Page 36 - Free State Winter 2021

FEATURED MEMBER (Continued)

Burr, a nursery in Connecticut which wanted a sales Secretary, and many latenight meetings of the MNA
representative in Maryland. When the latter company board at Peerce’s Plantation with members such as Ed
downsized, he sent resumes to many nurseries in the Hogarth, Walt Wicklein, Ken Ruhl, Rod Witman, John
Mid-Atlantic area. One was forwarded to Fletch Flemer at Metzler and Don Riddle.
Ingleside Nurseries, who offered a job as sales manager,
“On August 1, 2001, Carville Akehurst passed away and the
but Verbrugge did not want to move to Oak Grove, Va. In MANTS board went into a transition. Luckily for MANTS,
1982, he was hired as an independent sales representative Carville’s wife, Nancy, and daughter Vanessa, were
for IPN. For 16 years he travelled the Mid-Atlantic area and available to take the position. Several years later, Nancy
established a solid clientele between Philadelphia and retired and Vanessa, together with her husband, Kelly,
Northern Virginia. now manage MANTS. With their outstanding staff, MANTS
He also represented nurseries like Church Nursery in North has flourished to what it is today,” Verbrugge said.
Carolina (Christmas trees), Tankard Nurseries, Perennial “Trade shows come and go, and also in our industry
Farm (when they first got started) and Wick’s Nursery. many no longer exist, including PANTS in Pennsylvania,

“For the past 15 to 18 years, I have been a broker only SNA in Atlanta, and the Boston show. MANTS has a terrific
of nursery stock, supplying plant material on a daily location, and the slow time of the year makes it possible
basis to commercial landscapers in the Baltimore area,” for many to attend,” he observed.
Verbrugge said. Since 1981, he has been sole proprietor of After 20 years, as of February 2021, Jessica Todd from
Nursery Sales Associates, operating without employees Clear Ridge Nurseries has taken Verbrugge’s place on the
but with the capable administrative help of Lisa Fulton, his MANTS board. He recently got involved with the American
longtime partner. Landscape Institute.
Some of his former customers are no longer in business Verbrugge has seen many changes in the horticulture
— Behnke Nurseries in Beltsville, Md.; Waterloo Gardens in industry. “The general population has also changed
Exton, Pa.; and Watson’s Garden Center in Lutherville, Md., their shopping habits,” he noted. “In the 1960’s, 70’s and
just to name a few. Still going strong are Homestead in 80’s, many garden centers catered to the do-it-yourself
Davidsonville, Md., Valley View Farms in Cockeysville, Md.,
(continued on next page)
and Merrifield Garden Center in Virginia.
TOP LEFT TO RIGHT
Without GPS, he had to find his way using paper maps, The MANTS Board at the 50th Anniversary, January 2020
phone booths and the Yellow Pages. It wasn’t until 1987 Furling sails on the Pride of Baltimore II
that he got his first mobile phone. PAGE 37 CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT
Tagging trees for a client
Verbrugge was appointed to the MANTS board in 2000
when Rod Witman passed away. He recalled many long Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of MANTS
Recognizing Board members, William and Bernie Duplan, at MANTS’ 50th
talks with Carville Akehurst, Executive
Surveying a line of trees
36 WINTER 2021 • Free State News