IPA Regional Reports
L ast November a number of IPA members gathered in Portland , Oregon during the AOS Fall Members Meeting . These meetings can be rewarding and lots of fun so we definitely recommend that you add a future one to your “ bucket list .” An account of Immediate Past President Tom Harper ’ s experience in Portland followed by a delightful side trip to Walla Walla , Washington appears as his Region 11 report below . He had previously been in Walla Walla as speaker for an IPA Regional Meeting however , this time he visited IPA members Joan Bateman and Mark Srull , owners of Orchidaceae Inc . for camaraderie and to stock up on great orchids for his own Stones River Orchids back in Franklin , TN . As a tie-in with Tom ’ s account , we would like you to know a bit more about Joan Bateman as our featured IPA Regional Director . Orchid growing for Joan Bateman , Northwestern Tier Regional Director for the IPA , is the result of a chance meeting at a Christmas Party . One thing led to another and a second career was born . For the past 13 years , Bateman has been coowner of Orchidaceae along with husband Mark Srull . What makes one turn to orchid growing as a second career you might ask ? Strong eggnog and a compelling desire to embark on a new adventure did the trick . For 15 years , Bateman focused on the marketing and sales of software applications both domestically and internationally . High tech was a great experience , especially being involved so early in the industry . With a B . S . in Biology , returning to plants was a welcome change from software development . Now with over 13 years ’ experience with the orchid nursery , Bateman is happy to be working in the greenhouse and seeing plants grow from flasks to flowering plants . Those of us fortunate enough to own some of their plants know that they are beautifully
24 Phalaenopsis | First Quarter | Volume 23 | 2013
Barbara Noe
grown — bodacious and healthy . She and Mark have been extremely generous donating plants at various IPA events and are doing great work promoting Phals and the IPA in their area . Joan has a ( far-flung ) region covering Alaska , Washington , Oregon , Idaho , Western Montana and Western Canada and is responsive to all of our members within this area . Please contact her about events you are willing to plan at a location close to you . She already has two über successful regional meetings under her belt and will certainly guide you in the planning of meetings so that you can have one convenient to your location , perhaps in conjunction with a local orchid show . Thank you , Joan , for a job well done ! Ambitious changes to IPA Regions in the US were approved by the IPA Board of Directors at the Fall Meeting in Portland , Oregon and are illustrated on the map below . Is it ideal ? No ! Let us simply view this as a work in progress ; hoping that some of you will step up to help our dedicated directors better serve their regions or to step-up in areas where we need leadership . If you live in the areas indicated , please contact the Regional Director with your news , offers to plan events in your area , and suggest how your area can be better served by the IPA . These directors cannot cover these vast regions without input and help from all IPA members located in those areas . They will guide you in holding meetings located close to you perhaps with beneficial perks from some of our extremely generous vendor-members .
Region 1 – Southern California & Southern Nevada – Norman Fang
Our next IPA Regional Meeting will be held in conjunction with our annual Spring Open House on Saturday , March 30 , 2013 , at Norman ’ s Orchids ( 11039 Monte Vista Avenue , Montclair , CA ). Norman will focus workshops on culture tips and tricks for growing successfully in New Zealand moss and on some of the newest directions in Phalaenopsis hybridizing , from the classics to exciting new novelties to the super miniminis . In addition , each IPA member in good standing who joins us for this special day devoted to all things Phalaenopsis will receive a free Phal . seedling as a gift ( this offer applies only to those who can join us in person ). For further details and directions , please visit our