Monrovia appoints Jonathan Pedersen as new CEO

The board of Monrovia Nursery Company is pleased to announce the appointment of Jonathan Pedersen as the company’s new chief executive officer, effective Jan. 1. Pedersen succeeds Miles Rosedale, who stepped down at the end of 2020 to focus on his role as co-chairman of the board of directors.

Pedersen is a highly experienced and well-regarded leader in the horticultural industry who joined Monrovia as vice president of business development and intellectual property in 2013. After achieving record growth in that area, he became vice president of sales and business development in 2019. "Jonathan brings a depth of experience and a fresh perspective at an exciting time for Monrovia. He is an ideal leader to oversee this world-class horticultural organization with a heritage dating back to 1926 that has never stopped innovating," says Chris Kroes, co-chairman of the Monrovia board of directors. “His deep industry knowledge and institutional tenure makes Jonathan uniquely qualified to lead Monrovia successfully into the future." 

Pedersen’s decades of experience in the industry also include various other roles in sales, marketing, and operations at Bailey Nurseries and Linder’s Greenhouses. In his past years with Monrovia, he has been responsible for some of the most significant plant introductions in the country.  

During a unique and sometimes challenging 2020, Monrovia provided its beautiful plants to meet the needs of consumers who rediscovered their homes as a place of refuge and their landscapes as a source of joy.

“It has been a truly challenging yet remarkable year,” says Pedersen. “We worked with our garden center partners to adapt to changes quickly, while maintaining a focus on growing the highest quality plants and providing the best service to our customers. Now more than ever, homeowners want to create beautiful outdoor living spaces, and they want to find just the right plant for the right place,” he says. “I’m excited to work with our dedicated craftsmen to keep fulfilling that promise to our customers and consumers.”