Emmanuel “Manny” Shemin, founder of Shemin Nurseries, passed away Jan. 28. He opened Shemin Nurseries in Greenwich, Conn., in 1955 after serving in as a lieutenant in the U.S. Airforce.
Shemin is credited with creating the Landscape Distribution industry by identifying the market niche for landscape installation materials one-stop-shopping. During the most recent years of his life, in addition to serving as an advisor to Shemin Nurseries, he co-founded Genesis Seeds, an organic seed company operating in Israel.
Shemin was a strong supporter of the American Nursery & Landscape Association's (ANLA) creation and unique support of that community, giving generously of his time and experience. He also was a firm believer in the efforts of the Horticultural Research Institute (HRI) and established a named fund, now valued at more than $100,000, supporting research in the areas of marketing and sustainability.
This past June, he was featured in ANLA’s Annual Report as an elder statesman, sharing his outlook and advice for companies in today’s marketplace. Still a visionary in identifying market niches, he spoke passionately about the opportunities he saw created by the strong consumer and municipal interest surrounding sustainability.
His insight, passion and generosity will be missed by all within the ANLA family and by our broader industry.
A funeral service was held Jan. 30, at the Temple Shalom in Greenwich, Conn.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in his memory to The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center Leukemia Program at John’s Hopkins.