Friday, January 25, 2013

All in the Family


Valley View Farms is a locally owned family business. Father/son business partners Bill and Andy Foard own and operate our garden center, now in our 51st year. Family ties are strong here. Scores of couples have met and married after working together in the store. Brothers, sisters, moms, dads, aunts, uncles, cousins, neices, nephews and other family members have worked side by side for 2-3 generations. While looking through our personnel listing recently, I noticed several instances of moms or dads working with sons or daughters. Here are  some of them.

Bill and Andy Foard
Billy and Andy run the business together. Both are keen with numbers. Andy has a special knack for display and leads most of the construction projects at the store and our farm greenhouses.


Timothy and Dad, Tim McQuaid
 
Tim McQuaid is Valley View's store manager. He also runs our water garden department. Son Timothy is a customer helper, performing an assortment of duties to aid our guests at the store.

Tom Piampi works as a postman full-time and in our garden shop on evenings and weekends. Tom's wife, Sharon, is a receptionist in our office. Son Nick has worked in both our water garden and nursery departments.

Dotty Zajac specializes in vegetable gardening in the spring, moving to the Christmas shop in the fall to keep things organized there. Daughter Suzanne Barton works with plants most of the year. Both help our garden shop with pricing and set-up in the winter.

Bonnie and Ryan Smith
Bonnie Smith works in our office, keeping tabs on purchase orders in our system. She helps out in other areas when business warrants it. Son Ryan aids in pond installation and cleaning for our water garden department.

Michael Glants in our long time mechanic. If it breaks, he fixes it. Daughter Michele is a cashier, working in other areeas as needed.

John James works part-time in our garden shop, helping customers with any questions they may have about their gardens. Son Ethan works in our water garden department, assisting folks with ponds and fountains.

Mary Beth works in several departments, including the Christmas and garden shops. Daughter Laura works with customers as a cashier and a customer helper.
Joy, Valerie, Colleen and Grace Harlan

Valerie Harlan met and married her husband, Jim while working at Valley View Farms. Jim has moved on; all 5 of the Harlan kids have worked here. Currently, Valerie works in the Christmas Shop with her daughter, Colleen. Both do an outstanding job decorating Christmas trees. Daughters Joy and Grace work as cashiers and receptionists.

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