Steve Maddox joins Bower & Branch as director of partnership development

Bower & Branch, Trees for Life, a group of growers and independent garden retailers announced today that Steve Maddox will join the organization as Director of Partnership Development.

Maddox comes to Bower & Branch from The Henry F. Michell Company, headquartered in King of Prussia, Pa. He spent the last four years with Michell’s as a sales representative and horticulture broker. Prior to Michell’s, Maddox served as General Manager of Rice’s Nursery and Landscaping for 14 years, as well as President of the Ohio Nursery and Landscape Association (ONLA).

“Steve is a major contributor in every situation. He is a qualified and capable leader perfectly suited to create relationships with more growers and garden retailers in the Northeast and to continue our recent expansion into the Midwest and new regions,” says Sid Raisch, President and CEO of Bower and Branch. “I’ve watched Steve come up in the industry through a lot of hard work, going the extra mile for his employers and volunteering in association leadership. He has keen strategic insights and genuine people skills. His instincts about the green industry and his talent in communicating and mobilizing people around an idea are remarkable.”

Maddox will focus on member recruitment, specifically on expanding the number of member garden centers and licensed growers and streamlining the Bower & Branch e-commerce platform to provide its members with a more profitable supply chain.

“As a broker rep and leader of one of our industry’s finest trade associations, I’ve witnessed how Bower & Branch is changing the way independents in horticulture do business,” says Maddox. ”That’s big news in an industry that saw a lot of downsizing and regrouping during the recession. Our industry will see massive shifts as we lead our members through the transition between generations and embrace the Internet fully. Don Eaton and Sid Raisch have successfully re-positioned our industry for these shifts, creating greater consumer value and systematically reducing inventory,distribution costs and liabilities. Bower & Branch embodies the authenticity and value of growing something deliberate and beautiful and making it convenient to today’s online customers, which now includes nearly everyone of consequence. I knew I had to be a part of this.”

Along with his wife, Maddox will relocate to Syracuse, NY to be closer to family. He will lead the effort to take the business into new markets nationwide from his home base.“This is the next step for Steve and Bower & Branch and we couldn’t be more excited,” says Raisch. “With Steve’s addition to our team you’ll see even more positive growth in our near future.”