Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) CEO, Carol Paris will leave the organisation next month after seven years.

Over the past seven years with the HTA, Ms Paris has served as vice president, president and CEO. During her tenure as CEO, the HTA has restructured to improve member services, acquired and moved to a new headquarters and restructured the investment portfolio to reduce the risk and volatility of exposure to the stock market.

The HTA has collaborated with many other organisations and was a founding partner of the government Ornamental Horticulture Roundtable, raising the profile of ornamental horticulture in the political sphere.

Before taking up the full-time role of chief executive at the HTA, Ms Paris was operations director at the Garden & Leisure Group, who she was with for 15 years before it was acquired by Wyevale, then trading as The Garden Centre Group.

It was announced that she will leave the HTA at the end of April. Ms Paris said of the news:: “I feel very privileged to have had the opportunity to serve the HTA. I am confident that as there is now an established senior team in place and a new HQ, it is time for me to move on to new challenges.”

HTA president Adam Wigglesworth commented: “My thanks go to Carol for her many years of enthusiasm and commitment to the HTA. We wish her much success in the future. The strong team Carol leaves at the HTA are ready and determined to continue driving membership satisfaction, benefits and promoting the garden industry.”