Metrolina’s Tom Van Wingerden Dies In Accident

Metrolina's Tom Van Wingerden Dies In Accident

We lost one of our industry’s greatest visionaries on Saturday when Tom Van Wingerden, founder of Metrolina Greenhouses in Huntersville, N.C, died in a utility vehicle accident early in the morning at the greenhouses. He was 63.

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Born in Holland on Feb. 12, 1946, Tom was one of the eldest children of Art and Cora Van Wingerden, who are credited with building the modern greenhouse floriculture industry in the United States. Tom immigrated to the United States in 1971 and started Metrolina a year later in his mid 20s. Today, Metrolina Greenhouses is ranked at No. 6 on our Top 100 Growers with the largest single-site location in the nation with 5.4 million square feet of greenhouse production on a 150-acre site.

Beyond sheer size and excelling at serving the nation’s largest retailers, Metrolina has always been known for its pioneering use of technology, on the cutting edge of automation. Tom was an inventor and developed his own prototypes for transplanting machines, including the Metroplanter in the early 1990s, which extracted plugs from their cells with corkscrew-like coils, like augers. Greenhouse Grower featured Tom on the cover twice as an early innovator. While the July 1985 story written by Editor Jane Lieberth focused on innovations she saw touring Metrolina, the April 1994 story written by then Assistant Editor Delilah Onofrey zeroed in on the Metroplanter.

Tom sold the business to his children in 2006. He is survived by wife, Vickie, children Art, Abe, Helen, Michael, Rose and Thomas and 14 grandchildren.

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His legacy in the industry is broad. “From greenhouse innovation to labor-saving technologies like a transplanter, to putting the right people in the right place to succeed, to his willingness to finalize a succession plan in 2006 when he was still young, all of these will be remembered,” his family said in a letter issued to friends in the industry. “Typically, he was years ahead of the norm. As someone told us yesterday, in the 63 short years Dad was with us on this earth, he packed about 125 years of life into it. While we are all sad, it has been uplifting to see how Dad impacted so many lives in a positive way. Dad was the visionary founder, a constant inventor, a generous businessman, a missionary in Haiti, a great leader, and most importantly, a great husband, father and grandfather to all of us in his family. Metrolina will continue to push forward and we now dedicate our work in Dad’s memory, as he would want it.”

Funeral arrangements are as follows:

Visitation will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 22, at:
Calvary Church
5801 Pineville Matthews Road
Charlotte, NC 28226
704-341-5361

Services will be held 11 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 23, at Calvary Church and burial will follow after the services at Ramah Church Cemetery, 14401 Ramah Church Road, Huntersville, NC 28078.

The family recommends memorial contributions be made to Double Harvest, a charity the Van Wingerden family founded in Haiti:

Double Harvest–Haiti
Tom Van Wingerden Memorial Fund
55 South Main Street
Oberlin, OH 44074
www.DoubleHarvest.org
440-714-1694

Outside the greenhouse industry, Tom and his children were known in North Carolina for racing cars at the Lowe’s Motor Speedway. Here is the link to the story from the Charlotte Observer:
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/topstories/story/1134894.html

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Avatar for Anonymous Anonymous says:

My deepest sympathy to the Van Wingerden family during this time of loss. Your family will remain in my thoughts and prayers.
George Strimpel, Four Star Greenhouse

Avatar for Anonymous Anonymous says:

Hallo Vicky Wij willen je Condoleren met het grote verlies van Ton.Het was een verschrikkelijk bericht,en ongeloof dat Ton er niet meer is,nooit meer het lachende gezicht,te zien wij wensen jou en fam heel veel sterkte in deze ongelooflijke moeilijke tijd hartelijke groeten van Gerrit en Lona Hollander

Avatar for Anonymous Anonymous says:

Thinking of the Van Wingerden family in this time of sorrow. I will keep you in my prayers.
Penny Kosa,
Four Star Greenhouse

Avatar for Anonymous Anonymous says:

My prayers go out to God on behalf this wonderful VanWingerden family at the most refered Christian holiday season of the year. May God touch you gently as you continue on with Tom’s vision for your families and the Metrolina business.

Avatar for Anonymous Anonymous says:

With Tom’s passing comes sadness and with reflection comes joy knowing that he shared his life as Christ would desire from us all. Giving and serving is a great legacy. May your sadness be filled with peace that surpasses all understanding and rest knowing that Tom is with his Lord and savior. Chris Colasono, Skagit Gardens.

Avatar for Anonymous Anonymous says:

We are keeping you and your family in our thoughts and prayers.
We were very sorry to hear about your loss.
With Deepest Sympathy
Rich & Susie Owen

Avatar for Anonymous Anonymous says:

My deepest sympathy to the Van Wingerden family during this time of loss. Your family will remain in my thoughts and prayers.
George Strimpel, Four Star Greenhouse

Avatar for Anonymous Anonymous says:

Hallo Vicky Wij willen je Condoleren met het grote verlies van Ton.Het was een verschrikkelijk bericht,en ongeloof dat Ton er niet meer is,nooit meer het lachende gezicht,te zien wij wensen jou en fam heel veel sterkte in deze ongelooflijke moeilijke tijd hartelijke groeten van Gerrit en Lona Hollander

Avatar for Anonymous Anonymous says:

Thinking of the Van Wingerden family in this time of sorrow. I will keep you in my prayers.
Penny Kosa,
Four Star Greenhouse

Avatar for Anonymous Anonymous says:

My prayers go out to God on behalf this wonderful VanWingerden family at the most refered Christian holiday season of the year. May God touch you gently as you continue on with Tom’s vision for your families and the Metrolina business.

Avatar for Anonymous Anonymous says:

With Tom’s passing comes sadness and with reflection comes joy knowing that he shared his life as Christ would desire from us all. Giving and serving is a great legacy. May your sadness be filled with peace that surpasses all understanding and rest knowing that Tom is with his Lord and savior. Chris Colasono, Skagit Gardens.

Avatar for Anonymous Anonymous says:

We are keeping you and your family in our thoughts and prayers.
We were very sorry to hear about your loss.
With Deepest Sympathy
Rich & Susie Owen

Avatar for John Elenburg John Elenburg says:

While working in Van Wingerden’s Shipping Office for Jesse Nelson back in 2001 on one occasion I briefly spoke with Tom and he struck me as a man with a positive attitude and a large view of where the company was going.