Tom Wardell – President, MVGA
Owner - Wardell's Garden Center
Tom returned to his Grandparents' farm in 1982. In 1987 he was raising vegetable transplants in a 20 x 24' greenhouse.
Since then, his operations have expanded greatly, becoming a four-season garden center by growing all annuals in-house, adding perennials, nursery stock, tropicals, along with all of the hard goods from suppliers who specialize in these items.
Tom has been a member of MVGA from the very beginning and is currently starting his sixth year as President.
Jeff Creque – Vice President, MVGA
Owner/Manager, Creque’s Greenhouse
Jeff owns and manages Creque's Greenhouse with his wife, Eileen.
They bought the 2-acre operation in 1986 and have doubled the number of greenhouses to 47. Jeff has served on the Lucas Co Farm Bureau Board and Lucas Co Soil and Water Board and many terms with Toledo Area Flower and Vegetable Growers Board. He has now served multiple terms with the Maumee Valley Growers Board.
Jeff farms grain crops on 2,000 acres with his 2 sons, Brian and Tom. They also spend the summer and fall putting in hundreds of feet of drainage tile.
Bob Hoen – Treasurer, MVGA
Owner, Hoen’s Garden Center and Landscaping
Bob is the current Treasurer for the Maumee Valley Growers Association. He owns and operates Hoen's Garden Center and Landscaping along with his wife Theresa and some of their children.
The business is open all year offering seasonal plants, flowers, trees, shrubs, produce, and much more.
Jill Bench
Owner / Manager of Benchmore Farms
Bench's Greenhouse began operations in the winter of 1978 in a 32 x 144 poly greenhouse to supply their farm operation with a reliable source of tomato and pepper plants for commercial production in the canning industry.
Today, with over 3 acres of retail production and selling space, the farm offers 15,000 flowering hanging baskets, 100,000+ annual potted flowers, 25,000 potted perennial plants, nursery trees, roses, shrubs, bushes, and plants in NW Ohio.
At the farm which is located in Elmore, Ohio, Jill works alongside Donald Bench Sr, Janice Bench, and her husband, Don Bench Jr. The family also runs their Farm Market, The Cut Flower Farm, and The Christmas Shoppe. Benchmore Farms Inc. continues to raise processing tomatoes, corn, and soybeans.
Jill is the mother of 3 BGSU Falcons-Leah, Camryn & Andrew, and her fur baby-Braxton.
Dr. Jennifer Boldt
Research Horticulturist, USDA-Agricultural Research Service
Jennifer grew up helping out in the family greenhouse in Florida. She has a B.S. (Environmental Horticulture, 2005), B.A. (Business Administration, 2005), and M.S. (Horticultural Sciences, 2008) from the University of Florida and a PhD (Applied Plant Sciences, 2013) from the University of Minnesota. She joined ARS in 2013.
Her research focuses on cultural and environmental management of ornamentals and food crops produced in greenhouses and other controlled environments. Her research is primarily applied, with an emphasis on developing strategies growers can adopt to enhance crop production and/or reduce inputs.
Jennifer has been a MVGA Board Member since 2015, serving as an Education representative.
Kim Bunge
Vice President / Co-Owner of Waldo & Associates and KeepU Growing
Kim is Vice President / Co-Owner of two horticultural distribution companies - Waldo & Associates, Inc. in Perrysburg, OH and KeepU Growing, dba, a Premium Horticultural Supply Co. in Louisville, KY.
She has 40 years of passionate dedication to the horticultural industry that also includes Wholesale distribution, Retail Garden Center Management, Landscape design and Interiorscape design.
Kim has volunteered on several boards such as MVGA, Penta Career Center, City Tree Commissioner and is a current member of
American Hort, Kentucky Nursery & Landscape Association, Indiana Flower Growers Association, Nursery Growers of Lake County and Cincinnati Flowers Growers Association.
Scott Dabrunz
Manager, Wholesale Operations at Schmittuz Gardens
Under the toolage of their father, George Dabrunz, Scott, and brother Tim manage their family greenhouse business in Fremont, Ohio, since 1915, which their great uncle initially founded. Tim handles the retail while Scott manages the wholesale portion of the company.
Scott is often seen selling their produce at area farmers' markets and auctions. He also handles their seeding and cuttings program.
Zach Edwards
General Manager for Black Diamond Garden Centers
Zach handles the daily operations for our two retail locations, including purchasing, staffing, and marketing.
He is also co-chair of the Education/Events committee for MVGA.
Gene Klotz
Retired
Gene and Rita Klotz retired in 2021. They were a family-owned and operated floral shop greenhouse since 1918.
Gene will continue to serve on MVGA’s Board and bring his expertise and experience to our organization.
His family has always gone the extra mile serving our industry and the Bowling Green community.
We’re glad to have Gene on our Board.
Karen Langan
Co-Owner of Mulberry Creek Herb Farm
After graduating from Ohio State University and working as a landscaper for a local firm, Karen accepted a position at Molbak's greenhouse near Seattle, WA. She eventually met her future husband, Mark, affectionately known as her "Seattle souvenir."
After moving back to Ohio, together, they carved out a spot in the middle of Karen's family grain operation to start Mulberry Creek Herb Farm in 1995, with a modest selection of herbs. Their niche business now grows and sells over 1000 varieties of herbs, vegetables, succulents, miniature perennials, and bonsai specimens.
Karen manages retail, organizes farm events, assists in wholesale operations, and produces the greenhouse's weekly, year-round Facebook LIVE videos, among many other "hats."
Anne Schenk
Vice President, Palmer Energy Company
As Vice President of Operations, Anne’s responsibilities include oversight of natural gas and electric operations and supervision of Palmer’s internal analyst team.
Anne also provides consulting and procurement services for Palmer’s key natural gas and electric clients as well as management of the Growers Energy Solution’s Natural Gas and Electric Savings Programs.
Rusty Storrer
Ohio’s Monrovia Nursery Company Representative
Born in Archbold, Ohio then family moved around quite a bit and eventually moved back and graduated from Archbold HS.
Rusty’s first exposure to the nursery industry was while working at The Anderson’s in Columbus while going to school.
He started his career with Monrovia in 1992 after attending Iowa State and Ohio State Universities. After several moves and company job responsibilities, Rusty moved back to Ohio in 2001 and has lived here since. He became the Midwest regional manager while continuing to sell from 2011-2016 until the administrative position phased out. Glad I stuck with sales!
Married to Susan Storrer since 1996 and have two children. Daughter attending Otterbein University and son still in high school at Olentangy Orange.
Denise Timm
Partner – Bostdorff Greenhouse
Denise and Eric purchased the greenhouse from Dick and Maryann Bostdorff in 2015. Eric had been a partner with the Bostdorff’s for over 20 years with much greenhouse experience, including managing, designing, and working in the landscaping division.
This was a new endeavor for Denise as her background was in medical management, but she is gaining knowledge by the day as there is so much to understand about greenhouse operations.
Bostdorff’s grow and sell annuals, perennials, shrubs, and vegetables. As of the 2022 season, they will shift their landscape service to customer DIV landscape design and assist them in growing a great garden!
