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Like many professional greenhouses, Casa Verde Growers in Columbia Station, Ohio, uses technology to make operations more efficient. Overhead automated lines pull and water hanging baskets around the 4-acre production greenhouse, conveyer belts move pots to various points to get soil nutrients and amendments, and newly acquired robots stick perennial cuttings in 2-gallon pots.

But during a June 2 tour with Noelle Clark Akin, manager of training and education, and Todd Metevia, head grower and general manager, it was clear there is a lot of human expertise involved, too, even where technology is available. Casa Verde feeds annuals and perennials to 10 Petitti Garden Centers locations in Northeast Ohio, and there are various systems that track what customers are purchasing and when a particular variety needs to be replenished. Walking the expansive 40-acre property after the two busiest weekends of the year — Mother’s Day and Memorial Day — Akin and Metevia took note that tomatoes were almost gone and going faster than expected, and there were more red geraniums left than white.

Angelo Petitti, who founded Casa Verde, Petitti Garden Centers and Petitti Family Farms, still walks the greenhouses most days. Akin recalled one recent weekend, when one of the stores was out of Genovese basil, and Petitti was at the greenhouse, trying to secure the delayed order.

Like many greenhouse and nursery operations, Casa Verde’s success comes from a balance of expert knowledge, technology and automation, which requires people to manage it all and make decisions to move business forward. The Horticultural Industries Leadership Awards (HILA) program is all about shining a light on the greenhouse and nursery industry leaders who do this work every day.

Since 2017, Greenhouse Management and Nursery Management have honored more than 60 people who have inspired and empowered their teams and kept companies afloat in challenging economies. They realize that the best greenhouses and nurseries don’t just grow plants; they grow people who have families, career aspirations and a passion for their work.

They have improved the industry and the places in which their businesses operate. People spend decades working for these mostly family-owned, independent businesses and are loyal to the leaders who inspire them through their commitment to their companies and contributions to their communities. HILA is all about honoring the people behind the companies, the products, the plants and the innovations.

This year, Greenhouse Management and Nursery Management are proud to welcome the following leaders into the Horticultural Industries Leadership Awards Class of 2026:

• Ken Fisher, who retired this year after a decade as AmericanHort’s CEO
• Peter Kruger, global product sourcing & development director, Ball Horticultural Company
• Vicki Lima, owner, Lima Greenhouses and Vicki’s Garden Center
• Kelly Marcum, owner, Marcum’s Nursery
• Angelo Petitti, founder, Petitti Garden Centers, Casa Verde Growers and Petitti Family Farms
• Danny Shreckhise, owner, Shreckhise Nurseries

Congratulations to all the nominees and HILA recipients, and thank you for your contributions to this industry. Thank you to Sprayer Depot, who helped make this program and the 2026 HILA ceremony at Cultivate’26 possible. Look for profiles of each honoree in future issues.

If you’d like to nominate someone for the Horticultural Industries Leadership Awards Class of 2027, please visit hila.hortgroupevents.com.