Bob Binnie, along with his wife Suzette, owns and operates Blue Ridge Honey Co. in Lakemont, Georgia and operates approximately 2000 colonies of bees along with a sizable honey packing operation.

Bob began his commercial beekeeping career in Oregon in 1981 and because of migratory beekeeping practices has had bees in nine states.

Voted 2003 Beekeeper of The Year in Georgia, Bob has also been president of several beekeeping associations including the Georgia Beekeepers Association, the Northeast Georgia Mountain Beekeepers Association, and the Macon County Beekeepers in western North Carolina.

Cameron Jack is from a small farming community northeast of Las Vegas, NV. His grandpa was a sideliner beekeeper, so Cameron grew up around honey bees and beekeeping. He traveled across the country to pursue a Ph.D. at the University of Florida under the mentorship of Dr. Jamie Ellis where he began investigating methods to control Varroa destructor a devastating honey bee pest. In 2018, Cameron was hired on as a teaching faculty at the University of Florida and has been obsessed with creating a premier educational program that prepares students for the many challenges associated with beekeeping. He currently teaches nine honey bee-related courses and has created an online Beekeeping Certificate Program at both the undergraduate and graduate level. In 2021, he transitioned into an Assistant Professor position where he continues to teach and conduct research with his graduate students, post-doctoral researchers, and many technicians focused on pesticides, pathogens and parasites that affect honey bees.

Carla Robertson is a second-generation commercial beekeeper based in Hoopers Creek, NC, where she plays a key role in her family’s business, Hoopers Creek Bee Company. Introduced to beekeeping at a very young age, Carla has developed a deep knowledge of what it takes to sustain a successful beekeeping operation in today’s challenging landscape.

Though based in North Carolina, Carla and her family are also migratory beekeepers, taking their bees to Florida each season to produce nucleus colonies, queens, and packages. In addition to their beekeeping work, Hoopers Creek Bee Company carries a full line of Amish-made beekeeping supplies, supporting both new and experienced beekeepers across the region.

Carla also helps run the Certified Honey Producer Program in North Carolina, which promotes transparency and quality in local honey production. She is the founder of the Save American Honey movement, a national effort to educate consumers on the importance of buying honey directly from U.S. beekeepers. Through open conversations with fellow beekeepers, Carla is shining a light on the growing threat of imported and falsified honey in the market and working to get real U.S. honey back into homes across the country.

Blake started his beekeeping journey 20 years ago at 12 years old as a small scale hobby beekeeper. Over the past 2 decades, the business has grown significantly with the help of an incredible team. It is now a migratory commercial beekeeping operation with 10,000 hives, a bulk bee supply company (Desert Creek Bulk Bees) , a honey packing company (Desert Creek Honey), a chain of hobby beekeeping stores (The Bee Supply) and a commercial bee supply store (Commercial Bee Supply). Blake married his high school sweetheart in 2011, and has two beautiful daughters. He also serves on the National Honey Board and on the board of the American Beekeeping Federation.

Brandon Simmons is a third-generation beekeeper and the owner of Foothills Farm & Apiary LLC. With a legacy rooted in beekeeping, Brandon seamlessly integrates traditional practices with innovative approaches to support sustainable and resilient honeybee populations.

Brandon’s journey in beekeeping spans over two decades, during which he has cultivated a deep understanding of hive dynamics and colony health. As the owner of Foothills Farm & Apiary, he leads a breeding program that blends time-tested methods with modern advancements. With a strong commitment to sustainability and chemical-free practices, his program focuses on improving honeybee genetics through instrumental insemination and selective breeding.

Under his leadership, Foothills Farm & Apiary has been at the forefront of honeybee breeding for seven years. The program employs a precise approach to genetic selection, utilizing instrumental insemination to propagate desirable traits such as disease resistance, hygienic behavior, and overall colony vitality.

Brandon’s dedication extends beyond the apiary; he is actively engaged in research to further understand the genetic factors influencing honey bee traits. His commitment to sustainability is reflected in his expansion of breeding operations, ongoing genetic studies, and educational outreach efforts.
With a vision for a resilient future for honeybee populations, Brandon Simmons continues to drive progress in beekeeping. Through Foothills Farm & Apiary, he strives to not only enhance honeybee genetics but also educate and inspire a community of beekeepers committed to sustainable practices.

David Tarpy is a Professor of Applied Ecology and the NC Extension Specialist in honey bees. Among other extension initiatives, his program runs the Queen & Disease Clinic and the Beekeeper Education & Engagement System (or BEES). His research interests focus on the biology and behavior of honey bee queens in order to better improve the overall health of queens and their colonies. His lab focuses on the reproductive potential of commercially produced queens, testing their genetic diversity and mating success in an effort to improve queen quality. He has served on the boards of the NC State Beekeepers, the Eastern Apiculture Society, the Bee Informed Partnership, and the editorial boards of the top two scientific journals on apiculture. He is a highly sought-after speaker for clubs around the country and is in high demand to talk about the research coming out of his lab.