Based upon the number of orchid growers who have switched to Dyna-Gro it would seem to have been a good decision. Upon the suggestion of John Miller, a noted phalaenopsis hybridizer, grower and Senior AOS Judge, Dave studied research papers on the benefits of silicon in plant nutrition and developed Pro-TeKt® "The Silicon Solution"®.

Dave and his wife Sue are members of the Marin, San Francisco and American Orchid Societies and grow a variety of orchids in their home. Their collection emphasizes dendrobiums, cymbidiums and vandaceous orchids but like most others, includes a number of others including phals, paphs, oncidiums, cattleyas, bulbophyllums, zygopetalums and others.

He attended the U.S. Air Force Academy for three years where studies emphasized engineering sciences and mathematics. He received a BA from Nebraska Wesleyan University in 1964 with a major in political science and minors in mathematics and history. He received an M.B.A. from University of Nebraska with a major in finance and a minor in accounting in 1967. 

In 1972 he was graduated with a J.D. from Golden Gate University where he was on the Law Review staff all three years, the last as an editor. As an editor of the Golden Gate Law Review he first sold the board of editors on the appropriateness of an environmental topic for a law review, then wrote an article entitled "Recycling: Problems and Proposals" to propose tax incentives and other legislative action to deal with environmental problems. 

He is a member of the California Society of Certified Public Accountants and the American Institute of CPAs and has held audit and tax staff positions in the San Francisco offices of both Coopers & Lybrands and Deloitte-Touche. He also ran his own accounting practice in San Francisco from 1969 to 1978.

Dave is also a member of the California Bar Association and is admitted to practice before the U.S. Tax Court and various other Federal Courts. Since his admission to the California Bar in 1972, he has specialized in business law, partnerships, taxation and R & D syndications. During that time he has served on the board of directors for several privately held for profit and non-profit corporations and has acted as the sole general partner or a co-general partner of various R & D oriented and real estate investment and development limited and general partnerships. 

Dave is an ex-high school and college wrestler who still enjoys the thrills and challenges of competition. He is a life member of the American Motorcyclist Association and holds expert motorcycle road racing licenses from both the AMA and the AFM where he has raced motorcycles for nearly 30 years. He has been a member of Mensa and the American Association for the Advancement of Science for over 35 years and a member of the Norton Owners Club for a similar period having served as President of the Northern California Chapter. Dave is also the father of two sons who share his interests in skiing, fishing, hunting, mountain bikes and motorcycles.  However, they have to skateboard without him.

February Culture Session 7:00 pm
Kathy Barrett will show how to clean and stake plants for presentation in an orchid show (like the upcoming SF show)

Nathalie Smith – February Raffle Table
Nathalie has kindly agreed to provide plants from her collection for the raffle table again. Additionally, plants from Tonkin’s Orchids will be available also.