MINTER, Brian Earl:

Horticulturist and Entrepreneur.

Born in New Westminster, British Columbia, February 26, 1947, to Earl and Mona (nee Schell) Minter.  Married Faye Mooney on December 27, 1967.  They have two children, Lisa and Erin, and grandchildren Katherine and Samuel. Graduated from the University of BC (Vancouver) in 1969 with a B.A. (Honours English).
 

Businesses:

• President of Minter Gardens, a 32-acre world class show garden, celebrating 25 years

• President and General Manager of Country Garden Store, leading edge retail garden centre and greenhouse growing operation

Business Addresses:

Country Garden, 18 Acre Destination Garden Centre:

• 10015 Young Road, Chilliwack, BC, V2P 4V4
  Ph:(604) 792-3799  Fax:(604)792-8893

Minter Gardens, A World Class Show Garden

• Exit #135 off Highway #1
  90 minutes east of downtown Vancouver B.C. at the Harrison Hot Springs exit
  Mailing Address: P.O. Box 40, Chilliwack B.C.  V2P 6H7
  Telephone: (604) 794-7191  Fax: (604)792-8893
  Toll Free in North America: 1-888-MINTERS

Careers: 

• Syndicated Gardening Columnist with various Lower Mainland newspapers

• Radio Columnist and Gardening Open-Line Host with AM 600 & CBC Radio

• Gardening Host on Cable TV and garden series on Knowledge Network

• International Speaker on gardening and tourism

• Video Production: 7 gardening videos currently in distribution

• Author: 'Brian Minter's New Gardening Guide - Fresh Approaches for Canadian Gardeners', June 1998. (3^rd printing) Canadian bestseller.

• Since 1972 President/Co-Owner with wife Faye of Country Garden Ltd. and Minter Gardens in Chilliwack, British Columbia

• Columnist for several BC and national garden magazines

Radio & Newspapers Featuring Brian Minter's Gardening Programs

Professional or Trade Associations: 

• Former Member, the Provincial Tourism Advisory Council

• Former Chairman of the Board: The University College of the Fraser Valley; STAR-FM Advisory Council; the Regional District of Fraser-Cheam Economic Development Commission

• Regional Director, the Garden Writers' Association of America

• Former Director, Vancouver Coast and Mountain Tourism Association

• Director, British Columbia Automobile Association (BCAA)

• Founding Member, University College of the Fraser Valley Foundation Board
  

Service Organizations: 

• Honorary Chairman, Chilliwack Arthritis Society

• Active member and former Director, Chilliwack Rotary Club

• Past President, Kinsmen Club of Chilliwack

• Junior Achievement Canada - Instructor in elementary schools
  

Awards: 

• Spirit of Enterprise Award, from the Rolex Society of Geneva

• Diamond Attraction Award, American Automobile Association

• 'Kinsmen of the Year', 1972-73

• 'Citizen to be Recognized', shared with wife Faye, given by the Chilliwack Chamber of Commerce

• Communication Achievement Award, Toastmasters International Club of Chilliwack

• Recipient of 'Order of Canada', 1990

• 'Freeman of the District of Chilliwack'

• President's Award, 1981, presented by Southwest BC Tourism Association

• Small Business Excellence Award, 1989, presented by BC Provincial Government

• Canadian Horticultural Science Award/national meeting in Vancouver, 1998

• Honorary Doctorate of Technology, University College of the Fraser Valley, 2001
  

Speaking Engagements of Note:

• To Garden Writers of America - Disney Epcot Center, Florida

• To Southern Gardeners - Cloister Hotels, Georgia, USA

• To Canadian Nursery Trades Association Annual Meeting, Vancouver, BC

• Keynote Speaker to Alberta Agricultural Congress, November 1995

• Graduating Address to Olds College, Alberta, June 1996

• To British Lawn and Garden Manufacturers' Association, Coventry, England

• Keynote Speaker to Farm Direct Marketing Association (International), Victoria, BC., 1998

• Keynote Speaker to The Garden Centres of America, Portland, Oregon, August 2002