Mentor

Brent Vanderkruk is the customer service manager of NVK Nurseries, a fourth generation wholesale nursery based in Dundas, Ont. With over 100 years in business, NVK is one of Canada’s largest wholesale nurseries, serving customers across the country and in several U.S. states.

As an urban indigenous woman, Jody Harbour started deeply exploring her own heritage and roots a little over 10 years ago.

Christopher Thacker went from being a 12-year-old kid with a shovel to running one of Toronto’s largest snow removal operations.

Gloria Beck is encouraging Canadian landscape and horticulture professionals to support Year of the Garden 2022.

Landscape Trades recently had the opportunity to talk landscaping with builder Randy Spracklin, of HGTV’s Rock Solid Builds fame.

An ecological engineer by training, Dr. Nadina Galle researches, designs and pilots emerging technologies to better monitor (and reconnect people to) urban ecosystems — a framework she coined in her doctoral thesis titled “Internet of Nature” (IoN).

Brad Paton is president of Shades of Summer Landscaping, based in Waterdown, Ont.

Nichole Ashton is a trainer and the contractor representative for the Smart About Salt Council (SASC).

Landscape Trades publisher Lee Ann Knudsen retired in January, after more than 20 years with the magazine.

Jan Pedersen is an icon of the horticultural industry and he has earned that reputation, with 50 years of service in our trade.