Florida Nursery, Growers & Landscape Association, Orlando, Florida, hired Talmadge “Tal” Coley as its newest CEO. Coley assumes the position from the association’s current CEO Ben Bolusky, who announced his retirement from FNGLA after 24 years.
“Over FNGLA’s 70-year history, we have employed only four CEOs,” says Sarah Spatola, FNGLA’s 2021-22 president. “The quality and tenure of our staff is a strength that has served us well in upholding our core values and completing our strategic goals. We are confident Tal’s industry knowledge, advocacy acumen and esteemed service to our nation’s nursery and landscape industry will further bolster the strength and innovation of FNGLA.”
A Florida native, Coley has been working in Washington, D.C., as the senior director of advocacy and government affairs for Columbus, Ohio-based AmericanHort. He has also been serving as executive director of the Nursery & Landscape Association Executives of North America.
Before joining AmericanHort, he assumed leadership roles in numerous legislative outreach opportunities spanning a five-year period advocating for veterans at Concerned Veterans for America. For four years, he also worked in the United States Air Force as a Russian cryptologic linguist stationed at Fort Meade, Maryland.
Coley received his bachelor’s degree from the University of North Florida and his master’s degree from the University of Miami. In his personal time, Coley enjoys playing golf and spending time with his wife of 11 years, Victoria, and their two children, Kat, 6, and Paul, 5.
“I am humbled and honored to be the next chief executive officer at FNGLA,” Coley says. “The opportunity to return home to Florida and advocate for an industry I feel so passionate about is truly a dream come true. Leading FNGLA into this next chapter and building off the incredible foundation Ben Bolusky has provided is a mission I am eager to take on.”
Coley will work closely with Bolusky throughout his onboarding period. Bolusky will finalize his chapter at FNGLA during its annual convention in June 2022.
“Ben brought a wide range of expertise and experience to FNGLA when he arrived, all of which have moved the association forward on several important fronts,” says FNGLA Chief Operating Officer Linda Adams. “As we start a new FNGLA leadership era, we welcome Tal to the FNGLA team and are excited to work with him to continue to innovate and build upon FNGLA’s strengths.”
