Meet the Family at
Canadale Nurseries
Ltd.
St. Thomas Garden Centre &
Nursery,
near
London, Ontario.
| Bill & Joan Intven Bill and Joan Intven were both born in Brabant, Holland. Bill was a civil engineer who was also responsible for purchasing plants for the municipality. His love of plants was instilled by his mother who taught him how to bud roses and pear trees at an early age. Joan's family owned a grocery and hardware store that also offered metal fabricating. She was brought up in an environment where the customer always came first. Together, Bill and Joan emigrated to Canada in 1950, and blended their skills to establish Canadale in 1955. Through their commitment to providing quality products and excellent customer service, the Intven’s garden centre and nursery soon became an area favorite. Bill peacefully passed away in May of 2002 with his family at his bedside. Today, Joan remains active in the business, alongside her family and long-time staff.
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| Tom Intven President, Nursery Manager Growing up in Canadale gave Tom Intven an insider's look into running a successful garden centre and nursery. In 1977, he received an honors degree in plant physiology from Queen's University, and began managing Canadale’s nursery. Today, Tom finds propagation the most fun and challenging part of his job. He also enjoys building the business and developing a favorable environment for all of Canadale's employees. Tom spends a great deal of time searching for and introducing new and exciting plants for Canadale's enthusiastic customers.
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| Pauline Intven-Casier Vice-President, Garden Centre Manager Pauline’s upbringing also played a major role in her securing the position of Vice-President and Garden Centre Manager. From helping her Dad graft roses to serving garden centre customers after school and on weekends, Pauline developed important customer service and management skills at a very young age. In 1984, after receiving two degrees from the University of Western Ontario, Pauline began searching for better ways to meet the needs and wants of Canadale’s customers. By keeping up with the latest trends, searching out the newest plant varieties and employing the best staff possible, she continues to watch the business flourish each and every season. |
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