Greetings, ARS Great Lakes Chapter. I am excited to take the reins as President of the chapter, and I hope to continue the great work of Juliana Medeiros and other past presidents in my term. I believe most of you know me, but I suppose some introduction is in order. 

I presently work for Holden Forests and Gardens stewarding the David G. Leach Research Station and associated rhododendron and azalea projects. I went to college for horticulture and plant breeding and knew of rhododendrons and azaleas tangentially, but only became deeply involved with them as I took on the Leach Station role. My interests are primarily in ornamental plant breeding and germplasm use, evaluation, and distribution. I also am interested in building plant collections to serve conservation and broad scholarship goals. Originally from Mississippi, I moved to Northeast Ohio in 2019. 

As President, I hope to continue our long tradition of rhododendron-focused camaraderie and to steward the long and significant history of the Chapter. We have our fall meeting scheduled for October 19 at Secrest Arboretum, where our chapter had a rhododendron test garden beginning in 1966. Look for more details for the meeting later in this newsletter. 

Please let me know how I and the Great Lakes Chapter can help you in all your rhododendron and azalea endeavors. I hope to see you this fall! 

Connor Ryan