Throwback Thursday: Garden Masters

11/14/2018
The Oct. 20, 2003 issue of Home Channel News, the forerunner of HBSDealer, included an article under the headline: “Garden Master Helps Dealers Grow.”

The article was part of a special report on Denver-based Pro Group, the buying group of distribution companies and owner of the Garden Master brand. The article pointed to increased competition in the lawn-and-garden industry.

“New competitors have entered the industry, putting a squeeze on independent retailers and distributors,” said Chuck Wyatt, president of Garner, N.C.-based Wyatt Quarles Seed, one of the group’s distributor members. “Garden Master has helped us stay competitive, and promoting the Garden Master name gives retailers some national recognition.”

The article is accompanied a photo in which Shari Kalbach, managing director of Garden Master, and Keith Funk, buyer for Gard’n-Wise Distributors of Denver, looked over information on the company’s internal web site.

“The lawn and garden industry has grown significantly in the last 10 years,” said Kalbach. “Consumers are always looking for the next new trend that will make their yard look better than their neighbor’s”

In 2016, Kalbach was promoted to PRO Group vice president, overseeing merchandising and marketing.






HBSDealer’s Throwback Thursday is sponsored by Schaffer Associates, a national management consulting firm specializing in executive search and organizational strategies for the hardware, home improvement, building materials, and consumer products industries. As the premier management consulting firm serving the industry, we help build organizations and leadership teams that foster corporate growth and success well into the future. Contact us at SchafferAssociates.com

 
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