A group of 109 gathered for a casual lunch to celebrate the twenty-eight years of service that  Dr. John Kabashima, Environmental Horticulture Advisor for Orange County, has dedicated to the UC ANR Cooperative Extension. Attendees included colleagues – researchers, advisors, staff, and business contacts; along with many of the UCCE Master Gardener - Orange County volunteers.

The festivities included a looping picture collage of his career, speeches, and a barbeque lunch hosted by Darren Haver, Center and County Director, and cooked by UC ANR South Coast REC staff.

In addition to many administrative and academic accomplishments, John's active career has included cutting edge research on invasive species such as the red imported fire ant, the glassy winged sharp shooter, and the polyphagus shot hole borer to new name a few, in the Southern California area and beyond.

Luckily for those of us who work with him, retirement will not last long for John who will retain emeritus status conducting further research on the invasive species that plague Southern California and beyond.