Bedding plant industry leader Michael F. Vukelich, who was founder, chairman and CEO of Color Spot Nurseries in California, died Aug. 26 at age 61 after being diagnosed with brain cancer earlier this year.
A lifelong Bay Area native, Michael grew up in Richmond, Calif., and as soon as he could walk started working with his father in their small nursery business. His father, Michael J. Vukelich, taught him all phases of the business–potting plants, making cuttings and watering plants. As a teenager, Michael began selling plants to local retailers.
Over the last 35 years, he and close friend and business partner Jerry Halamuda built Color Spot Nurseries from a backyard business to a $250 million corporation that ranks at No. 1 on our Top 100 Growers. “I have not only lost my best friend and partner, the industry has lost a giant,” Jerry says. “Not much more to say other than it is a sad, sad time. Mike Jr. was the consummate professional with incredible instincts, relationship building skills, domain knowledge and financial expertise. He had no match in the nursery industry.”
According to Michael’s younger brother Mark, “Michael’s vision was to be the best–to provide the best quality plants, best packaging, best distribution plan and best customer service.”
Over the years, Michael traveled the world and developed relationships with business leaders to find new ways to create better systems to manage the expansion of Color Spot’s business. The changes Michael helped implement over his 40-plus year career revolutionized the nursery business. Practices now taken for granted, such as upscale packaging, point of sale merchandising displays, impulse signage and plants delivered on rolling racks were a few of the innovations Michael and his colleagues brought to the industry.
In an earlier interview, Michael said, “Thirty years ago, when we started providing merchandising services, we realized that quality, freshness and presentation sell plants. About 75 percent of the sales are on impulse. Just like in a produce section in a supermarket, you have to have quality, fresh product presented well. Early on, when we were pioneering something new, we showed our customers the metrics and said, ‘Let us do it and we can turn the merchandise 25 to 30 times a year. Your people don’t have time to do this.'” At the beginning, Color Spot was providing merchandising services to a very diverse retail base. Today, three national chains dominate.
In addition to his contributions to the industry, Michael will be remembered as a man who loved his family, was a loyal friend and a generous employer. Survivors include his wife, Karla, and their children Max, Christabella, Michael Paul and Trisha; his parents Michael J. and Glenna Vukelich; sisters, Patricia, Mary, Michelle; brother, Mark; 10 nieces and nephews and three grandchildren.
Services will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 6., with a mass at 1 p.m. at St. Monica’s catholic Church, 1001 Camino Pablo in Moraga, Calif. Graveside services will follow immediately after at Queen of Heaven Cemetery in Lafayette, Calif.
Memorials may be made to “Get Your Head In The Game” at The National Brain Tumor Association at www.braintumor.org or National Brain Tumor Society, 124 Watertown Street, Suite 2D, Watertown, MA 02472.