PRESS RELEASE
from
FOREMOSTCO, INC. 8457 NORTHWEST 66 STREET, MIAMI, FLORIDA 33166

FOREMOSTCO APPOINTS INDUSTRY VETERAN, TOM FENNELL, III, TO HEAD ITS NEW ORCHID DIVISION.

Miami, Florida—July 13, 2005--Orchid industry veteran Tom Fennell III has been appointed Manager of ForemostCo’s Orchid Division. “I welcome the opportunity to return to ForemostCo to develop this new division. It is an opportunity to bring together my interest and experience with orchids and the firm’s strategy to become a key player in the global orchid marketplace,” says Fennell.

Tom Fennell grew up as a fourth generation orchid grower in America’s oldest orchid company, Fennell Orchid Co. and its renowned, Orchid Jungle located in Homestead, Florida. The company operated a tourist attraction and retail orchid nursery selling through mail-order, on location, and via satellite shops in garden centers and shopping malls throughout Florida. Orchid Jungle Laboratories, the firm’s research and development arm, provided tissue culture services and starter plants for commercial growers. Fennell served as the company’s Vice-President and General Manager for 20 years. The company was destroyed in Hurricane Andrew in 1992.

Fennell joined ForemostCo in 1996 and served as National Sales Manager through 1999. In July 1999 he left ForemostCo to pursue other business interests.

“Being able to work with orchids again, with a great company like ForemostCo is a dream job,” says Fennell who grew up working with orchids. At 17 he trained in Europe at Lemfoerder Orchideenzucht in northern Germany. After returning to the U.S., he continued his university education in Miami and Hawaii graduating with a B.S. in Horticulture from the University of Hawaii. During his studies, Fennell focused on plant tissue culture research and development, studying with Dr. Yoneo Sagawa.

“ForemostCo’s Orchid Division will focus on consistently distributing quality starter plants to growers throughout the U.S. and Europe in a timely and cost effective manner sourcing product from a select group of suppliers,” adds Fennell. Given the current growing demand for orchids which lead flowering pot plant sales in the U.S., Europe and Japan, there is a clear need for diverse, quality starter material.

Fennell has consulted extensively to orchid producers throughout the Americas on matters of production, new product development, marketing and distribution.

In its 18 years of operation, ForemostCo has become the largest importer of live plants to the U.S., accounting for more than 20% of all plants brought into the country. Working in partnership with its customers and growers throughout the globe, ForemostCo, Inc. caters to the need for consistent quality, new product development, exceptional service, on-time delivery, and ethical sourcing.

In its effort to bring together the best plant varieties, production techniques, demanding quality standards, and delivery options, ForemostCo is building a global network of innovative, cutting-edge floricultural product supplies, always pursuing its objective of creating value for its customers. For details on the range of ForemostCo’s products and services please visit us at www.Foremostco.com.

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CONTACTS:
Randy Goff, General Manager / 1.800.421.8986 x 272, randyg@foremostco.com;
George Skinner, National Sales Manager / 1.800.421.8986 x 258, george@foremostco.com