Pi Alpha Xi - PAX

Pi Alpha Xi Fellow, 2006
Alpha 427

Allen Hammer was initiated as a member of Pi Alpha Xi in May1968 by the Alpha Chapter at Cornell University, and he has served as faculty advisor of the Delta Chapter at Purdue University during his tenure there.

Since 1973, Dr. Hammer has served the US floriculture industry through extension and research at Purdue University. He has worked with Indiana growers to solve innumerable greenhouse production problems and to provide advice and counsel on issues related to floriculture. Allen is the lead scientist on the National Poinsettia Trial, a joint effort among Purdue University, North Carolina State University, and the University of Florida, and he serves on the Board of Directors of the Fred C. Gloeckner Foundation, which provides research grants to university floriculture researchers. Allen has written over 250 monthly columns for Grower Talks magazine, the top paid circulation magazine in the U.S. greenhouse industry.

In addition to his extension and research initiatives, Allen has been tremendously supportive of and involved with student instruction and mentoring. He was the lead faculty member of a FIPSE grant for an undergraduate study abroad program between three US and four EU universities. Allen has trained outstanding graduate students, who now hold key positions in floriculture at universities and in the private sector. Allen, also, serves on the Selection Committee for the Vic and Margaret Ball internship program of the American Floral Endowment.

He is clearly a nationally recognized expert in floriculture and has received numerous awards, including:

• Alex Laurie Award for Floriculture Research and Extension, Society of American Florists
• Outstanding Extension Educator Award and Ornamentals Publication Award, American Society for Horticultural Science
• Outstanding Alumnus Awards, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and Department of Horticultural Science, North Carolina State University

Although Allen is retiring from Purdue University at the end of this month, he will continue to contribute to floriculture through product development and support as a member of Dummen’s North American team and he will continue to write his monthly column for Grower Talks magazine.

Thus it is with great pleasure that Pi Alpha Xi bestows the Fellows Award to P. Allen Hammer in recognition of his marked service and excellence in the field of floriculture this 29th of July 2006.

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