Experience matters
At Van Belle, we’ve always been passionate about growing premium products to set you, our customers, up for success. As part of that effort, we've recently added two new people to our team of growers – Diego Martinez, Head Grower for our Liner Division, and Nigel Taggart, Head Container Manager.
(photo from left to right: Nigel, Dave Van Belle, Diego)
, an expert in pest management and greenhouse growing, joined Van Belle from Ecuador, where he operated a cut flower export business. And though he’s only been at VBN for a short time, he’s already making a difference: “I am starting to implement and improve on the processes that already exist here, and to utilize the resources available to produce the kind of plant our customers look for and need.”
, who first learned the trade managing a large horticultural operation in Africa, joined VBN in July. An expert in systematic crop management, Nigel looks forward to the opportunities ahead: “I’m excited to jump in and contribute to what Van Belle has established, and I’m impressed by the company’s philosophy of always striving for continual improvement. I’m going to do everything I can to build on the momentum and to hopefully make our customers even more happy to see a load arrive from Van Belle!”
An ounce of prevention
Van Belle takes pest and disease prevention seriously. We are happy to have
as our Staff Horticulturalist, rounding out our grower team. Valerie grew up at a garden centre in Orangeville, Ontario, working with her Dad since she was five. She graduated with a B.Sc.(Agr.) in horticulture from the University of Guelph, and a B.Ed. in science teaching from the University of Western Ontario. Before starting at Van Belle, she taught high school science and math, and ran chemistry labs, maintained an academic greenhouse, and established perennial gardens at an Iowa college. She and Arnold (currently a physics professor at Trinity Western University) have three children who are currently in middle and high school and enjoy playing music. In her spare time, Valerie loves to garden, hike, canoe, and otherwise enjoy the outdoors in beautiful British Columbia.