Sisters Karin Walters and Christa Steenwyk are excited to be taking on new leadership roles at Walters Gardens, a family-owned business located in Zeeland, MI that has grown from a small 5-acre farm to a 1,500 acres operation with over 500,000 square feet of greenhouse since it opened in 1946. As teenagers they worked in almost every area of the company. This experience instilled a strong work ethic, one that has been recognized in the industry. Both women have been named to GPN 40 Under 40 class, Karin in the class of 2021, and Christa in the class of 2018.

While neither went to college thinking they would work in horticulture, Christa who studied graphic design and has a degree from the International Academy of Design and Technology, and Karin who has a degree in English from Calvin University and graduated last year from the Executive Academy for Growth & Leadership (EAGL) program. Both started at the company at a time when they were looking for their next job. They accepted open marketing positions and came to find their passion for horticulture. They have been growing their careers at Walters Gardens ever since. They are proud to be part of the third-generation leadership and look forward to upholding the company values as they work to grow the business. On October 1, Karin takes on the title of CEO from her father John after previously serving as Vice President of Product Strategy, and Christa will serve as Vice President of Marketing and Industry Relationships. 

Join us to hear from Karin and Christa about their experience these past few years as they focused on the company’s transition. They will share learnings from their succession planning process and provide insights on what it is like to have increased responsibilities in a family-owned company.