The Office Team
Abe Van Wingerden, Co-CEO, Metrolina Greenhouses Abe's passion for developing people and growing the business through innovation inspires us all. He says "Innovation is not an “invention” by a person or department, it is a “mindset” by everyone at the company on finding ways to get 1% better every day." Abe received his MBA from Emory University in Atlanta, GA in 1993 and his B.A. in Business and Political Science from St. Andrews College in 1991. Before becoming the Co-CEO of Metrolina Greenhouses in 2007, Abe worked for Procter and Gamble in several marketing and management roles. He has also served on several boards including St. Andrews College and the International Association of Horticultural Producers. Abe has been married to Cindi for 29 years. They are the proud parents of three successful sons: Noah, Andrew, and Zach.
Pete Newton, Director of Merchandising Services Prior to joining Metrolina Greenhouses in 2017, Pete served as the Merchandising Director at Lowes Home Improvement for 15 years where he managed categories such as Paint, Cleaning, Decorative Lighting, Hardware and yes – Live Goods. He began his retail career at Target where he spent 7 years in numerous management positions including Store Manager. Pete graduated from UNC Chapel Hill with a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics and there he met his wife Kris, to whom he’s been married for 29 years. Pete and Kris have two sons Jackson and Jeremy. As the Director of Merchandising Services, Pete has a passion for coaching and leading teams. He also enjoys spending time with family, fitness, yardwork and just about anything with buffalo or hot sauce.
Annie Greve, Walmart Merchandising Services Manager Annie has been with the company for 21 years now. Her length of time with the company speaks to her love for the people and plant combination she gets to experience in her everyday work world. Annie started with the Metrolina Lowes service program before it was Plant Partners. In 2008, she and eight of her fellow teammates accepted the challenge to shift to the Walmart side of the business to help create a new service team. Together with guidance from Abe this team helped develop PPI People Plants and Ideas, proudly known today as the Walmart Merchandising Services Team. The people she works with, the beautiful product her teams support and the ability to produce and drive the ideas that have created the program are what makes Annie tick. Oh and of course, the growth in sales is a major motivator as well. Knowing where we started and seeing where we are today, supporting the success of WM Garden Centers across the country, makes her super proud to be a part of an impressive and innovative team that is always asking ‘What’s Next?’ The growth and addition of new team members throughout the years keeps the ideas growing and flowing. Annie is all about the team and the support they receive within the company. Annie has a smart, beautiful, wonderful daughter, Emily, who resides in Ohio. She finds joy spending time with her family, music, dancing and floating in the water whether the ocean, lake, or pool. Oh, and laughter…it is her most favorite thing in the world!
AC Cunningham, Home Depot Merchandising Services Manager I believe in creating and driving a culture full of passionate & motivated teams that takes care of the customer. Prior to joining Metrolina, I was a Market Leader in the sales industry for over 14 years. I was awarded “Coach of the Year” & “Sales Leadership” awards numerous times and almost four years ago, I found my new home with Metrolina. I love being able to put all my experience into practice side by side with my team as we serve excellence in stores. Can I give a quick shoutout to my TEAM? They are the absolute best and have an inner drive that is second to none. Beast Mode! Word of advice? Love on your team. Employees who feel appreciated will perform better! It’s in the small moments between coworkers, where praise and encouragement are being exchanged, that will help and maintain a strong culture of compassion and love. What keeps me busy when I’m not at work? Step into my world for a second: I have three beautiful children: Miracle (17), Mariana (11), & Mason (8) and a fur baby named Milo. Can you tell I have a thing with the letter M? I love being their mom and they are my absolute inspiration for everything that I do. Miracle aspires to follow in her uncle’s footsteps to become a legal beagle one day. Mariana is a fashionista who doesn’t believe in ever leaving the house without her glamourous look. Mason, the youngest of the bunch, is the prayer warrior and trainer of the family – he believes in working out his spiritual & physical body.
Michelle Stone, Human Resources Generalist Interacting and helping people is my passion, which is why I pursued a career in Human Resources. Before joining Metrolina Greenhouses, I worked in the non-profit industry for over 6 years. I started working for Plant Partners in November of 2017 and have loved every minute of it! I was hired as a Field Support Specialist and promoted to Human Resources Generalist after I received my degree in HR Management. I enjoy the various aspects of the role, there is never a dull moment! I will celebrate my one-year wedding anniversary in September and have 3 daughters: one is serving in the Army, one is a Junior in college, and one is a Senior in high school, so never a dull moment at home either! I enjoy being outside with my dog and you can usually find us out in the woods behind our house or hiking trails in the parks. I also enjoy reading, watching scary movies, and playing card games. My husband and I love cooking and like to try new recipes, especially if they contain my favorite food, cheese!
Kimberly Brodesser, Training & Development Manager Kim has been with Metrolina for 11 years and is an energetic leader and trainer with 20+ years of management experience motivating teams to achieve peak performance while also helping them find fulfillment and belonging in their careers. Prior to becoming the Training & Development Manager for Metrolina Greenhouses, she served as the Training Specialist for the Merchandising Service Team for 8 years. Her most powerful moments come when connecting with other doers and thinkers who are just as excited about innovation, learning, and producing quality results as she is. Kim lives in the beautiful mountains of Southwest Virginia with her husband Klaus, two mini pigs (Prince & Petunia) three dachshunds (Warwick, Sasha, & Kona), five ducks, three bunnies (Dante, Clover, & Acorn), 11 chickens, and a turkey named “Pew Pew”.
Julie Vineyard, Payroll Administration Manager I graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Biology from Virginia Tech and worked in various aspects of veterinary medicine for almost 15 years before doing a complete 180 to work with plants! I joined Metrolina Greenhouses 5 years ago as an assistant grower and transitioned to Field Support for the Merchandising Services Team in Dec 2020 and was then promoted to the role of Payroll Administration Manager in 2024. I love problem solving and helping people, so I’ve really enjoyed supporting everyone out in the field. I love to swim for fun and try to challenge myself to a few open water races each year. When I’m not in a pool, lake or river, you can find me hanging out with Corey, my husband of 17 years and our 4 four-legged doggy family members.
Olivia Schueneman, Payroll Analyst I started with Metrolina in August 2018 – making this my sixth year with the company! I originally started out as our payroll specialist, was promoted in July 2022 to payroll manager, and most recently stepped back into the payroll specialist position part time in May 2024 to spend more time with my two boys. I studied at Meredith College in Raleigh, NC, where I earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and double minored in Spanish and Human Resource Management. This was one of my first jobs after graduating from college and I feel like I made a great choice when joining the team. Part of what I like most about my current role is the flexibility and unpredictability of it. I think it’s easy for employees to feel pigeon-holed in a company where it seems like there’s only a straight, linear path to success. Thankfully, that’s not the case with this team! Not only have I witnessed but also experienced firsthand how our leadership team works to offer (sometimes non-traditional 😊) growth opportunities. I was born and raised in Concord, NC, where my husband (Cody) and I met in high school. He also works at Metrolina as a horticulture director – say hi if you see him! We have two boys, Lewis (3) and Carter (1), a silver Lab named Hattie, a kitty named Hank, and four chickens. Our little fam loves spending time together outside, especially camping when it’s not too hot. We are fortunate enough that both of our families are in Concord as well, so we see them quite often which is important to us.
LaKisha Harrelson, Field Support Manager I have been with Metrolina Greenhouses for a little over 11 years. I came to the company with an administrative background in a variety of roles, including but not limited to, Furniture Sales, Office Management, Customer Service and most interestingly, cemetery sales. Over the years I have been permitted to spread my wings and be part of many facets of supporting the field. I have grown both as an individual and as a professional and I owe that all to those who believed in me and allowed me to keep trying. I enjoy finding solutions and creating processes to become more efficient as a company.
Jennifer Dill, Senior Field Support Specialist I have worked for Metrolina for 9 1/2 years. Anytime I can assist a Teammate from Corp Office to the Field is the most rewarding aspect of this job for me! I aim to make everyone’s’ lives easier. I like spending time with my immediate and extended family. Such as, playing with and taking my almost 5year old daughter, Evie, out on adventures and vacations. I enjoy visiting my Brother and Sister-in-law camping at their campgrounds and boating while there. My family is very valuable to me so whenever we can get together is my favorite time! I also like to play pool, watch movies and do crafts. And really, it is all about Evie…. She is so smart and funny. I just love watching my baby learn and grow!
Amanda Miller, Remote Field Support Specialist I came to Metrolina 10 years ago as a merchandiser. I was promoted to team lead in my first year, then to District Manager at the start of my second season. I transitioned to a position with Field Support at the end of the 2021 season. My experience as a District Manager adds perspective to the team! When I am not at work, I like to spend my time outdoors with my husband and 5 kiddos. I am a Mimi to one, he keeps me on my toes. We enjoy fishing, hiking, rafting, and kayaking in the summer months. When I am not outside, you can find me in the kitchen. I love to cook and enjoy trying new recipes and cooking with my girls. I also enjoy baking... but burn the biscuits every single time.
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Ryan Erwin, Field Support Specialist Ryan started with Metrolina Greenhouses as an assistant grower and became a member of our Field Support Team in 2024. Ryan is a UNCC alumni , mother of 1 and handcrafted jewelry designer. Ryan has 17 years of customer service experience spending 7 of those years serving the residents of Mecklenburg County at Mecklenburg County DSS. Ryan loves helping those in need and has a great passion for growing plants which is what led to her becoming an assistant grower at Metrolina Greenhouses. Ryan loves being a mother and enjoys sunny days in her home garden teaching her son to grow!