Last Updated on October 11, 2018 by Caroline Warwick
Shane Tinker never knew he was going to be a nurseryman. In fact, if you still ask him about it, even he seems surprised to now be in the business of buying and selling plants.
“I started in this industry because I was driving for UPS and a buddy told me to try this instead,” said ShaneTinker Enterprises, Inc. founder and president Shane Tinker. “That was more than 20 years ago, and here I am running my own brokerage today.”
Tinker started his career in the nursery industry driving a delivery truck for a different local plant broker. Tinker was eventually able to purchase their brokerage and from there the rest is history.
“One of the most interesting parts of my job is traveling all over Central and South Florida, visiting dozens of nurseries and finding plants for my clients,” Tinker said. “It really allows me to offer unique and hard-to-find plants to customers across the country.”
In addition to brokering plants, Tinker and his team operate a Spathiphyllum production facility, cultivating plants for sale. More commonly known as the peace lily, these plants can be found in interiorscapes worldwide.
In honor of the Mid-Florida Research and Education Center’s upcoming 50th anniversary, ShaneTinker Enterprises, Inc. donated plants to go in MREC’s new landscape which will serve as a demonstration area for landscape design and irrigation.
“MREC plays a valuable role in conducting research and helping better the industry,” Tinker said. “We are happy to help support future generations of horticulturalists.”
Tinker remains optimistic about the future of the industry and encourages today’s youth to get involved.
“It’s a beautiful industry to work in, and there is plenty of potential for success if you are willing to sacrifice and work hard.”
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