Meet Your Team.
Joe Strickland, Owner
Established in 1975, Alpha Fern Company has continued to expand and diversify their product offerings, product care and cutting practices staying consistent with the latest implementable Green Practices and New Marketplace trends. Joe has served on the board for the Florida Fern Co-Op, is a member of the FNGLA, and most recently is an integral founding member for the
FLGA - The Florida Leatherleaf Growers Association.
"This is what I know. I've been working in this industry and on this land for more than 45 years. We have been through deep freezes & hurricanes. We have had the most beautiful crops you would ever see and have been on the brink of total devastation from ice and wind. No matter what, God has brought us through the good times and the bad while NEVER having to miss filling our customers orders.
This is what He has given me the opportunity to do and part of who He has designed me to be."
Jennifer Strickland Callahan, Director of Sales & Marketing
With a background in special event, wedding, and tradeshow floral management - Jennifer has not only grown up in the fern business, but also gotten to see & experience the floral industry from the wholesale, retail, & special event end of the spectrum. "Being able to come back to my roots and learn valuable business and life skills from my Dad has been such an exciting experience for me. I have been able to use the skills I have learned at UCF and in the special event floral world to heighten and expand our product lines and hope to continue to stay on the edge of floral trends with our innovative and time saving products."
Patti McLauchlin, Office Manager
Patti was born and raised in the Central Florida area where she and her husband have raised their daughter, Mandy (the namesake of one of our leatherleaf ferneries). She has been on the AFC staff for nearly 20 years and formerly worked for Armellini Truck Lines in Pierson. Patti is definitley more than just our office manager, she has a lifetime of product knowledge and is an excellent sales & customer service specialist. She serves at the helm of our general functionality, handling all of the year round product sourcing and shipping coordination. "I feel here at Alpha Fern Co, we pride ourselves in two things: first of which is our mission to grown high quality products and inspect the products we don't grow to ensure they are at our quality standards as well. Secondly, we are able to provide our customers with the most extensive foliage knowledge in the business - whether we grow it or not, there are few foliages we don't know. I enjoy getting to know our customers and being able to speak with them on a weekly basis. With so many aspects of our lives and business becoming more & more computerized, I belive that keeping that personal connection is vital."
Dale Strickland, Farm Production Manager
Dale is Joe's younger more mischevious brother - and a darn good farmer! Dale is in charge of our production, pest and disease control, and fernery maintenance. He has been growing cut foliages for most of his life and has been growing for AFC for the past 10 years. He oversees all farm operations.
Mida Gibson, Bookkeeper
Mida is our most recent addition, joining our force in August of 2010. She most recently served Lighthouse Church and Christian Academy as their full charge bookkeeper. We are very excited to have her as a part of our team and look forward to helping her learn all about our wonderful cut foliages.
Alpha Fern Company is supported by 12 full time employees, along with two cutting crews. Our crew leaders have worked alongside our company for a combined 32 years with crew members totalling a combined 180 years of cutting experience.
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Tollfree (800) 313-8827 * Fax (386) 749-3333
sales@alphafern.net
1100 Church Street, Barberville, FL 32105
PO Box 535 Pierson, FL 32180
