The Story and the Legacy of Griffin Greenhouse Supplies
January 6, 2023 
Note: Griffin Greenhouse Supplies celebrated its 75-year anniversary in 2022. I recently sat down with the management team at Griffin to talk about the company’s past, present, and future legacy. In this first part of a two-part Q&A series, we look back at 75 years of innovation and growth that has helped shape Griffin’s role in the horticulture industry today. In part two, which you can find next week, we will look ahead at Griffin’s future goals and direction.
Brian Sparks: Over its 75-year history, how has Griffin has been able to remain a family owned and operated company? This is certainly not an easy thing to do nowadays.
Rick Hyslip (President): This industry is very family friendly, and it is what makes the horticulture industry unique. Our dad, Ken Hyslip Sr., instilled family values into the culture of the company right from the beginning. Being part of the Griffin family does not mean you are a direct family member, as our father always felt his employees were like family and treated them that way. He did not treat us any different than he treated anybody else at Griffin. That mindset was instilled into the next generation, which is myself and my two brothers, and continues with the third generation that is working actively in the business.
Our dad only had to report to himself and that can be challenging at times. Then you go to the next generation, and you have three of us. It is always a question of how are the three going to get along. We do not always agree on everything, but we always find a way to work it out based on what is best for the family, employees, and the business. Our father instilled that value of collaborating with each other, acknowledge each other’s workloads, and respecting their opinions.
In keeping with this philosophy, Griffin has been able to grow from a one-man operation in the 1940s to become a leading horticultural broker and supplier, expanding to 16 locations nationwide with no signs of slowing down. Although our dad passed away in 2019, his values of integrity, collaboration and respect have had a lasting impact, not just on our company’s success, but in the communities where we operate.
Craig Hyslip (Chief Operating Officer): He also taught us to go a step further and look at our partners. Whether they are suppliers or growers, we treat them with the same values. Everyone at the company from the top down works within that culture. As Griffin concludes its 75th year and looks to the future, we are committed to our values and to be known as acompany that cares.
Brian Sparks: What are some of the biggest advancements that you have seen in the industry, and how has Griffin responded and advanced itself over the years?
Craig Hyslip: When Griffin started, growers were using clay pots. When plastic pots came on the market, Griffin helped growers transition to the newest technology of the day. Over the last 75 years, greenhouses transitioned to rigid covers with roof vents, wood to steel and many other things. It was an exciting and tremendous change for the industry that Griffin supported. When we look at our distribution centers today, we have narrow aisles with specialized forklifts to pick orders. This technology did not exist when my brothers and I were working the warehouse ourselves. Technology is driving business today, whether you are a manufacturer, a grower, or a broker. Customers are looking for Griffin to communicate and utilize technology to improve their businesses. I am excited to see what innovations the next generation at Griffin will implement.
Ken Hyslip Jr. (Executive Vice President): The business and the world are so much different from when we started 40 years ago. I remember when we would send trucks out in the morning and have no idea where they were during the day. Today our drivers are equipped with GPS and cell phones. We are always in contact with them and use the information to communicate with customers rapidly. We have also used internal systems and processes to manage delivery schedules and quantity of stops on a truck. This allows us to be more efficient and provide better service to our customers.
Brian Sparks: When I think about Griffin, what really jumps out to me is education. It is not just about selling a product or a service, it is about educating your customer about how to grow better plant or how to do business the right way. Why is education such an important part of the philosophy of how Griffin operates?
Craig Hyslip: We need successful customers for us to be successful. Our goal is to have the consumer be successful with the finished products our customers produce and present. We work backwards from the consumer to our growers and retailers. The team focuses on providing the diagnostic tools, newest products, and education for growers and retailers to help them stay up to date on the best practices.
Brian Sullivan (Senior Vice President): We need to have customers that are successful in their businesses; that success transfers to the consumer and helps Griffin develop long-term relationships. We must make sure we are doing everything beyond offering a good price. Price is certainly important, but it is not the most important thing in this industry. The relationships are what is most important, and we work hard to make sure we have the right product, at a fair price when our customers need it. Our GGSPro team is a valuable part of this equation.
Rick Hyslip: It is part of our commitment to our customer base to give them the best customer service possible, which is why education is extremely powerful.
Brian Sparks: As part of the second generation at Griffin, what are you most proud of in terms of what Griffin has accomplished over the years, and how is it a reflection of the vision that was started by Ken Sr.?
Ken Hyslip Jr.: I am most proud that we can continue our dad’s philosophy and dream of passing the business to future generations. From our first location in the 1940s to our 16th location, we continue to expand. The longevity of our employees is also very satisfying. We have people working here that started in high school and retire from Griffin. We continue to offer the benefits, profit sharing, and other incentives our dad started. I am proud we have been able to continue his legacy that was one of his core values.
Craig Hyslip: Anyone reading this article who knew our dad would define him as a visionary. I am most proud that we took his vision and grew from the first location in Reading, MA, started by Charles Griffin that our dad acquired. He had a vision and was able to build from being a Massachusetts company to a New England company and beyond. Many of the people who were part of that growth are still here today. When we add a new person, vendor, or a new technology, it adds a new capability for Griffin, continuing our dad’s vision.
Rick Hyslip: Only 30% of second-generation companies survive, and when you get to the third generation, it is less than 12%. We survived the second generation and are now in the third. The third generation is stepping up and learning the business from the bottom up. It is exciting to see them come to work and enjoying what they do. They come to work because they want to, not because they must. The third generation brings a new perspective to the business but is rooted in the vision and values of Griffin’s 75-year history. I am excited to see what new innovations they bring. Ken, Craig, and I bring the lived experiences, and when combined with the next generation we have an opportunity to see Griffin continue to grow and support its customers.
The other thing that my brothers and I keep talking about is that we would not be anywhere without our extremely dedicated and loyal employees.
Brian Sparks: What advice do you have for the next generation?
Craig Hyslip: Pay attention to everyone and everything around you and do the best you can to take the good from them and not be concerned about the bad. And always surround yourself with somebody smarter than yourself.
Ken Hyslip Jr.: If you work hard and respect everybody, you will be respected, and people will work hard for you.
Rick Hyslip: Our industries are very relationship driven, and it is extremely important to build relationships that you can lean on in good times and bad times, whether it is with your customers or your vendors.
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