Candidates for the Board of Directors 2011 – 2014 Term

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Please vote for NO MORE than FIVE

MIKE BLANTON (Murfreesboro, TN) - A retired firefighter, Mike has been a special membership coordinator for ABS in the past several years and has done an outstanding job of bringing ABS to the attention of bonsai folks at many regional gatherings. A believer in the natural form or style of bonsai, Mike has been featured on NPT's (Nashville Public Television) Volunteer Gardener and has trees that have been featured in Southern Living magazine and Bonsai Today. Mike is running for a second term as an ABS Director.

DAVID BOGAN (Lynneville, IN) - Dave was one of the founders of the Evansville, IN, Bonsai Society, where he has served in a variety of posts including as president and newsletter editor. His personal bonsai collection has grown over the years, especially after he built a greenhouse in 1999. Dave has been serving as the Advertising Manager for the ABS Journal and was asked to join the National Bonsai Foundation as a Director in 2005. He is always expanding his friends and colleagues through bonsai. Dave is running for a second term on the Board.

KATHERINE "CAT" NELSON (South Bend, IN) - A lover of plants since early childhood, Cat has managed to study bonsai even when she was traveling a great deal and not able to keep them at home. She is very active in the Midwest Bonsai Society (currently president and MBS webmaster) and the Fort Wayne Bonsai Club, as well as an active volunteer with the Chicago Botanic Garden bonsai collection. Cat has won several awards, including an Award of Merit at the 2010 Mid-America Bonsai Exhibit in Chicago.

GARY WHARTON (Kennewick, WA) - Gary's first tree did not survive for long, but it started an ongoing fascination with the art of bonsai. Due to distances and travel issues, Gary has had to limit club memberships due to time and travel constraints, but he is a firm believer in the value of conventions. He is a volunteer presenter, a mentor and a part of the Boise Bonsai Society family. He has also joined Michael Hagadorn for several of his intensive seasonal workshop sessions and plans to continue with these.. He says "Working with Michael has greatly increased my understanding of the art of bonsai as well as increasing my bonsai skills."

JOHN WIESSINGER (Ithaca, NY) – John has worn several "hats" over the years, working as a wildlife artist, a naturalist and an educator on the staff of the Roger Tory Peterson Institute. John has written and illustrated five books on nature, been illustrator for several other books and produced his own natural history educational series that has been used in zoos museums, schools and nature centers across North America. John feels that the natural world before our eyes is full of interesting, relevant information and concepts that can be used to improve the science literacy for all ages. At present, John produces a quarterly column, Right Before Your Eyes, for the International Bonsai magazine. While John has had a love for trees since childhood, he did not start with bonsai till recently.

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