NewGen Boxwood lands familiar name as Program Manager

Scoggins joins NewGen and Saunders Brothers with extensive experience in horticulture that includes university-level teaching and research, leadership roles with national associations, and specialized expertise in multiple facets of plant production.

The majority of Scoggins's efforts will be devoted to the administration of the expanding NewGen Boxwood program with responsibilities for marketing, licensee management, industry education and outreach, and content creation and communication across various channels. As Marketing Coordinator for Saunders Brothers, Scoggins will provide a range of marketing guidance and execution for the wholesale nursery. Specific duties will include maintenance of the online plant catalog and photo library and coordinating plant tag production.

Scoggins's career in horticulture spans more than 25 years. She received her bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Georgia and her Ph.D. in Horticultural Science from North Carolina State University. She is an associate professor emeritus from Virginia Tech, and retired after 20 years in the Department of Horticulture with teaching, research, and cooperative Extension responsibilities. She also served as Director for the Hahn Horticulture Garden from 2002-2014. Before her new positions with the Saunders companies, Scoggins was Vice President of Educational Programs for AmericanHort, working on the development of green industry education programs including sessions at Cultivate, fall specialty conferences, and webinars.

Career honors and awards include Professional of the Year from Virginia Nursery and Landscape Association, an academic award from the National Perennial Plant Association, teaching awards from Virginia Tech chapter of Gamma Sigma Delta Honor Society of Agriculture, the Virginia Tech College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, and the Omicron Delta Kappa National Leadership Honor Society. Scoggins currently serves as President-elect of the national Perennial Plant Association, taking office in October 2021.

"I'm so pleased to be working with the Saunders organization in this dual capacity," Scoggins says. "It's the best of two worlds. NewGen is the exciting cutting-edge of breeding, research, and marketing for boxwood, and Saunders Brothers is an industry pillar spanning more than 100 years and four generations of excellence and innovation. I've been associated with the Saunders family for many years through Virginia Tech and I couldn't pass up this opportunity to be a close part of the team."

Saunders Genetics, LLC, was formed out of research and development by the Saunders family to understand and find solutions to the challenges of boxwood, including blight, disease, and pests, to usher in a new era of boxwood performance and choice. NewGen Boxwood is the marketplace brand identity for Saunders Genetics' two 2020 introductions, NewGen Independence and NewGen Freedom. NewGen Boxwood are characterized by better disease and pest resistance and superior garden performance and beauty.

Source and Photo Courtesy of Greenhouse Grower

Source: Greenhouse Grower