WEST CHICAGO, ILLINOIS: In these extraordinary times of growth and opportunity, Ball Horticultural Company has taken measures to strengthen its leadership in anticipation of industry and company progress. Anna Ball, CEO and Chairman of the Board for Ball, has created the new position of President within Ball Horticultural Company and has appointed Al Davidson to this post. The role of President will conduct the day-to-day management of the company, including taking reports of key executive managers, and supervising goal strategies among the leading Ball business entities.
Al Davidson has been with Ball for 33 years and has an excellent track record of accomplishments in his roles as Sales Manager at Ball Seed, Director of Supplier Relations, and President of Ball FloraPlant. Most recently he’s held the position of President of Ball Seed, where distribution has grown, strengthened and gained market share.
“Al has proven he can ‘run to the hard stuff’ and succeed,” says Anna Ball. “Now as President of Ball Horticultural Company he will continue his strong leadership, and the companies he manages will flourish.”
With Davidson settled in this newly created role as president, Ball says she will be able to devote more time to strategy, resource allocation and industry relations. As CEO and Chairman, she can direct the future of the company, and maintain and strengthen its culture and core values.
“We are in extraordinary times and have huge opportunities to grow as a company,” says Ball. “Demand for our industry is on the rise and it is up to us to create excitement and deliver fantastic service and products. I believe these moves fortify our company structure and prepare us to take on the wonderful future that is before us.”
The movement of Davidson to President cascades a number of other role adjustments within Ball Horticultural Company. Ball is thrilled to appoint Alan Rouse as the new President of Ball Seed. Rouse has been corporate CFO since 2017, where he oversaw the Finance team, Ball IT, Human Resources, and Seed Operations. He has proved to be an integral strategic contributor and has embraced the core values of the company.
Moving into the CFO role now is Jacco Kuipers, who is celebrating 25 years with Ball and most recently held the position of General Manager of Darwin Perennials. His deep knowledge of all aspects of the industry will be an asset to lead the Ball Finance team.
Lastly, Karl Batschke has accepted the role of General Manager of Darwin Perennials. Another strong performer within Ball over the past 15 years, he has built an outstanding product pipeline for the perennial business, and has built strong relationships with employees, customers and sales teams.
“I am thrilled to begin this new role and lead Ball Horticultural Company into the future,” Davidson says. “It is a privilege to work for such a strong company with top-performing and dedicated employees. With them we are well-prepared to grasp the opportunities and growth we face as an industry.”
For more information about the Ball Horticultural Company, visit www.ballhort.com.
About Ball Horticultural Company
Ball Horticultural Company is an internationally renowned breeder, producer and wholesale distributor of ornamental plants. A family-owned business since it was founded in 1905, Ball has introduced many innovative and award-winning varieties to the world of horticulture. The company has worldwide production, sales and marketing through its many subsidiaries on six continents. For further information, visit ballhort.com.
