Manager of The Conservatory earns top honor

November 16, 2005

Richard H. Munson, manager of The Conservatory at Miami University Hamilton, recently became a Fellow of the Eastern Region of the International Plant Propagators’ Society during their 55th annual meeting held in Atlantic City, NJ.

Election as a Fellow of the IPPS-Eastern Region is an honor that the IPPS awards in recognition of outstanding contributions to the society and to plant propagation through research, teaching, extension or leadership in plant propagation.

Munson came to Miami Hamilton last year to manage The Conservatory, a gift from the Richard J. Fitton family of Hamilton. The Conservatory is a newly constructed multi-use facility, consisting of educational, research and public display spaces. It is unique in not only its architectural beauty, but also in its purpose. It will house the largest fully documented academic collection of exotic plants in the area. In addition, the exterior grounds will be a celebration of Ohio's native plants. Munson also teaches in the Botany Department.

Born in New Carlisle, Ohio, Munson graduated from Ohio State University. He received his master’s degree in 1973 from Cornell University and his Ph.D. in 1981. He then joined the biology faculty at Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts, and served as director of the Botanic Gardens. From there, he went on to become the executive director of Holden Arboretum in Kirtland, Ohio. His next career change took him to the Missouri Botanical Garden where he was director of Landscape Services.

Munson served as a member of IPPS since 1975. During his 30 years as a member, he has served tirelessly on nine separate committees: Education, Membership, Publicity, Local Site, Fellow Recognition, Program, Site Selection, Area Meeting and Long Range Planning. He also served as a Director on the Eastern Region Board of Directors.

The International Plant Propagators’ Society is a non-profit organization of nearly 2500 members organized into eight separate regions around the world. The membership is made up of individuals with a professional interest in plant propagation from businesses, colleges and universities, botanic gardens and arboreta. The motto of this non-commercial organization is “To Seek and To Share” knowledge and experience in plant propagation.