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

Jacquie Williams-Courtright

Alden Lane Nursery

 

Jacquie Williams-Courtright is the owner of Alden Lane Nursery in Livermore.  Her parents Jack and Ruth Williams founded the garden center in 1955.  Jacquie’s grandparents came to Livermore in 1919.

 Jacquie is the host of The Valley Gardener airing on community access television seen locally or online at TV30.org.  The monthly program features seasonal gardening topics and has been on going for 25 years.

 Jacquie earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Ornamental Horticulture at California State Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo.   Jacquie became one the first in the state to become a California Certified Nursery Professional and is a great proponent of the program.  She was the third woman to serve as State President of the California Association of Nurseries and Garden Centers founded in 1917.  She was the first woman to serve as the American Nursery and Landscape Association Retail Division president based in Washington, DC.

After graduating from Cal Poly Jacquie came home to the family business where she focused on marketing and advertising.  She enjoyed working in every department and now heads the 61 year old company.  Her involvement in the community and nursery association has been a constant in her life as it has for her husband Tom.

 Jacquie married Tom Courtright on July 4, 1990.  Tom is a second-generation garden center owner also.  He owns Orchard Nursery & Florist is Lafayette, California.  The couple chose the date as both garden centers were closed which enabled their garden center family to attend the nuptials.

Jacquie and her husband Tom were co-recipients of the Pacific Coast Nurseryman Award.  Both she and Tom received the California Nursery Association’s CCN Pro and CANERS Hall of Fame awards,  the first for promoting on going education through the certification program and the latter for supporting the state endowment for education and research.  Jacquie was named the county’s 2008 Outstanding Agriculturist by the Alameda County Farm Bureau.    The most recent honor, Jacquie will be the Grand Marshall in the Livermore Rodeo Parade this June.

 Jacquie served as the 2007-2008 Livermore Rotary Club President.  The club is made up of 150 community leaders.  She has served on the Livermore Chamber of Commerce, Alameda County Fair Board and was elected to Alameda County Flood Control and Water Conservation District.  Jacquie currently is a member of the Las Positas College and Livermore High School horticulture advisory committees and the California Association of Nurseries and Garden Centers, Central Chapter board.  Wanting to advocate for her customers during the drought Jacquie will run for a Water District seat this June, 32 years after serving the same board.