Meet Teri Pesapane
Half a century ago a trip to Boston created a light bulb moment for Teri Pesapane. She saw well-cared-for, well-designed interior plantings in office buildings. The concept for Growing Green was born.
When Teri returned from the trip she told her husband Joel, the owner of a non-plant-related retail shop called Pseudonym located on the corner of Euclid and McPherson, that she felt they must start selling plants on the sidewalk of his shop. When he asked her why, she simply stated, “because people will buy them.” That simple statement was apparently a good enough answer for him; thus, Growing Green began.
Pesapane has focused on hiring bright people to work at Growing Green and giving them the freedom to learn from failure. She established a network of similar businesses across the country to learn from networking. She has recently transitioned management of the company to a new team of female managers.
This group of leaders includes Jodi Stumpf, director of operations, Susan Esker, director of sales, design, and marketing and Susan Alberter, director of administration. All have been with the company for more than 25 years and are an important part of the couple’s succession plan.
Growing Green has been a pioneer introducing the science and technology of this field to the metropolitan St. Louis area. Its team was among the first industry experts to bring people and plants together by exposing business owners and educators to the many benefits of biophilic designs.
Her favorite project challenge over the last half century was at the A.G. Edwards building at Jefferson and Market. Growing Green was tasked with bringing 20 ft. trees into the atrium – after it was finished.