The owner’s of Wasco Nursery & Garden Center believe that their knowledgeable and loyal staff is their most important asset. In 2007 Wasco Nursery gave out awards to eleven staff members who have been with the company for 15 years or more. There aren’t too many companies today that can boast that nearly a third of their work force has been employed there for more than 15 years. Wasco Nursery has a well rounded staff of creative landscape designers, knowledgeable sales associates, professional landscape foreman and hard working, courteous laborers.

Robert L. Jay
Co-Owner / President
Bob has been around plants his entire life. His grandfather started growing trees in 1925 and his father took over in the late 1930’s and ran the business through the early 1970’s. Bob took on an active role in the Nursery business during the early 1970’s and added products and services which had not previously been offered, such as the greenhouse operation and landscape design & installation. Bob eventually purchased the business from his father in 1987. Bob’s hard work, leadership and creative landscape designs have helped the business flourish over the more than three decades that he has been involved in the Nursery. He has coached numerous soccer teams, is a motorsports enthusiast and enjoys music. He currently lives in Saint Charles with his wife, Cathee, son Benjy and daughter Kaitlyn.

Matt Zerby
Co-Owner / General Manager
Matt is a graduate of Judson University where he earned Bachelor’s degrees in both Business Management and Marketing. He has been working in the landscape industry for 18 years and is an Illinois Certified Nursery Professional with certifications in both woody plant material as well as perennial plant material (currently there are only 35 ICN Pros with both certifications). Matt started working at Wasco Nursery in 1992 loading plants into customer’s cars and helping in the sales yard. Matt took on a management role in the late 1990’s and eventually became a partner in the business in 2004. Matt currently lives in Saint Charles with his wife Amber and two sons; Caden & Tage. He enjoys spending time with his family, traveling, fishing and all things outdoors. Matt was elected to the Board of Directors of the Illinois Green Industry Association in January of 2008 and is an active member at Batavia Covenant Church.
Contact Information: matt@wasconursery.com

Ken Kemp
Operations Manager
Ken earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Photography from Florida State University. Ken began his tenure at Wasco Nursery in 1985 when he worked as a landscape laborer. Ken worked hard and quickly gained the respect of his coworkers and was promoted to Landscape Foreman, a position he held for more than 15 years. Ken was promoted to Operations Manager in 2004 and currently coordinates and schedules all plant and landscape installation projects and handles inventory in the fields. Ken can usually be found in the garden center all season long assisting customers with tree and shrub selections. When Ken isn’t in the sales yard he is out evaluating sick plants at customer’s homes. Ken is a jack of all trades and can be counted on to accomplish almost any task. Whether its plowing snow or building a display table Ken is always willing to help, he even plants a tree once in awhile. Ken enjoys golf, traveling, music and photography.
Contact Information: ken@wasconursery.com

Cheryl Monzingo
Marketing Manager
Cheryl holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Graphic Design from the University of Illinois. She is responsible for the production of in-house marketing materials, advertising and various accounting tasks. Cheryl joined the Wasco Nursery team in 1986 and helped drive the Nursery into the computer age by implementing CAD software for landscape design as well as computer applications used for inventory, sales and accounting. Her attention to detail and creative marketing programs have made Cheryl an invaluable asset to the Wasco Nursery organization. Cheryl lives in Saint Charles and has an adult daughter living in Boulder City, NV. Cheryl loves to read, travel and garden, is a lifelong Cubs fan and is actively involved in Women’s Ministry and Bible Study at Lord of Life Lutheran Church.
Contact Information: cheryl@wasconursery.com

Kim Schroeder
Landscape Designer / Perennial Manager
Kim attended both the Art Institute of Chicago and the University of Chicago where she studied Fine Art. After a working in the Fine Art field for two years, Kim took a job in the hospitality industry where she spent several years working for major hotel chains in both the United States and the U.S. Virgin Islands. After her years in the hospitality industry, Kim got into floral design. She spent more than 15 years working as a floral designer before making her way to the “Green Industry”. Kim has spent many years in the Green Industry and has worked for wholesale nurseries as well as landscape design firms. Kim came to Wasco Nursery in the spring of 2005. Kim brings a wealth of talent and experience to the Wasco Nursery team. Her background in art and floral design shows through in her creative landscape designs and her years spent in the hospitality industry are evident in the exceptional service that she provides every customer that walks through the garden center doors.
Contact Information: kim@wasconursery.com

Meagan Provencher
Landscape Designer
Meagan earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Horticulture from Illinois State University. She has been a Landscape Designer for 14 years. Meagan is an Illinois Certified Nursery Professional with certification in both woody and perennial plants (currently there are only 35 ICN Pros with both certifications). Her passion for plants is reflected in her unique designs that not only focus on homeowner needs, but also on the end results of the plants chosen. Whether a walk-in consultation or a full landscape plan, each garden is thoughtfully designed and presented. Meagan joined the Wasco Nursery team late in 2006 and has been a great addition to Wasco Nursery’s well respected landscape design department. Meagan and her husband, Ben, live in Geneva with their two children, Sam and Henry. She enjoys gardening, reading, cooking, and relaxing at the family cabin in Wisconsin.
Contact Information: meagan@wasconursery.com

Martha Eash
Greenhouse Manager
Martha has been in a fixture in the greenhouse at Wasco Nursery for more than 20 years. Her unique container designs bring customers back every spring to see what innovative container gardens she has planted. Martha earned an Associate’s Degree in Ornamental Horticulture from Kishwaukee College. In addition to her career at Wasco Nursery, Martha has a barber shop in Aurora. Martha enjoys cooking, golfing, camping and gardening. She currently resides in DeKalb.

Geoffrey Kudlick
Sales Associate
Geoff began seasonal work at Wasco Nursery in the summer of 1997; however his interest in plants and landscape began as soon as he could push a wheelbarrow for his father. Geoff earned a degree in History from Carthage College and has been working full-time for Wasco Nursery since graduating from college. Geoff enjoys traveling abroad and has made two trips to mainland China, where he was able to celebrate New Year’s and climb the Great Wall. Geoff currently lives in DeKalb.
Contact Information: geoff@wasconursery.com

Randy Akins
Landscape Foreman / Shop Manager
Randy can fix anything! His ability to deconstruct and rebuild engines, carburetors and just about anything mechanical is amazing. He is a master welder and can fabricate almost anything. Randy has been working for Wasco Nursery for more than 20 years. You can find Randy installing trees at customer’s homes all season long and fix machinery all winter. His hard work, friendliness and attention to detail make him a favorite of Wasco Nursery customers. Randy enjoys hunting, fishing and spending time with his German Shepherd, Jen. He currently lives in Kingston, IL.

Tom McIlvaine
Landscape Foreman / Giant Pumpkin Expert
Tom is the “Pumpkin Man”. Tom has been growing giant pumpkins for many years and has placed in the top ten at several giant pumpkin competitions. Tom’s giant pumpkins have been featured in numerous newspaper articles in the Fox Valley area and have been featured in several first place scarecrow entries at the annual Saint Charles Scarecrow Festival. Tom has been employed by Wasco Nursery for more than 20 years. You may have heard that James Brown was the “hardest working man in show business”, well Tom would definitely win the title of “hardest working man in the landscape business”. Because of Tom’s amazing work ethic and positive attitude it is not uncommon to hear a Wasco Nursery customer ask, “…can you send the Pumpkin Guy out to plant my tree?” Tom is a lifelong Saint Charles resident and currently lives on the west side with his wife, Mary.

Benjy Jay
Sales Associate
Benjy has been around plants his entire life. His Great Grandfather, Lynn Jay, founded Wasco Nursery in 1925. Benjy is a lifelong Saint Charles resident and has studied Business at Northern Illinois University, Horticulture at College of DuPage and Art at Elgin Community College. Benjy is an Illinois Certified Nursery Professional with a certification in woody plant material. He is an automobile enthusiast and enjoys painting, driving, spending time with friends and listening to music.
Contact Information: benjy@wasconursery.com