Meet the Team
Meet the Team
Sandy Kehres
Sandy Kehres is our president and co-owner of OPN Seed. She has worked to make the dream come true: owning a business that pays the bills, but more than that, owning a business that helps Mother Nature and her children. Sandy's goal is to support her employees so that they can continue the dream.
Bob Kehres
Bob Kehres is general manager and founder of OPN Seed (Ohio Prairie Nursery) and is responsible for overseeing all facets of our operation. Mr. Kehres has more than 25 years experience in native prairie, meadow and woodland edge ecosystem creation.
Mr. Kehres has presented to and trained soil and water conservation district employees at the state level, engineers, landscape architects, landscape designers, park employees at local, county, state and federal levels, landscape contractors and land owners on the use of native materials for a myriad of uses including: stormwater applications, habitat creation, and reduced maintenance applications. He is also a Certified Prescribed Fire Manager.
Dave Riddell
Dave Riddell is the Operations Manager for OPN Seed (Ohio Prairie Nursery). Mr. Riddell has more than 25 years experience providing technical assistance and managing crews in the fields of invasive vegetation control and ecosystem restoration. Mr. Riddell provides technical consulting to clients and helps with research and harvesting methodologies and implementation. He joined OPN Seed (Ohio Prairie Nursery) in 2013 and graduated from Kent State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Conservation. He can be reached at dave@opnseed.com
Emily Riddell
Emily Riddell is head of Marketing and Customer Service for OPN Seed with over 20 years experience in these fields. She joined OPN Seed in 2013 and oversees the website, social media and making sure all our customers receive top notch service. Emily graduated from Kent State University with a degree in Marketing. If she's not at her desk, you'll find her roaming the prairie with Jack. She can be reached at emily@opnseed.com
Barb Holtz
Barb Holtz joined the OPN Seed team in 2016 after retiring from Cleveland Metroparks where she worked as a naturalist. She provides outreach and education on the importance of native plants and how to successfully grow natives from seed. She also brings her expertise to the blog and provides content for us on a regular basis. She can be reached at barb@opnseed.com
Tiff Simon
Tiff Simon joined the OPN Seed team in 2017 and is a whiz at fulfilling and shipping customer orders! Whether it's filling seed envelopes or blending hundreds of pounds of Eco-Friendly Lawn Alternatives, she gets the job done quickly and efficiently. We don't know what we'd do without her!
Nick Kehres - Facilities Manager
Nick has been learning about prairies since before he could walk. In his current role, Nick keeps everything moving so the operation can run smoothly. From loading, to seeding, to mowing and blending; he keeps the lights on and the cold room chilly! In what some claim is his most important role, he is the caretaker for Captain Lieutenant Jack Sparrow. Keeping our Chief Security Officer physically and mentally sharp is no joke, and Nick keeps his Milk-Bone and water supplies at optimal levels. On any given day, the two can be found roaming the prairies. Nick can be reached at nick@opnseed.com
Captain Lieutenant Jack Sparrow
Recently promoted to Chief of Security, Jack has excelled in his role as Prairie Dog for the last four years. Jack's duties include: protecting the office and property, barking at all delivery personnel (especially the UPS driver), putting slime balls and treats in employees laps, keeping the floor clean of scraps, escorting employees on the property and to their vehicles, napping, growling, laying in the sunshine, and most importantly, being lovable! He's tenacious, attentive and the best at giving soft puppy kisses. Jack is orginally from New Philadelphia and resides with his family in Hiram.