Rep. Rodney Davis (R-Illinois-13), center, visits with members of Hortica’s executive team, including John Hodapp, Joan O’Saben, Mona Haberer, Traci Dooley and Brent Bates.
An influential congressman spent about an hour last week visiting a floral industry business. Rep. Rodney Davis (R-Illinois-13), chairman of the House Subcommittee on Biotechnology, Horticulture and Research, requested the March 23 meeting at Hortica in Edwardsville, Illinois.
The visit came about a week after members of the Society of American Florists’ Illinois delegation visited about 20 lawmakers’ offices on Capitol Hill during Congressional Action Days, but Davis also has a history and personal connection with Hortica: He last visited the company in 2015, before it was affiliated with the Sentry Insurance Group.
“Our executive team met with the congressman and discussed changes that had occurred at Hortica since his last visit,” said Mona Haberer, CPA, CPCU, Hortica’s CEO. “We talked about our visit to Washington with SAF and discussed the importance of protecting the horticultural workforce and investing in research for the industry.
The visit and ongoing relationship are important to Hortica, and the floral industry, Haberer said, especially given Davis’ influential committee and subcommittee assignments.
“With the congressman’s work on the House Committee on Agriculture and the horticulture subcommittee, we wanted to take the opportunity to discuss the issues that will benefit this industry,” she said. “We feel it’s important for our voices to be heard.”
