<p>The CIOPORA Board election in The Hague</p>

The Board of CIOPORA is responsible for the general management and control of the affairs and the assets of the association. It is in charge of the implementation of decisions of the Annual General Meeting of CIOPORA members. The Board consists at least of 8 and not more than 11 members elected by the AGM in a secret ballot on proposal of the Board.

The CIOPORA Board consists of experts with a longtime experience in the field of Intellectual Property Protection for plant innovation. They are mainly breeders - the faces of the modern innovation-based horticultural business.

Andrea Mansuino has been active in horticultural business since 1987 and is a forth generation nurseryman, whose family has been in breeding of ornamentals for almost a century. Andrea Mansuino owns a nursery in Sanremo, which, beside the breeding and production of ornamentals and foliage, is preoccupied with the production of energy from the renewable resources. Andrea Mansuino is also a shareholder of the NIRP International, the Director of Research and Development at the NIRP East Africa Ldt. and the President of the Confagricoltura Liguria.

Per Klemm is the managing director of Selecta Klemm, Germany - a part of the Selecta Group - a three generation family-based plant-breeding company. Since 2004 he has been also on the board of directors of Mueller - die lila Logistik AG. Per Klemm holds a degree in Agricultural Science from the University of Applied Sciences, Delft.

Dominique Thevénon is the Executive Secretary at the AIGN, the Associated International Group of Nurseries, France. She currently holds a honorary position of CIOPORA's treasurer handling the finances of the association. Currently she is also the chairwoman of the Crop Section Fruit. She is also an independent contractor in the field of IP management. Dominique Thevénon holds a degree in Law and Languages obtained at the University of Grenoble, France.

Andreas is the managing owner of Kientzler Jungpflanzen GmbH & Co KG (sales, production) and of Innovaplant. After the horticultural studies at the Tuinbouw Hogeschool in Delft, NL, he had worked for 6 years as a production manager at Innovaplant de Costa Rica, the motherstock facility of the Kientzler Group, before he moved back to the headquarter of Kientzler and Innovaplant in Germany in 2003. Andreas is a member of the Board of CIOPORA Germany, where he has served as Chairman for the past three years.

Antonio Villarroel is the managing director at GESLIVE, A.I.E. - the Spanish National Association of Plant Breeders. At GESLIVE, he is active in the field of protection of IP rights on plant varieties and plant materials managing licences for over 700 plant titles in Spain and third countries. Antonio Villarroel is also the Secretary General of ANOVE. Mr. Villarroel has a Law Degree from the Complutense University of Madrid.

Bruno Etavard has been active in the field of plant breeding since 1982. In 1988 he joined Meilland International, the world leading company in rose breeding, as a License Manager. Bruno Etavard has been the member of IRBA, the International Rose Breeder Association, since 1988. He joined the Board of CIOPORA in 2010.

Dr. Jan de Riek is research group leader at ILVO - The Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries Research, Belgium. He is the chairman and the brain-power behind the CIOPORA Working Group Molecular Techniques. At the ILVO Dr. de Riek is preoccupied with molecular genetics and breeding research in ornamental and agricultural crops. He acquired his doctorate degree in plant biotechnology at the University of Gent.

Lars Henriksen is the managing director of PLA International, where he is resposible for the worldwide activities of the company. The specific focus of Lars Henriksen's work is the management of IP assets of PLA Int. He is also a board member at Plantinova and the chairmen of the FloriPartner A/S board. At CIOPORA Lars Henriksen also serves as the chairman of the Working Group on DUS.

Maarten Leune is the owner and Director of the Royalty Administration International CV, the worldwide specialist in plant breeders' rights and royalty monitoring. Previously he worked as a Managing Director at the Chrysanthemum Breeders Association NV. Maarten Leune obtained his degree in Economy and Agriculture from the HAS Dronten.

Steve Hutton is a third-generation nurseryman. He is President & CEO of the Conard-Pyle Company. He is also President of the National Association of Plant Patent Owners, member of the board of the Wholesale Nursery Growers of America and member of the International Plant Propagators’ Society. As the only CIOPORA Board member from the U.S., Steve Hutton is the main communicator of the association's policy beyond the big pond.

Wendy works at Plant & Food Research Limited - a New Zealand-based science company providing research and development that adds value to fruit, vegetable, crop and food products. There she leads a specialized team which takes a cross-functional approach combining science and technical competence, legal approaches, and business acumen to maximize profitability and business opportunities for new plant varieties intellectual assets.

The CIOPORA Board election in The Hague

members show high degree of unity among members. The Board of CIOPORA is responsible for the general management and control of the affairs and the assets of the association. It is in charge of the implementation of decisions of the Annual General Meeting of CIOPORA members. The Board consists at least of 8 and not more than 11 members elected by the AGM in a secret ballot on proposal of the Board. The President of the association is elected for the term of three years. The President can be reelected once. The CIOPORA Board consists of experts with a longtime experience in the field of Intellectual Property Protection for plant innovation. They are mainly breeders - the faces of the modern innovation-based horticultural business. Meet the Board Members of CIOPORA: Andrea Mansuino, NIRP - President of CIOPORA Andrea Mansuino has been active in horticultural business since 1987 and is a forth generation nurseryman, whose family has been in breeding of ornamentals for almost a century. Andrea Mansuino owns a nursery in Sanremo, which, beside the breeding and production of ornamentals and foliage, is preoccupied with the production of energy from the renewable resources. Andrea Mansuino is also a shareholder of the NIRP International, the Director of Research and Development at the NIRP East Africa Ldt. and the President of the Confagricoltura Liguria. Per Klemm, Selecta Klemm - Vice-President of CIOPORA Per Klemm - Vice-President of CIOPORA Per Klemm is the managing director of Selecta Klemm, Germany - a part of the Selecta Group - a three generation family-based plant-breeding company. Since 2004 he has been also on the board of directors of Mueller - die lila Logistik AG. Per Klemm holds a degree in Agricultural Science from the University of Applied Sciences, Delft. Dominique Thevenon, AIGN - Treasurer Dominique Thevénon - Treasurer Dominique Thevénon is the Executive Secretary at the AIGN, the Associated International Group of Nurseries, France. She currently holds a honorary position of CIOPORA's treasurer handling the finances of the association. Currently she is also the chairwoman of the Crop Section Fruit. She is also an independent contractor in the field of IP management. Dominique Thevénon holds a degree in Law and Languages obtained at the University of Grenoble, France. Andreas Kientzler Andreas Kientzler - New Board member from 2014 Andreas is the managing owner of Kientzler Jungpflanzen GmbH & Co KG (sales, production) and of Innovaplant. After the horticultural studies at the Tuinbouw Hogeschool in Delft, NL, he had worked for 6 years as a production manager at Innovaplant de Costa Rica, the motherstock facility of the Kientzler Group, before he moved back to the headquarter of Kientzler and Innovaplant in Germany in 2003. Andreas is a member of the Board of CIOPORA Germany, where he has served as Chairman for the past three years. Antonio Villarroel, Geslive - Board Member Antonio Villarroel - Board Member Antonio Villarroel is the managing director at GESLIVE, A.I.E. - the Spanish National Association of Plant Breeders. At GESLIVE, he is active in the field of protection of IP rights on plant varieties and plant materials managing licences for over 700 plant titles in Spain and third countries. Antonio Villarroel is also the Secretary General of ANOVE. Mr. Villarroel has a Law Degree from the Complutense University of Madrid. BrunoEtavard, Meilland Int. - Board Member Bruno Etavard - Board Member Bruno Etavard has been active in the field of plant breeding since 1982. In 1988 he joined Meilland International, the world leading company in rose breeding, as a License Manager. Bruno Etavard has been the member of IRBA, the International Rose Breeder Association, since 1988. He joined the Board of CIOPORA in 2010. Jan de Riek, ILVO - Board member Jan de Riek - Board Member Dr. Jan de Riek is research group leader at ILVO - The Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries Research, Belgium. He is the chairman and the brain-power behind the CIOPORA Working Group Molecular Techniques. At the ILVO Dr. de Riek is preoccupied with molecular genetics and breeding research in ornamental and agricultural crops. He acquired his doctorate degree in plant biotechnology at the University of Gent. Lars Henriksen, PLA Int. - Board member, past President of CIOPORA Lars Henriksen - Board Member & past President (2005 -2011) Lars Henriksen is the managing director of PLA International, where he is resposible for the worldwide activities of the company. The specific focus of Lars Henriksen's work is the management of IP assets of PLA Int. He is also a board member at Plantinova and the chairmen of the FloriPartner A/S board. At CIOPORA Lars Henriksen also serves as the chairman of the Working Group on DUS. Maarten Leune, RAI - Board member, past President of CIOPORA Maarten Leune - Board Member & past President (1999 - 2005) Maarten Leune is the owner and Director of the Royalty Administration International CV, the worldwide specialist in plant breeders' rights and royalty monitoring. Previously he worked as a Managing Director at the Chrysanthemum Breeders Association NV. Maarten Leune obtained his degree in Economy and Agriculture from the HAS Dronten. Steve Hutton, Conard Pyle - Board member Steve Hutton - Board Member Steve Hutton is a third-generation nurseryman. He is President & CEO of the Conard-Pyle Company. He is also President of the National Association of Plant Patent Owners, member of the board of the Wholesale Nursery Growers of America and member of the International Plant Propagators’ Society. As the only CIOPORA Board member from the U.S., Steve Hutton is the main communicator of the association's policy beyond the big pond. Wendy Cashmore Wendy Cashmore - new Board member from 2014 Wendy works at Plant & Food Research Limited - a New Zealand-based science company providing research and development that adds value to fruit, vegetable, crop and food products. There she leads a specialized team which takes a cross-functional approach combining science and technical competence, legal approaches, and business acumen to maximize profitability and business opportunities for new plant varieties intellectual assets.