Bracken appointed to IGCA Board of Directors

COLUMBUS, Ohio – AmericanHort, the US representative to the International Garden Centre Association, has announced the appointment of Michael Bracken, owner of Nicholson-Hardie Nursery and Garden Centers of Dallas, Texas, to the IGCA Board of Directors.

Coming out of its annual congress held last week in the United Kingdom, IGCA appointed new board members, including Michael Bracken, who began working for his family business at 12 years old when his parents purchased Nicholson-Hardie.The company, founded in 1899, was acquired in 1974.

An alumnus of the University of Arkansas, Bracken worked in wholesale nursery sales in Arkansas before moving back to Dallas to work for the family business. Today, he and his brother run the day-to-day operations of their business as co-presidents.

Bracken began his association work in 1994 with the Texas Association of Nurseryman as a regional board member. He has since been elected to the Texas Nursery and Landscape Association where he served as chairman and remains engaged today. He has also served as a director for the Garden Centers of America.

“I am delighted to join the IGCA board and share my experiences as a garden center owner. I have learned much from the past congresses I’ve attended and look forward to working to further the organization’s mission to educate and share best practices with industry colleagues. The congress is an important benefit all of our garden center members should attend to gain worldwide prospective on international retail trends,” said Bracken.

Under Bracken’s leadership, Nicholson-Hardie has received a variety of accolades including 2018, 2016, 2015, 2012, 2011 Best Garden Shop awarded by D-Magazine, 2017 Peoples Choice Award Best Gardening Store and Top 100 Revolutionary Garden Center by Today’s Garden Center Magazine.

The IGCA hosts an annual congress in a different country aimed to provide a platform for garden centers to connect and exchange ideas, information and resources with like-minded members from across the globe. The congress comprises a business meeting, which elects officials and administers the affairs of the Association, a concentrated business tour of garden centers and an excellent social program.

The next IGCA Congress is scheduled for October 18-23, 2020 in South Africa. To learn more about participating in this tour, contact Sherry Johnson, CEM, CMP, VP Knowledge and Business Advancement for AmericanHort at SherryJ@AmericanHort.org or at 614-487-1117.