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About Sound Horticulture

Alison Kutz

President

Alison comes from a background of greenhouse management; first building then operating a wholesale specialty plant nursery in Bellingham, WA in the early 80’s. Inspired to grow herbs and edibles without dangerous pesticides and with limited industry information available, Alison looked to the Canadian grower network nearby for tools. Beneficial insects produced on nearby Vancouver Island were available, so the biocontrol journey began there. After 20 years of research in beneficial insect use, compost tea brewing, designing soil blends and other green growing methods, she began Sound Horticulture in 2000. Her passion for holistic cultivation fuels and encourages her company’s broad aspirations; bringing biological solutions from years of experience to large scale crop management, greenhouse ornamentals, hydroponics and more.
Her favorite pastime is messing in the garden until the tide comes in… then paddle boarding in Chuckanut bay. Salt water goes a long way in getting dirt out from under fingernails!


Karin Todd

Office Manager (& Logistics)

Karin is Sound Horticulture’s logistics goddess. Coming from a small business management background, she is our wizard of all moving targets. If you want to know where your order is and can’t find your tracking, then Karin will drill down and tell you what is arriving at your door and more. She’ll also remind you to tie your shoes, fuel up your tank and get those packages out the door on time. Who’d have thought this former art gallery manager from Vermont could keep us all in line? Karin’s skills span the gamut and she ultimately keeps the entire company organized. Next time you call and she answers the phone, please thank her for her hard work. Our team would be dysfunctional without her!

Karin and Melanie have become an amazing tag team with all things related to orders, inventory and payment. When asked what she enjoys in her free time, Karin’s response is always, “What free time!?”
 

 

Melanie Aceves

Accounts

Melanie joined Sound Horticulture in the spring of 2017. Her degree in business administration highlights her appreciation for numbers and systematic routine, bringing order to the chaos of the beneficial insect industry. Well seasoned and extremely pleasant in customer service, Melanie is an indispensable part of our powerhouse office team.

When not at the office, Melanie guides students through their yoga practice, takes hikes with her fiance and puppy, and enjoys a variety of dance classes.
 

 

Hector Rosado-Castillo

Technical Sales

Hector comes from a tropical horticultural background specializing in orchids and carnivorous plants. He received a Bachelors of Environmental Sciences from the University of Utah, was awarded the Ecological Society of America SEEDS grant, and was also sponsored by the National Science Foundation to conduct an independent research project on pollination networks in tundra, alpine, and sub alpine environments. Hector has extensive experience working in zoo and aquarium settings as a horticulturist where chemical use could lead to loss of endangered animals and have an adverse effect on breeding populations. Working with at-risk species resulted in the research of beneficial insects as a safe solution in these sensitive conditions. These studies eventually led to his position at Sound Horticulture, where he can now learn and research to his heart's content while incorporating knowledge gained through hands on practice.

Hector’s hobbies closely mirror his professional interests, incorporating the study of mutualistic relationships in nature through a candid love of the outdoors. He enjoys hiking, observing plants and animals, and spending time with his partner, Kathy, and their dog, Harley.

 

 

Alec Blume

Technical Sales

Alec joined the Sound Horticulture team in 2019 after graduating from Western Washington University with a degree in environmental science and minors in chemistry and biology. He loves to learn about insects and their role in pest management and has spent countless hours identifying and studying them. His excellent macro photography of beneficials is slowly making its way onto the website.

At work, Alec assists customers with technical questions and manages a variety of research projects, helping bring Sound Horticulture into a bright, technologically efficient future. When he has time to relax, he enjoys hammocking on the beach and taking macro photos of plants.