ISHS Executive Committee

Jason works at Grinnell College overseeing the Golf Course and athletic fields.  He enjoys all areas of horticulture and looks forward to serving and giving back to ISHS. Jason lives in Grinnell with his wife Kara and son Jase; in his spare time he enjoys spending time with his family. 

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Paul Ovrom is the IDALS Ag Diversification & Market Development Bureau Chief and serves as the State Horticulturist. Paul has worked for the Department since 2007. He is a past president of the National Association of Farmers Market Nutrition Programs and serves on several horticulture-related boards.  Previous jobs included working in the nursery and landscaping field and as the hort technician at the USDA Plant Introduction Station in Ames. Paul has two undergraduate degrees (Botany and Horticulture) and a Master’s degree in Forestry, all from Iowa State University.

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Dan Fillius is the statewide field specialist for commercial vegetables and specialty crops with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. Before joining Extension, Dan grew organic vegetables for 13 years including stints managing the Michigan State University Student Organic Farm and 140 acres of vegetables at Featherstone Farm. 

Mike Gooder is president and co-owner (wife Rachel) of Plantpeddler, located in Cresco Iowa, and has been in business since 1980, with son John joining in 2014. Plantpeddler’s Young Plant division is a major propagator of vegetative genetics with industry leadership in Begonias. The Wholesale division focuses on premium retail-ready products from Spring through Christmas. Founded in retail, Plantpeddler opened a new retail operation in the Fall of 2025. Mike is a graduate of Horticulture from Iowa State University, involved in several industry groups including serving as a Board of Director for AmericanHort, Iowa State University CARET representative, Board of Director for Iowa State Horticulture Society, a recipient of the National Horticulture Leadership Award, and speaks on a wide range of horticultural and business topics regionally and nationally. Mike is available at mikeg@plantpeddler.com 

Sarah Rummery is the Associate Director of Reiman Gardens of Iowa State University.  With degrees in Horticulture and Business Administration, she works passionately towards making Reiman Gardens one of the country’s premier university gardens. When not tackling Garden projects, she’s cheering on her daughters at the soccer fields or pool deck, traveling with her husband, or trying to find rest. 

Mark has served as Executive Director of Iowa Arboretum & Gardens

since the fall of 2011. During his tenure, he has led significant growth

and transformation, expanding gardens and collections, strengthening

educational programming, and deepening the Arboretum’s role as a

community resource. Under his leadership, the organization has

enhanced its mission of connecting people of all ages with nature

through engaging programs, special events, conservation efforts, and

accessible garden spaces designed to welcome and inspire every visitor.

Before joining the Arboretum, Mark spent 32 years at the Virginia Zoo,

where he helped develop educational and conservation-focused

initiatives.

He holds an undergraduate degree in horticulture from the University of

Delaware, a Master’s degree in Human Resource Development from

George Washington University, and a Master’s degree in Public

Administration from Old Dominion University.

Mark lives in Ames with his wife, Phyllis. They have two children.

Neric Smith is a Program Director and Professor of Agricultural Sciences at Indian Hills Community College in Centerville, IA. He teaches courses related to Agronomy and      Horticulture along with helping manage the College’s Agriculture Learning Labs/Farms. Prior to Indian Hills, he started his career working on golf courses then for Iowa State University Extension as a County Extension Director and Horticulture Field Specialist.   

Randall serves as the Commercial Fruit Crops Field Specialist for Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, supporting commercial fruit and other horticultural growers across Iowa with research-based technical assistance. He is currently involved in projects focused on practical production solutions and improving nutritional outcomes for regional growers.

Before joining Extension, Randall worked as a production manager at a wholesale greenhouse, conducted fertilizer research, and served as program chair of the DMACC Horticulture Department, where he also taught courses in horticultural production.