BRIAN MINTER'S BIOGRAPHY
MINTER, Brian Earl: Horticulturist, Entrepreneur and Businessman
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
• President and General Manager of Minter Country Garden, an innovative destination garden center and greenhouse growing operation
Business Address and Contact Information:
10015 Young Road, Chilliwack, BC, Canada V2P 4V4 Telephone: (604) 792-3799 Fax: (604) 792-8893
Email: bminter@mintergardens.com Internet: www.mintergardens.com
Career:
• Syndicated gardening columnist with various Lower Mainland newspapers
• Radio columnist and gardening open-line host with CBC Radio and AM600
• Guest commentator on BBC's open line garden show in Britain
• Gardening host on Cable TV and garden series on Knowledge Network
• International speaker on gardening, tourism and business trends
• Video Production: 7 gardening videos currently in distribution
• Author: 'Brian Minter's New Gardening Guide - Fresh Approaches for Canadian Gardeners', June 1998.
(3rd printing) Canadian non-fiction best seller.
• Since 1972 President/Co-Owner with wife Faye of Country Garden Ltd., and Minter Gardens in Chilliwack, BC
• Columnist for several BC, national and international garden magazines
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
• Chair, British Columbia Automobile Association (BCAA)
• Founding Member, University College of the Fraser Valley Foundation Board
• Member of the Chilliwack Economic Board (CEPCO)
• Chair, Tourism Chilliwack
• First Chancellor of the University of the Fraser Valley
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
• Co-founder of Plant a Row, Grow a Row Un Rang Pour Ceux Qui On Faim – supplying food for Canadian food banks
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
• Awarded 'Fellow' Designation – Garden Writers Association of America– Top Award 2002
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 ~ Farm Direct Marketing Association International, Victoria, BC 1998
• Keynote Speaker ~ The Garden Centres of America, Portland, Oregon, August 2002
• Keynote Speaker ~ The International Plant Propagators, Montreal, PQ 2007
• Keynote Speaker ~ The Florida Growers Association (TPIE Conference) 2008
• Keynote Speaker ~ The International Heather Society, Victoria, BC 2008
Events of Note:
• Chair, local arrangement committee, Garden Writers' Symposium, Vancouver, 2005 (first time outside US)
• Chair, International Association of Garden Centers Congress, Vancouver 2008