BCLNA Member Award Winners 2009
The strength of our industry lies in the hundred of hours given by so many of our members. Whether it is the Annual Fundraising Auction, CHT Testing or dealing with pest and disease awareness, all association events, programs and issues require volunteer time, energy and input. Members and affiliates also use their talents to promote our industry, as garden writers and educators - educating the public and our next generation of horticulturists and gardeners.

Browse the Award Recipient Archive...

Outstanding Service Award
John Zaplatynsky, GardenWorks
Sponsor: Pacific Coast Nurseryman Magazine

It’s been almost 26 years since the company John Zaplatynsky formed with two other partners, Canada GardenWorksTM Ltd., acquired its first garden center. Today, the company is recognized by customers, suppliers, and competitors as an industry leader in merchandising and marketing.

John joined BCLNA in 1985 and became an active participant immediately. He served as president from 1991 to 1992. On the national scene, he assumed the CLNA presidency for the 1997 term, and later was its treasurer. A strong supporter of Retail Certification and growing valuable programs, he has pledged countless dollars to BCLNA, CNLA and community events.

John’s broader volunteerism has expanded the brain trust of the industry. He has been chairman of the Retail Merchants Association; he served on the Board of Governors of VanDusen Botanical Garden; and he serves on the board of the International Garden Centre Association. He has been president of the Vancouver Executives Association, a Retail Council member of both Hines Nursery and Monrovia Nursery, served as a director of Armstrong Garden Centers, Contech Industries, and SunGro Horticulture, as well as a variety of other companies. He is also a founder and principal of Pender West, a private equity group focused on mid-market private companies.

His colleagues say that John has been consistently generous in his willingness to share the knowledge and resources he’s gained for the good of the industry. His keen insight into effective organizational structures and his ability to see the big picture and craft a realistic long-term vision and strategy for achieving it, have benefitted Canadian garden retailers immeasurably.

His employees at GardenWorksTM were delighted to learn of this honor and wanted to express what a joy he is to work with. They respect his quiet “lead by example” approach and celebrate his honesty, fairness, and genuine caring about all the company staff. “He inspires and empowers us,” they say.

BCLNA, together with Pacific Coast Nurseryman Magazine, are pleased to celebrate John Zaplatynsky for his service and contributions to the horticulture industry at home and internationally; both are proud to have presented the Pacific Coast Nurseryman Outstanding Member Award to him in thanks and recognition.

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Member of the Year
Len Smit, Bradner's Growing Concern, Kato's Nursery Ltd.
Sponsor: Northwest Landscape Supply Ltd.

The quiet support that Len Smit has offered the industry during his 28 years in the business has been staggering. BCLNA members and staff know him for his ready assistance, unquestioning commitment, and his behind-the-scenes attention to matters affecting nursery growers— friends and competitors alike.

Len has worked as the production manager for Kato’s Nursery for 19 years. He has co-owned and operated Bradner’s Growing Concern with his wife Denise for the past 12. He makes time to volunteer for Bradner and Jubilee Halls, and is a director and treasurer of the Abbotsford Soils Conservation Association. He volunteers at the Bradner Flower Show, giving gardening seminars to members of the community.

Len was recently elected Growers Commodity Chair, a role he’ll fill with ease. He sits on BCLNA’s environment committee, the Invasive Plant Committee, Special Events Committee, S.O.D Task Force, and is a board member of the Industry Development Council. Len ensures BCLNA’s annual fundraising auction operates smoothly, toils with the CanWest Hort Show team each year, and participates in countless grower events.

“This is a great industry to work in,” says Len. “We have many friends who are our competitors, yet we share our knowledge and ideas for the greater good of our industry. Our association does a tremendous job in bringing us all together to achieve our common goals. We feel privileged to be part of the BCLNA and volunteering is a big part of why our association is able to deal with so many issues.”


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Young Member of the Year
Jeff Foley, Para Space Landscaping Inc.
Sponsor: Van Belle Nursery Inc.

Para Space Landscaping has long encouraged and supported their staff in pursuing advanced training to improve their skills and hone their knowledge, along with volunteerism in the industry and the community. And Jeff Foley makes himself an example, rain or shine.

A Certified Landscape Professional (CLP) and a Certified Horticulture Technician, Jeff is often called upon to assist with handson exams to certify CHTs. He helps with set up, judging, and serves as Vice Chair of the Certification Committee. In addition to his work with Certification, Jeff serves on BCLNA’s Landscape Executive, sits on the PlantHealthBC Steering Committee, the HortEducationBC Apprenticeship Review Committee, and has been part of the team to develop Red Seal testing, which will certify landscaping as a nationally recognized trade. He’s been a Communities in Bloom judge too.

Jeff’s contributions, says the selections committee, are even more laudable knowing that he fulfils all these roles in between being Vice President of a multiaward winning landscape company, and will continue to do so as one of BCLNA’s newest Directors-at-Large.


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Educator of the Year
Deborah Henderson, Instititute for Sustainable Horticulture
Sponsor: Terra Link Horticulture.

The educational reach of Dr. Deborah Henderson is broad. As Director of the Institute for Sustainable Horticulture, her role contributes educational advancement to horticulture students, industry professionals, the general public, and young, budding gardeners alike.

Deborah Henderson is dedicated to discovering the potential for integrating conservation, biological pest control and sustainable landscaping. Her efforts have led to the establishment of a biological control trial garden, or “Bug Garden,” a valuable living lab for students to practice horticulture and study plants, pests, and beneficial insects and the relationship between them.

Under her direction, the Institute also established a lab and pre-commercialscale production incubator for microbial insect pathogens, which will provide growers and landscape care providers with biological solutions to pest problems. This incubator facility is a first for Canada, and has the potential to put B.C. in the forefront of development of new microbial biocontrol products. In addition to developing these agents, ISH will also work with small and medium sized companies to commercialize the materials developed.

With Dr. Henderson’s help, PlantHealthBC was established to provide an accreditation program that assures consumers that their landscape professionals operate—in accordance with IPM practices—on an educated and preventative basis to keep gardens pest free, using pesticides only as a last resort.

Guided by Deborah Henderson, we know that the Institute for Sustainable Horticulture will prove to be an even more valuable source of research, knowledge, and professional development of our industry as it grows and flourishes.

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Garden Communicator of the Year
Brad Jalbert, Select Roses
Sponsor: Clearview Horticultural Products

When the Vancouver Rose Society was offered the opportunity to host the 2009 World Rose Festival & Convention, Brad Jalbert immediately set to work to promote the event, the industry, local growers, and VRS rose enthusiasts.

He wrote articles for newsletters and event press releases on demand, and provided informational support to both GardenWise Magazine and Gardens West Magazine. He gave interviews to the press for Tamara Taggart, Steve Whysall, ShawTV’s Studio 4, and a rash of other journalists to promote the event. He initiated a festival and convention blog, launched a Twitter account to tweet the news, contributed to event and society e-newsletters, ramped up his already exhaustive speaking engagements with garden clubs throughout the Lower Mainland, and allowed himself to be booked as a headlining speaker at both the festival and convention, wherever and whenever organizers requested it.

Then he set about helping public gardens get in shape, providing time, plants, and expertise to rose garden staff at UBC, the City of New Westminster, City of Burnaby, Queen Elizabeth Park and Stanley Park. There he offered advice on varieties best suited to the sites and ease of maintenance, then talked up their improvements to 600 international delegates of the World Rose Convention. It’s his policy to never say no when public gardens ask for help.

As owner-operator of Select Roses, Brad says, “Roses and gardening are my life.” And he doesn’t hesitate to share his passion and expertise to anyone who is interested. Brad hosts free seminars at his nursery throughout the growing season that are always filled to capacity, and he opens his rose farm to any tour that comes along. If you ask him why he does all this, Brad will tell you he’s just sharing the fun.

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Supplier of the Year
Denbow
Sponsor: Greenbridge Horticultural Advantage

In just five years of BCLNA membership, Denbow has had a hand in nearly all of this association’s main events; and as an active member of the Composting Council of Canada, BC Recreation & Parks Association, International Erosion Control Association, Canadian Land and Reclamation Association, and the Canadian Federation of Independent Businesses—we know they’ve had a hand in a great deal of others.

Jason Stower and the Denbow team often speak at industry and association tradeshows, seminars, and company “lunch-nlearns”. Denbow is a generous donor of products, services, and volunteer time to worthy charities and organizations, and over the past year has participated in Soils for Salmon, the Vancouver Convention Centre grand opening, home and garden shows in Vancouver and Abbotsford, the CanWest Hort Show, Landscapers & Contractors Expo, the BCLNA golf tournament, BCLNA’s landscape awards, the AGM, and other various commodity meetings.

Says Stower, “Volunteering is not only a great way to build your own business but it provides a great deal of satisfaction and well being. In terms of charity work, nothing beats the feeling of helping others in need. In terms of industry work, volunteering is a good way to stay knowledgeable and abreast of current events. It’s also a great networking tool.”


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Marketing Innovation of the Year
Not awarded in 2009.

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