MEET the TEAM!

We are a small, women owned business focused on delivering high quality plants and customer service.

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Thank you for the opportunity to work with you.

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We have a passion for native plants and are lucky to have a team equally enthusiastic!

Alex Hibala: Hort Support

• Fills every container with perfectly blended soil

• Fixes everything and anything! Aids in shipping and grounds maintenance

• Fly fishing guide and fly-tying extraordinaire

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Jeanne Montplaisir: Seed Manager and Horticultural Professional

• Collects, treats and germinates seed, maintains seed inventory

• Jeanne has more than 20 years experience as a horticultural professional both in the nursery and seed collection

• Jeanne can often be identified by the amount of seed chaff in her hair and her expertise in converting metric to imperial, and vice versa.

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Mike Thomas: Technical Sales, Reclamation and Commercial Landscaping

• Lead on reclamation and restoration projects

• M.S. Geology, University of Montana – Missoula

• Mike has over 20 years experience in forest and restoration planting; in-depth knowledge of native plant production and native plant community restoration; experience with permit compliance, remote site project management, mining and mineral exploration operations

• Mike's passion and curse is wetland plant ID- sometimes to the chagrin of the rest of the team.

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Tricia Scanlon: Lead Propagator

• Lead on propagation of seedlings from seed and cuttings

• B.S. Microbiology and Biotech- Missouri State University

• Tricia has spent the last couple years hiding out as an organic farmer and chili-roaster

• Tricia has the lowest carbon footprint on the team and rarely takes up a parking space!

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Shout out to wonderful seasonal staff that help make Great Bear Native Plants a fun and rewarding place to work.

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Ownership Team

Aimee Kelley​: Owner & Manager, Sales & Shipping

:  406-381-9829

• Oversees nursery and landscaping sales in addition to working hands-on with the materials

• B.S. Ecological Restoration and B.S. Resource Conservation, University of Montana - Missoula

• Before this post, Aimee studied and post-fire ecology, noxious weed management, and threatened and endangered plants in Northern California, Montana, Idaho, and Florida

• When she is not at the greenhouse, she is probably on a misadventure

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Kathy Kelley: Owner and President & Secretary

949-291-4179

• B.S. Health Sciences, Chapman University

• Over 30 years working in sales and customer service

• 25 years business management

• Outside of the nursery, Kathy likes to hike, cook, and drink delicious wine (sometimes all three at once!)

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Tim Dickinson: Owner and VP of Sales, Marketing, & Operations

:  949-677-4543

• B.S. Forestry, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo

• Over 35 years working in sales and customer service in varied fields

• Tim spends most of his free time outdoors hiking, snow skiing, and gardening around the West

• This opportunity brings his professional goals full circle! As he has always dreamed of owning and working in a nursery.