Licensing Account Manager Gary Nienhuis joins 40 Under 40 class of ‘18
Spring Meadow Nursery’s Gary Nienhuis joins the 40 Under 40 class of 2018
5/14/2018 – GPN (Greenhouse Product News), the leading business publication for horticulture professionals, recently named Gary Nienhuis, Licensing Account Manager for Spring Meadow Nursery, as an honoree in its 40 Under 40 Class of 2018.
Class members were nominated by their industry peers, based on personal and professional accomplishments. Nienhuis is one of 40 trailblazers under the age of 40 who exemplifies superior leadership, creativity, innovative thinking, excellence and compassion in and outside of the horticulture field.
“This year’s class is made up of 40 young men and women who are rising stars; who shine in their careers as well as their personal lives. These down-to-earth superstars have established themselves as current and future leaders of the horticulture industry,” said Tim Hodson, GPN’s editorial director. “It is a diverse and distinguished class. These young men and women represent the future of the horticulture industry. I believe our industry is in very good hands for many years to come.” Hodson added.
Although GPN doesn’t release the number of nominees, Hodson confirmed they had a “bumper crop” this year, coming within one nominee of their all-time high.
Regarding his admittance to the 2018 class, Nienhuis stated: “It is truly an honor to be chosen for 40 Under 40, and to represent Spring Meadow Nursery. This is really about the company I work for and how Spring Meadow gives its employees the opportunity to succeed in a great industry.”
Spring Meadow Nursery in Grand Haven, MI, was founded in 1981 by Dale and Liz Deppe and is the developer behind Proven Winners® ColorChoice®, one of the most recognized plant brands in North America.
Nienhuis, who lives in Mears, MI, with his wife, Charity and their three children, has been with Spring Meadow for 10 years, briefly working in territory sales before moving to the licensing department. In his current role, he helps growers and garden centers increase sales and improve their margins on Proven Winners® ColorChoice® shrubs. Nienhuis credits the national plant brand for part of his success, stating, “Being part of the Proven Winners® ColorChoice® brand has allowed me to do more than I ever could have imagined in this industry.”
Nienhuis and the other 39 honorees will be recognized in the GPN magazine’s May issue, at www.gpnmag.com and at a special reception during Cultivate '18, a horticulture trade show in Columbus, Ohio, in July.