Howie Dash has been president of the Mesilla Valley Iris Society and Region’ 23 RVP.  Originally from the Hudson Valley of New York, he and his wife Lily  moved to Las Cruces, New Mexico in 2009.  His garden was one of the gardens on the ArilTrek in 2018.  He is the chairman of the 2021 AIS National in Las Cruces, NM

Nationally, Howie is on the board of the AIS.  He has also served as the RVP representative.  Presently, Howie is president of the Arilbred Society International.  Howie maintains an iris business, hybridizes irises and have awards at the national level. Howie won the prestigious Zurbrigg-Mahan Award for best seedling at the national convention in Des Moine Iowa.

He has developed many irises which are for sale at his business Picacho Mountain Iris.