Consulting in all areas of post-harvest horticulture, including the care and handling, transportation, packaging and storage of floral, nursery, fruit and vegetable crops. PRO has developed long-term relationships with many professionals who are ready to serve PRO clients. Some areas of expertise covered by PRO Associates includes polymer chemistry, regularatory affairs, analytical chemistry, food technology, food processing, precooling and refrigeration.

Dr. Staby was an assistant, associate and full Professor of Horticulture at Ohio State University from 1970 to 1982. In addition, Dr. Staby was instrumental in founding the Chain of Life, an international education program for commercial floral industries, specifying the proper post-harvest handling and storage techniques for individual crops. Since this program was initiated, Dr. Staby has given more than 275 talks on this subject, as well as preparation of over 100 trade publication articles.

Dr. Staby has four patents to his name, as well as being author of a computer-generated literature retrieval system, in which is contained more than 11,800 references on post-harvest subjects. In addition he has written dozens of refereed journal articles and hundreds of industrial trade articles.

Dr. Staby was a visiting professor of horticulture at the University of California Davis. As a result of his research on precooling/storage techniques, he has designed over 25 commercial precoolers and handling systems.

Dr. Staby was Vice President of Research at FoodSource, Inc., San Rafael, California, a firm responsible for the development of controlled atmosphere, intermodal containers for perishable transport. During this time Dr. Staby initiated industry-wide changes in box design/packaging of cut flowers shipped out of California via this new transportation system.

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