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Our Management Team

 

In Memorial: In January 2008, we lost a good friend and co-worker with the death of Steve Shuster. Well known and respected by his co-workers and customers alike, Steve’s work ethic and good spirits were an inspiration to us all.  Steve had been with us for four years, and has made an indelible imprint on our Statuary department, bringing his creative and artistic vision to Gethsemane, and creating a department that offered the widest selection of pottery, containers and fountains in the Chicago area.

He was a well loved member of the Gethsemane family and will be missed by us all.     

 

Carol Rice, Annuals  
    

Anyone who has visited Gethsemane has been inspired and amazed at the color, variety, and design in the Annuals Yard. That’s the work of Carol Rice, our Annuals Buyer/Manager.  Carol has been with Gethsemane since 1996 and has developed the Annuals Yard into the jewel in the Gethsemane crown it is today.

Carol came to Gethsemane with a background in floral design, as the former co-owner of her own florist shop, and had been in the garden center business for years, prior to joining Gethsemane. She inherited the positive relationships, which had been developed with growers, and continues to nurture these grower partnerships. Much of the plant material you find in the Annuals Yard has been grown specifically for Carol’s valued customers, and some of our growers plant their entire annuals inventory solely for Gethsemane.

Carol and her team will go to great lengths to find specific plants for customers, but she will tell you her favorite responsibility is designing the displays and containers, bringing in plant material and statuary from across the Garden Center and creating garden vignettes which showcase all of Gethsemane’s wares. 

 Elyse Girard, Perennials

Elyse joined Gethsemane in 2002, after working as a Floriculturist at the Lincoln Park Conservatory. An avid Chicago gardener, with her own constantly evolving garden, Elyse has focused on finding plants and growers who can support the unique challenges of Chicago perennial gardening..…. shade, clay and zone envy!

Developing relationships with local growers, the majority of Elyse’s perennial plants come from growers within 100 miles of Chicago. The exception to that rule is testing and sampling newer perennials from growers across the country.  Elyse and her staff are always eager to devote time to our customers, exploring all of the Perennial possibilities for their particular garden, whether it’s 100% shade, 100% sun or something in between, they have the native plants which will perform best for the customers unique garden.

Her job affords Elyse a great deal of satisfaction, but nothing beats the excitement of a customer who finds just the right plant for their garden, or those customers who return to share photographs of their perennial garden, which Elyse and her staff helped to cultivate.  With the increased interest and popularity of perennial gardening, Elyse is always on the look out for newer plants, which will thrive in Chicago gardens.

John Eskandari, Trees and Shrubs

John is the Buyer/Manager of our Trees & Shrubs department. He has a passion for woody plant material, and strives to introduce our customers to at least twenty new tree and shrub specimens each year.  In addition to his work at Gethsemane, John is an instructor at Northwestern University’s Landscape Design & Management program, teaching classes on Sustainable Landscape Design and Succeeding with Plants. 
     
With a degree in Horticulture from Michigan State University, (as well as a degree in English Literature from the University of Michigan), John is a Certified Arborist and maintains active memberships in many Illinois landscape/horticulture organizations.  He is also a sought after guest speaker at neighborhood garden clubs and schools, which enables John to share his experience with plants, trees & shrubs and open peoples minds to the joy of growing woody plants. 

John has been at Gethsemane since 2000 and loves the interaction with our customers.With thousands of trees and shrubs available, finding the perfect specimen to meet a customers needs, is a challenge that John and his team meet and exceed every day.  

Mario Porto, Greenhouse

Mario’s gardening roots spread from Appleton, Wisconsin where he worked alongside of his parents in their garden from the age of four, all the way to Thailand, where he grew and nurtured tropical plants and rare orchids for nine years. Returning from Asia in 1996, fate stepped in and Gethsemane, where he had worked selling Christmas trees as a young man, was just about to open their new greenhouse.

Assuming responsibility as the buyer/manager of the Greenhouse, Mario has done an outstanding job creating a conservatory rivaling selection of tropicals, bonsai, orchids and succulents. He has hosted the American Begonia Society, as well as offering lectures in Bonsai, succulents, orchids and houseplants. Mario has been an enthusiastic guest speaker at many local Garden Clubs, where he has been invited to share his knowledge and passion for greenhouse plants. 

Repeat business is high in the Greenhouse, Mario’s customers know that he is always on the lookout for the most amazing tropicals and indoor plants to meet and exceed their high standards. He will travel from Florida to California in search of unique and unusual specimens, which he brings back to Gethsemane, to the delight of his loyal customers.  Additionally, Mario has developed an extensive network amongst small, one of a kind, growers, who he relies on when he is searching for special orders or unique specimens for the Greenhouse.    

Kathleen Chefas and Jennifer Gehant, Wild Pansy Gift Shoppe    
   

Kathleen joined Gethsemane in 1994, and assumed responsibility for the evolution of the Wild Pansy from it’s original, window-less Christmas ornament store to the unique and delightful gift shop it has become.

Relying on her own personal taste, and a commitment to finding the highest quality merchandise and hand made items, Kathleen has developed the Wild Pansy into a one of a kind shopping destination. Always on the lookout for unique, fine quality gifts and accessories, Kathleen’s loyal customers know that the gift they purchase at the Wild Pansy will be unlike any other. 

In 2002, Jennifer Gehant, Kathleen’s daughter, joined her, bringing a new energy to the Wild Pansy.  Jennifer had been working in marketing and development for non-profits, and welcomed the opportunity to work with family at Gethsemane.  As the mother of an active two year old, Jennifer brings a new mother perspective to the Wild Pansy’s merchandise strategy.

Whether the occasion is a birthday, anniversary, holiday, wedding or new baby, Kathleen and Jennifer have located the very best in linens, serving pieces, jewelry, accessories, books, paper goods and precious gifts for a new baby. With the change of seasons, Kathleen & Jennifer have an ever-changing array of seasonal gifts and decorations. There’s always something new and beautiful to see at the Wild Pansy.

As the Edgewater/Andersonville neighborhood has evolved during their tenure, Kathleen and Jennifer have built and maintain strong friendships with many of their customers, and welcome them, as well as the steady flow of out of town guests who visit the Wild Pansy each weekend. Jennifer enjoys the interaction with customers, particularly helping husbands and kids find gifts for their wives and mothers. Kathleen’s vision and hard work is rewarded daily, as she hears the delight in her customers voice as they peruse the hand selected merchandise and locate ‘just the right thing” for everyone on their shopping list.               

Bill Dunlea & Bob Waxstein, Statuary and Fountains

Bill and Bob have been involved in creating beautiful landscapes since they were teenagers, working for landscapers, one on the East Coast in Western Massachusetts, and one here in Chicago. Their work in the Statuary department is bringing their earlier work to a much higher level.

Bill has been with Gethsemane for seven years, after an early career in sales and sales management of domestic home textiles. Working with clients such as Marshall Fields, May Company and Dillard’s, Bill learned early on the value of identifying customer’s needs and exceeding their expectations, a practice he continues in the Statuary & Fountains department.  Bill is proud of his department’s reputation of having the widest selection and range of containers, statuary & fountains in the Chicago metro area, and his goal is to continue mining our existing vendors and identifying new providers to continually enhance the selection, variety and quality we offer our customers.

Bob was a partner in a landscape business in Tucson, AZ, designing and installing landscape and hardscape, while completing his degree in theater and set design. His experience in design has come into play daily in his four years in the Statuary department, where Bob strives to fulfill the needs of every gardener from small balconies & yards to large commerical developments. 

Together, Bill & Bob focus on finding the optimal statuary and fountain solutions for our urban and suburban customers, locating a rich mix of material, shapes and colors to enhance their outdoor living space.                          

      

Mardi Fisher, Landscape Design & Build

Mardi joined Gethsemane is 1999, with a deep background in plants, landscape and design.  Once the owner and operator of her own flower shop, Ambrosia, located in the heart of Chicago’s Boys Town neighborhood, Mardi moved onto Geimer Greenhouses in Long Grove, where she was responsible for their tropical plants and interior landscapes.

With a desire to focus on outdoor landscape solutions, Mardi came to Gethsemane and worked originally as an installation foreman in our Landscape Design department, which provided her with great hands-on experience and exposure to hardscape and landscape designs. Gaining experience and a loyal following of customers and referrals over two years, Mardi moved into her current role as full time Landscape Designer.
      
The greatest challenge for Mardi is to create and install a landscape design which provides the beauty & whimsy her clients long for, while meeting their very real time constraints in maintaining & caring for their new landscape. Her greatest reward is helping her clients realize gorgeous, useable and enchanting outdoor spaces from forgotten and at times, forsaken urban settings, big and small.

 

Brenda Brown and Jill Lane, Garden & Home Décor 

Big changes are underway in the Garden & Home Décor department, and Brenda and Jill have much to do with the new look & feel of the shop. Brenda’s background in retail and custom floral design, along with Jill’s experience in interior design and visual merchandising has led to an exciting new retail space at Gethsemane Garden Center.

Focusing on merchandise to enhance the beauty of your interior and exterior spaces, as well as tasteful & unique seasonal decorations, Brenda and Jill have combined their considerable experience, to the delight of anyone who has come into the Garden & Home Décor department. 

Brenda creates botanically correct silk floral arrangements for all occasions, and all interiors, as well as outdoor living spaces. Samples of her work decorate the tabletop displays, and can be found displayed on the walls of the Garden &Home Décor store. 

Jill’s background in interior design aides in their selection of cache pots, candlesticks, vases, table toppers & runners, hanging candelabras, art and furniture to compliment your home or garden setting.

The combined expertise of Brenda & Jill have created a unique shopping experience and another must-see destination at the Gethsemane Garden Center, with ever-changing inventory and seasonal décor. 
 

Kelly Larsen, Roses, Herbs & Vegetables

Kelly is our resident Rosarian, and oversees all aspects of our Rose garden, beginning with our bare root planting in March.   Under Kelly’s watchful eye, we planted 3500 of the highest-grade rootstock available in 2007, which ensures that all of the roses we sell at Gethsemane are acclimated to Chicago weather.

In addition to her rose responsibilities, Kelly is also in charge of managing our expanding Herb and Vegetable garden.  Each spring we select heirloom seeds from the Seed Saver Exchange, choosing seeds, which will perform best in Chicago. We have a full-time vegetable gardener on staff, who plants the heirloom seeds and grows our tomato, pepper and cucumber plants, all without the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides at our offsite greenhouse.  

Kelly is consistently working to find and secure additional local growers, who use no chemical pesticides, when growing the herbs & vegetables for our customers.  Recognizing the diverse nationalities represented on Chicago’s north side, Kelly continues to search and supply herbs and vegetables specific to Asian, Indian and Eastern European recipes.

Kelly is studying for her degree in Environmental Studies and brings a strong focus of sustainable gardening, reducing fossil fuel emissions by working with strictly local growers and implementing green processes and discipline to our everyday practices at Gethsemane. 

Bob “Heavy” Levy, Gethsemane Garden Center

Anyone who has ever been to Gethsemane no doubt recalls Bob’s boisterous voice, or smiling as you overhear his infectious laughter.  He’s the big guy with the white hair and blue apron, who mans the cash register in the Annual Yard each Spring, moving people through in our busiest season, with a mixture of efficiency and good humor.

Bob started with Gethsemane when it was one city lot, with no storefront, selling annuals, perennials and bags of soil from March through August.  Bob still laughs retelling the story of a truck driver pulling up with a full load of 40lb bags of top soil and asking them where their forklift was to empty the truck. Bob pointed to his two shoulders, and those of his co-workers and said, “Here’s our forklift”.   Thirty years later, with three forklifts on the property at all times, Bob has been a big factor in the growth and success of Gethsemane.

Bob’s wife, Claudia, will still be called into duty on busy weekends or for special events, like the Annual Sidewalk Sale. His kids started working at Gethsemane when they were eleven and twelve, hauling sod and helping out their dad.  Bob marvels at the current Garden Center, which has expanded from their original single city lot to the two city blocks that comprise Gethsemane today.  We’ve gone from four guys to a staff of one hundred and fifty people in our busiest season, he marvels.

With all of that positive change and growth, Bob says, one important thing remains constant, and that’s our great customers.  Our staff at Gethsemane is so caring, helpful and intelligent; that they make all of our customers feel special, welcome and well cared for.  Good staff and great customers, what a combination in Bob’s eyes.