Prep Classes are being held September 23rd at:

Brannan Street Wholesale in San Francisco.  (flyer)

A To Z Wholesale in Santa Ana. (flyer)

Don't delay - sign up now to confirm your registration  

For further information and to register, contact the CSFA office at 916-448-5266 or email Ann Quinn at aquinn@cgfa.org.

www.californiacertifiedflorist.org