The Mid-Columbia Agricultural Research and Extension Center is in the midst of a growth spurt.  There are lab renovations going on at the facility in Hood River, and more staff is coming in.  That includes a new executive director, and OSU Extension Horticulturalist Ashley Thompson says Dr. Brian Pearson comes to them from a similar facility in Florida.  Pearson brings nearly 20 years of experience in research, teaching, and extension with strong roots in the land-grant system.  His investigative focus considers all aspects of diverse specialty crop production to include selection, cultivation, and management for aesthetic, edible, beverage, and medicinal application and use with a specific focus on developing a thorough understanding of how each agricultural production factor, separately and in combination, influence plant growth and development. Pearson is to begin work at the Center later this month.