Plant Science Professor Emerita Selected for Green Industry Hall of Fame
Plant Science Professor Emerita Valerie Mellano was elected to the “Green Industry Hall of Fame” for her career in higher education and advising farmers on environmental issues.
Based in Ontario, California, the hall of fame was created in 2005 to honor and preserve the contributions of those who worked in the green industry. Inductees must have worked at least 20 years in the industry, invented new technology, provided education, or changed the industry.
“This was the recognition of a lot of work at Cal Poly Pomona,” said Mellano, who was chair of Cal Poly Pomona’s Department of Plant Science from 2012 to 2022. “The work that we have done in our department is important to the green industry.”
Mellano, who earned her doctorate in plant pathology at UC Riverside, was honored along six other class of 2023 inductees at a Nov. 18 awards ceremony at Black Gold Golf Club in Yorba Linda.
The class also included Pamela Galera (‘92, landscape architecture), the city of Riverside’s parks, recreation, and community services director.
During Mellano’s tenure as chair, the plant science department interacted more closely with green industry representatives, especially those in the golf course industry.
“It was always a group effort whatever we did,” she said.
The golf course industry, which is concerned about such sustainability issues as water and fertilizer usage, provided more internships and scholarships for Cal Poly Pomona students and supported the university’s Turf Bowl Team.
Prior to working at Cal Poly Pomona, Mellano worked for the University of California Cooperative Extension in San Diego County as an environmental issues farm advisor and then county director.
In those roles, she advised farmers on several issues related to agricultural production, including water quality management, waste and manure management issues, composting of agricultural products, and pesticide and nutrient use.
“People who have received this honor – I’m honored to be in their company,” Mellano said. “They are important people in the green industry.”
Cal Poly Pomona alumni and faculty who were previously elected to the Green Industry Hall of Fame include:
- Andrew Charles Nelson Bowden (’77, landscape architecture), principal Land Concern
- Don Brinkerhoff (’52, ornamental horticulture) is the founder and chairman/CEO of Lifescapes International Inc.
- Robert Cardoza (’64, landscape architecture), president and CEO Nuvis Landscape Architecture
- Chris Davey (‘90, marketing), The Toro Company
- Peter Estournes (‘81, ornamental horticulture), vice president and chief operations officer, Gardenworks Inc.
- John Greenlee (’78, ornamental horticulture), owner of Greenlee Associates
- Don Hendrickson (‘64, agronomy), partner Hendrickson Bros.
- Donald Hodel (’74, ornamental horticulture), environmental horticulture advisor emeritus, UC Cooperative Extension, Los Angeles County
- John Hourian (‘69, landscape architecture), partner in Hourian Associates Landscape Architecture and Design
- Joseph You-Tsai Hung, professor emeritus, agricultural engineering and landscape irrigation science
- John Kabashima (’79, agricultural biology), environmental horticulture advisor, UC Cooperative Extension, Orange County
- David Lannom (’69, ornamental horticulture; ’89, M.S., agriculture) was a horticulture professor and former chair of the agriculture science department at Mt. San Antonio College.
- Marty McPhee (’81, ornamental horticulture), an executive vice president with Park West Landscape
- Mark Pedicone (’79, ornamental horticulture) is a regional sales manager for ETwater Sales Inc. who has worked in the landscape irrigation industry in Southern California for 35 years.
- Bob Perry, professor emeritus, landscape architecture
- Susan Sims (’02, agricultural biology) runs Sims Trees Health Specialist, who also has built a gardening tool manufacturing business.
- Stuart Sperber (’56, horticulture), founder and CEO of Valley Crest Tree Company
- Leslee A. Temple (‘73, landscape architecture), president, NUVIS landscape architecture and site planning firm.