Karl Varian became a Student Judge in October 2016 at the Dallas Judging Center living in Plano, Texas. He has been growing orchids since ~1960 and his collection is a collage of warm and intermediate growing plants with a mild focus on Cattleya alliance, Dendrobiums, Encyclias, Phalaenopsis, Paphiopedilums, Phragmipediums, and Vandas.