Bob Ferda was born and raised in the Ohio Valley. After graduating from high school, and a brief stint working for the FBI, he joined the Air Force. He graduated from Miami University with a degree in Botany. From 1972 to 1979 he worked at Babson's Garden Center in Westlake, Ohio, for the last 5 years as the general manager. He returned to the Ohio Valley in 1979 and started Ferda's Garden Center in 1980.

Bob is on the board of trustees for the Olive Branch Cemetery in Harrisville, Ohio. He is an avid outdoorsman, photographer,and a member of the Shortcreek Sportsman's Club. Contact Bob at Bob@ferdas.com.

Lynn Ferda graduated from Miami University with a degree in Sociology. She trained as a floral designer at the Pittsburgh Floral Academy. She is the office manager, advertising director, and a buyer for the gift shop.

She and her husband have two sons, Steve and Jeff, and three grandsons, Nicholas, Benjamin, and Joshua. Contact her at Lynn@ferdas.com

Patty Utter is the Gift Shop manager and head floral designer. Patty helps run things from the ground up with seeding down our veggies and annuals in the spring to organizing our seasonal kick-offs with annual planters, good eats, candle selections and new looks for the Gift Shop. Patty's zeal and enthusiasm are reflected by the special sparkle she demands for the winter holiday season, the vibrancy of her spring displays and the down home feel she presents for the fall season. She lives near Harrisville with her husband, Randy, daughter, Lori, and granddaughter, Caitlyn. Her gardens include lots of perennials and roses. To contact her go to Patty@ferdas.com.

Dawn Gower heads our landscape department, teaches classes here at the store and is a member of the Association of Professional Landscape Designers. With a strong background in landscape design and installation, Dawn is able to help homeowners achieve their dreams of a beautiful landscape. Whether it is a new patio, a special flower garden, or just a little bit of "touching up", you will enjoy working with Dawn to make those dreams come true. To contact her go to Dawn@ferdas.com

Amy Jeskey helps with the care of the greenhouse as well as displays and merchandise selection in the gift shop. Amy also assists our clientele with perennial, annual and shrub selections. She lives in Harrisville where she enjoys gardening with her husband, John. You can contact her at Amy@ferdas.com

Other staff members include Melanie Steffl Thompson, Gloria Roberts,  and Bobby Harr. Our seasonal and behind the scenes staff are vital to our success here at Ferda's Garden Center. They assist our clientele with gift or plant selection, carry out and load the purchases with the utmost care, deliver and carefully place cemetery vases and grave blankets, organize, redesign, refresh, maintain and always have a smile to share.