Fred Missbach

My first experience with orchids was with my Father who grew in a small coal fired home made greenhouse from the late 1940's until the early 1950's. His travel schedule became such that he ended up giving his plants to Mr. C.E. Woolman, one of the founders of Delta, and who was a friend of my Father. Luckily I got the AOS back issues. I became hooked on orchids in the early 1970's when I happen to see Rebecca Northen's book while traveling. This led to growing under lights for a couple of years and a first greenhouse in 1973. John Lines in Signal Mountain, Tennessee, was a great inspiration and teacher I was fortunate that he was close to Atlanta and that business also took me in his direction. Presently I have 2 larger greenhouses with way too many plants and grow, or attempt to grow, just about everything but most of my plants are in the cattleya alliance. I am an AOS member since the early 1970's, a life AOS member from the 1980's, President of The Orchid Digest, active in my home society of Atlanta, and fortunate enough to have the opportunity to see a number of orchid shows throughout the year while traveling on business. The AOS continuing to serve the needs of the members would certainly be a personal goal of mine.