May 2021 - 30

40 UNDER 40
©2021 Ball Horticultural Company 21222100
Michelle Opela
Kit Leider Pierri
IPM MANAGER
COSTA FARMS
LEICESTER, NORTH CAROLINA
Accomplishments:
* Responsible
for developing
a biological
integrated
pest
management
program
to reduce
company's
chemical input
and increase
the use of
beneficials.
* As technical
support
manager,
helped grow the
company's young
plant division
and developed
technical support
material.
Not Only Does She Grow Plants at Work:
" When I get home from working with plants I hop into
taking care of my 400+ plants and I love every bit of it. "
A Regional Delicacy:
Michelle's favorite food is the pork belly and
watermelon taco at White Duck Tacos. " If you ever find
yourself in Asheville, North Carolina, this is a must try! "
An Appropriate Childhood Nickname:
" My nickname growing up was 'Bug' and now I work
with bugs! "
GARDEN CENTER MANAGER/COMMUNICATIONS
DIRECTOR
LEIDER GREENHOUSES
BUFFALO GROVE, ILLINOIS
Accomplishments:
* Transitioned garden center from an outdated cash
register system to a fully digital POS system that
allows the company to generate reports and data to
better plan for the upcoming seasons.
* Oversaw the process of completely revamping
company's production planning software.
Family Biz:
Kit is the fifth generation of her family to work in the
business that was started in 1898. She also has an
identical twin sister.
There's Always Housework to Do:
Kit and her
husband recently
celebrated
their one-year
homeowner
anniversary. " I
love working on
home projects and
(slowly) decorating
the place room by
room. "
You Won't Find
This Info on
IMDB:
Part of the movie
" Omen 2 " was
filmed in the
Leider family
greenhouse in
1978!
Adalice Powers
TRIAL MANAGER
ERNST BENARY OF AMERICA
WATSONVILLE, CALIFORNIA
Accomplishments:
* Developed trial department and trial program, work
structure and improvement in production techniques.
* Also developed varieties performance evaluation
techniques, comparison trials, garden and containers
display during California Spring Trials.
Tuned In:
As a teenager, Adalice was the host of a local radio
show. " My father used to say that my talent is to be a
journalist. "
On Her Bookshelf:
" The Spiritual Wisdom of Anthony de Mello " is her
favorite read. " The book is a wonderful call to reflect on
spirituality. "
Destination South America:
Paraguay is her preferred vacation spot to visit family,
relatives and friends. While she's there, she loves to eat
Paraguayan barbecue with green salad. " Paraguay is an
incredibly hospitable country. "
CONGRATULATIONS!
LAURA MASOR
Plant Breeder
Congratulations to
Laura and Nick
on your selection as members of
40 Under 40, Class of 2021!
Thanks for helping
Ball Horticultural Company
deliver on our promise of
" All the Best and Nothing Else. "
Laura is responsible
for some of
Ball FloraPlant's
most exciting
introductions over the last several years.
Her expertise in calibrachoa and verbena
breeding, as well as other crops, has made
a huge impact on the overall portfolio of
Ball FloraPlant genetics. She brings innovation
to the marketplace every year with new
varieties that are both unique and provide
solutions for the grower and the consumer.
NICK FLAX
Technical Services
Specialist
Nick brings diverse
experience to the
technical services
team based on
his undergraduate and graduate studies at
Iowa State University, greenhouse experience
from propagation to finished production and
his previous work with Penn State University
Extension. Nick delivers technical support in a
knowledgeable and approachable way - from
one-on-one interaction to video presentations
and multimedia education. He's a greenhouse
production jack-of-all-trades, taking technical
and customer service into the next generation.
May 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of May 2021
