Dutch Masters — DeVroomen at 96 Years
Dutch Masters —
At DeVroomen, family and customers are one in the same by Nina Koziol
Jacobus Theodorus de Vroomen.
sell tried, true and top quality. They were plants people, not just The name sounds like it belongs to one of the old masters of sales people. I think they are a great example of supplying qualDutch painting, but Jacobus (1895-1958) was a different kind ity goods, but they also have the people side of it. They get it. of artist. He “painted” with plants If they’re short on something they do and flower bulbs since launching their darnedest to help get a reasonDeVroomen Garden Products in able substitute — they go the extra 1925. He started with very little, mile.” but built the business into an incredibly successful company a The Back Story few years shy of its 100th anniIn the 1950’s, Jacobus’s sons versary. Hugo, Ben and Dick took over the “The DeVroomen family has business. Since that time, the comcreated many long-term partnerpany has gone from offering bulbs ships over the years,” said Roland to selling about 60 percent perenniVanDenBergh who joined the als and 40 percent bulbs. “About 40 company in 1988 and serves as percent of our product is for growers, Chief Operating Officer. The cus40 percent is for landscapers and 20 tomer relations experience goes percent is for independent garden far beyond placing an order. “I’ve centers,” VanDenBergh said. watched customers grow, change Most of the sales team has been ownerships from parent to the next with the company for a very long generation, and we have helped time — Jack DeVroomen (42 years) each other through tough times .” and Eric Olson (39 years). Richard DeVroomen Garden Products Walsh, Ben VandeGulik, Tom is well known as a premiere Hudak — just to name a few — have wholesale supplier of spring- and all represented DeVroomen at least summer-flowering bulbs along 20 years. “We have seen the same with bare root and plug perenlongevity and dedication with our Dick DeVroomen and his wife Puck nials. Landscape architect Craig customer service team, led by Angela Bergmann of Craig Bergmann Schultz, our director of operations,” VanDenBergh says. Landscape Design in Lake Forest has been a customer for (continued on page 12) nearly 30 years. “DeVroomen’s way of selling plants is to
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The Landscape Contractor September 2021
