Hall Of Fame Inductees

 

The individuals nominated should have made a significant impact or positive influence that assures the future of our industry in the lives of generations to come.

 

Once nominated, an individual’s biography and photo are updated on the site, and he or she is placed in the polls for voting. At the end of the year the committee takes into consideration the votes and decides which candidates are inducted.

 

Those with a star (*) next to their name below were either inducted posthumously or have passed away since being inducted.

 

Nomination Qualifications

  • Person with integrity and passion
  • Minimum 20 years in industry
  • Someone who has developed  or invented  new technology
  • Has made contributions that resulted in change
  • Contributed to mankind’s needs in his field
  • Provided education and encouragement  with self-sacrifice
  • Changed the industry

Brad Monroe, M.S. CID

Professor Emeritus, Cuyamaca College

 

Brad Monroe, Professor Emeritus of Ornamental Horticulture at Cuyamaca College, was born in Modesto, California. He was raised on the family farm in Hughson, outside Modesto, where he gained an appreciation for both the joys and struggles of farming and horticulture. Brad was graduated from Modesto Junior College before transferring to Fresno State where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Plant Science, later earning a Master’s Degree in Computers in Education from National University.

After college, Brad’s plans were to live outside the central valley for six months before returning to join the family farming business. However, after spending time in San Diego, working for a landscape contractor, he decided to extend his stay. He spent three years in the landscape industry before he accepted a position to establish a horticulture program at Southwestern College in Chula Vista. Brad knew then that he would not be returning to farming because teaching would become his life’s work.

In 1980 Brad had another opportunity. This time he got a chance to establish another horticulture program at a newly opening community college in neighboring Rancho San Diego. Brad has called Cuyamaca College his home ever since.

The program at Cuyamaca grew from modest beginnings to a robust department with eight different degree programs in specialty areas of horticulture serving more than 300 full and part time students. Brad developed curriculum, degrees and certificates, as well as teaching classes in irrigation, landscape construction, water conservation, plant science, soils and plant materials. During his career, he has written training manuals for Hunter Industries and the Irrigation Association. Receiving a Rice Family Foundation Fellowship in 2004, Brad spent a month in Australia and three months in Western Europe studying landscape plants suitable to Mediterranean gardens.

Brad attributes much of the department’s success to his close relationship with industry organizations and their members, along with the support of the department’s faculty and staff. Brad has recruited many industry leaders to teach at Cuyamaca and worked with the industry organizations to support the department’s programs. His work at Cuyamaca has included helping produce more than thirty industry conferences that provided education on xeriscape, turf management, and sustainable landscape practices. He has also offered Cuyamaca’s horticulture field site as the CLCA’s, and now PLANET’s, Landscape Industry Certification test site since the 1980’s. The department’s efforts in establishing the San Diego Xeriscape Council led to the on-campus construction of the 4.5 acre, award-winning Water Conservation Garden.

Over the years Brad has been given many accolades, both from the college and industry, including Cuyamaca College President’s Award, Faculty Member of the Year, the San Diego Horticultural Society’s Horticulturist of the Year, California Association of Nurserymen Education Award, the Edwin J. Hunter Conservation Award and the Irrigation Association Person of the Year.

Cuyamaca College gave Brad many opportunities, including the opportunity to meet his wife, Dr. Therese Botz, a colleague and chair of the American Sign Language Department. They met, married, and raised their daughter Marta in the Rancho San Diego community where they continue to live. In his retirement Brad enjoys working with the department and industry organizations.