Ontario Plants, a leading supplier of starter plants to greenhouse growers in North America, announces the succession of Tim Vanderkooy, one of the company’s founders, and the appointment of Collin Phillips as the new Director of Sales – effective from today.

Collin will be responsible for further strengthening Ontario Plants’ relationships with growers  in North America, as the company scales up and opens a second site later this year in Glencoe, Ontario. He was previously Chief Commercial Officer at PRT Growing Services, a leading forest seedling company, and has also held senior roles at Corteva Agriscience and Monsanto. Tim has decided to retire from day-to-day management, but will act as a strategic adviser to Ontario Plants.

Mathieu van de Sande, CEO of Ontario Plants Propagation, said: “I am pleased to welcome Collin to Ontario Plants as we scale up and have a sharper focus on customer service. He has strong commercial acumen, leadership skills and a customer mindset – I’m confident he will help our team to continue our rapid growth.

I want to thank Tim for his leadership and pay tribute to his enormous contribution to Ontario Plants’ for more than 20 years. He led the company from the beginning and through the company’s integration into COFRA’s Sustainable Food Group. I am delighted that he has agreed to be a strategic adviser as Collin onboards over the coming months.”

Tim founded Ontario Plants with his father Jack and brother Steve in 2002, and has acted over the years as Head Grower, Operations Manager and - most recently - VP of Sales and Customer Experience.

Tim Vanderkooy stated: “I am confident that the foundation we've built together is strong, and the incredible team we've assembled will continue to propel Ontario Plants to new heights. While my role as a founder may be evolving, my belief in the mission and vision of Ontario Plants remains unwavering.”

Collin Phillips commented: “I am thrilled to join the incredible team at Ontario Plants as the new Director of Sales. From the moment I stepped through the doors, I could sense the energy, passion and sense of ambition that define the team. Having spent over a decade in Agribusiness, I am genuinely excited to join Ontario Plants which has reputation for innovation, excellence and a relentless pursuit of customer satisfaction – values that resonate deeply with me.”

The appointment of Collin Phillips as Director of Sales at Ontario Plants comes as the company prepares to open its second state-of-the-art greenhouse facility in Glencoe, Ontario later this year. The 12-acre facility is the first stage of the development, which is situated next to the 401-highway corridor – allowing for easy access to growers in North America.