By Chris D. Andrews, executive director, Canadian Nursery Landscape Association (CNLA)

The Canadian Nursery Landscape Association (CNLA) recently lost one of its staunchest supporters with the resignation of Marc Thiebaud this past August, following 25 years of service to the board.

     Thiebaud was presented with a plaque from CNLA president Bruce McTavish in recognition for his continued dedication to the association and the industry.

     As owner and operator of OGS Landscape Maintenance Specialists, Thiebaud has had landscaping in his blood since joining his father in the family business in 1957.

     He was one of the founding members of the revised Association when it was downsized and moved from Ottawa to the LO office where it shared premises and an executive director until 1988. He was involved in the name change from Landscape/Paysage Canada to Landscape Canada in 1983, and also chaired the Constitution and By-Laws Committee in the early 1980s to expand the wording to include all of the commodity groups, rather than just the growers as it had been originally written.

     When the new Landscape Ontario (LO) was formed 1973, the provincial association joined the then Canadian Nursery Trades Association (CNTA) as the first new multi-commodity group association. As president of LO, Thiebaud started as a member representative of the national association in 1975. He became the LO representative in 1976, moving through the board as secretary/treasurer in 1978, first vice-president in 1979 and finally as president from 1980 to 1983. Thiebaud continued as chair of a number of groups through his years with CNLA, including Garden Centres Canada, Landscape Contractors Canada, Canadian Garden Council (formerly Canadian Nursery Marketing Council), chair of two Ontario CNLA Summer Tours and both the International Garden Centres Association seat for Canada (IGCA), as well as the Canadian IGCA Tour Committee chair from 1992 to 1995. Thiebaud received the first CNLA Honourary Life Membership in 1995.

     A valued member of the CNLA Board of Directors since its inception, Thiebaud’s last few years on the board were spent as the Board Parliamentarian, through which he guided the board constitutionally. He has always been an eager and energetic participant in debates, controversial at times but a strong supporter for those who put forward ideas/opinions in which he shared or believed.

     He is missed by the board and by the writer but remains an active member in the LO Past President’s Group and Strategic Planning Committee.