OUR TEAM
Commercial Sales
Alex Shipley
Chief Sales Officer
Alex was born in Nova Scotia, Canada. Like his brothers, Alex spent his childhood working for his father in his greenhouses. He graduated from Vancouver Island University with an Associates Degree in Commerce. After arriving in Tucson in 1997, Alex spent his time working along side his family when Civano Nursery, Inc began salvaging trees. He spent most of his days in the field getting his hands dirty helping dig and transport many of the trees and cacti. Today, Alex serves as co-owner and Chief Sales Officer of Civano Nursery, Inc. His passion is actively selling plants across the state and aiding in keeping our inventory fully stocked with the industry's most desirable plants.
Stephanie Vickers
Sales Manager
Marketing & Social Media
ISA certified Arborist WE-14925A
Stephanie began her love of all things desert flora from a young age. That love turned into a 24-year career in the nursery industry. Stephanie is committed to her customers and strives to provide the highest customer service. Stephanie is an Arizona Certified Nursery Professional, Arizona Certified Landscape Professional, and Sustainable Landscape Management Certified, and she is an ISA certified Arborist. Her hobbies include at-home gardening, working on classic cars, and spending time with her husband of 11 years and her eight-year-old son.
Jesus Navarrete
Sales Team Lead
Jesus has been with us since 2014, and enjoys the knowledge he has gained over the years. Jesus handles estimating and makes sure material is bid accordingly and accurately for commercial projects. His other responsibilities are managing the sales team and assisting customers with every need, whether over the phone or with walk-ins. He appreciates Civano for its learning environment and opportunities it gives to employees to grow in the nursery environment. Hablo español.
Ryan Adams
Purchasing Manager
A Tucson transplant since 1983, Ryan is well familiarized with all desert plant life. His career with Civano began in 2004 as one of our first delivery drivers. Since then, Ryan is now our Purchasing Manager and is one of the most familiar faces at Civano Growers along with his ever faithful companion, Charlie the Dog. In his spare time, Ryan enjoys a multiple of outdoor activities and is a cactus enthusiast.
Danielle Cooper
Sales Associate
Danielle is a Tucson native who received her bachelor's degree in Sustainable Plant Systems from the University of Arizona. She believes family and nature are the most important aspects of life. She has been with us since June 2018 and enjoys working on the farm.
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David Chavez
Sales Associate
David comes from a long line of gardeners from the small community of Bisbee. He recently closed his landscaping business, named after his grandmother Aurora, to join the Civano team in the winter of 2020. He's quickly learning all aspects of working in a growing grounds as large as Civano Growers, and is eager to continue that lifelong education. David enjoys running, camping, hiking, and being in his garden.
Charles Adams
Morale Representative
(aka Charlie)
I've been the loyal Civano Morale Rep for 8 years, in that time I've been greeting customers with smiles and keeping them happy while they wait for their orders. I especially enjoy lap time with the Civano team. I also love treats, hanging out with my sisters, and love the occasional zoomie.
Arriana Ochoa
Sales Associate
Arriana is a southern Arizona native, her passion for plants & the environment started when she was very young. Growing up in Patagonia, she worked extensively with different types of environmental restoration work & plant studies. She has a wide range of knowledge of desert native plants. Arriana has worked with us for two years across different departments and is now working with both Commercial and Regional Sales. She is Sustainable Landscape Management Certified and is currently working on becoming an Arizona Certified Landscape Professional.
Regional Sales
Chris Shipley
President
Regional Sales Manager
Chris has been in the nursery industry since he was a child working alongside his brothers and father in Nova Scotia before moving to Tucson. Since day one, Chris has worked closely with land developers, architects, and golf courses providing our customers a wealth of knowledge that he is happy to share. His motto is,"Just be a nice person", and it shows in his industry relationships. He truly enjoys getting to know each and every customer. Having worked alongside his wife, Melanie, at our retail garden center since it opened in 1999, he understands current industry trends and the needs of our regional customers throughout the Southwest in regards to retail plant quality, seasonal selection, and the power of branded Civano Originals to increase margins in the retail space. So please take advantage of our experience in failure and triumph and let’s succeed together.
Adriana Romo
Regional Sales
Associate
Don't let Adriana's youth fool you. With a passion for edible plants, Adriana began her career as a master fruit tree grafter in Tennessee. In 2018, she graduated from high school with honors, and her passion for plants continues to grow. In her free time, Adriana likes to hike, cook, be around children, and make art. The happiest day of her life is when she recently got married. Hablo español.
Logistics
German Sabori
Logistic Manager
CDL
German started with Civano Growers in 2018 as a puller for the Loading Dock. He obtained his Commercial Driver’s License, and took on the out of state routes. Having shown exceptional leadership, and attention to detail, German is now Logistics Manager. German is a dedicated father, and enjoys family time the most.
Drivers
CDL, Texas Route
State Route
CDL, Texas Route
Growing & Operations
Mauricio Sabori
Field Manager
CDL
Mauricio has been with Civano Growers since 2012. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Public Administration. Having worked as Shrub Crew Supervisor, CDL, Production Supervisor, and Field Manager, Mauricio has shown he is a leader by nature. All the knowledge he gained throughout the years make Mauricio a valuable employee to Civano Growers.
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Sarah Hoglund
Compliance Coordinator
IPM Supervisor
Originally from Northern Minnesota, Sarah has lived in the Sonoran Desert since the late 1990s. Since 2015 she has focused on quality control and pest management in nurseries, and commercial agriculture crops. Her favorite way to spend time is with family and pets and working in the garden. Sarah has been with Civano Growers since late 2021 and is thrilled to be part of the team!
Nick Shipley
Co-Owner, Chief Operations Officer
Nick was born in Nova Scotia, Canada. He is an ISA Certified Arborist. From 1997-2004 he served as Reclamation Manager for Civano Nursery, Inc. where he oversaw salvage of trees and cacti from development sites. From 2004-2014 he served as Farm Manager and Head Grower for Civano Growers where he oversaw all aspects of plant production. Nick currently serves on the boards of Smartscape, The City of Tucson Landscape Advisory Committee, and The Desert Horticulture Conference. Nick was raised in the industry and started working summers in his father's greenhouses at the age of 11. He has an incredible passion for plants and is driven to see them thrive in our urban landscapes.
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Karl Nelson
Lead Grower
Karl holds a Master's degree in Landscape Architecture from the University of Arizona. He is an ISA Certified Arborist, and an AZ certified Pesticide Applicator. He specializes in irrigation systems management, and plant disorder diagnostics. He has been an active gardener and outdoor cook for over 30 years.
Irving Romo
Inventory Supervisor
Web Management
Irving has been a valuable and dedicated employee of Civano Growers since 2016. Having worked at the loading dock, in propagation, and in inventory, Irving has a strong understanding of company operations from start to finish. Irving is a certified ISA Arborist, and ACLP. He is also SLM certified. He is a lover of plants and animals alike.
Compost Yard & Construction
Les Shipley
Co-Owner and Construction Manager
Born in England, Les attended Pershore Institute of Horticulture and graduated with a National Diploma in Horticulture. Since then, Les has established Plant Care Inc., an interiorscape and landscape company actively doing business on both the East and West coasts of Canada. In 1997, he moved to Tucson as Project Horticulturalist for The Community of Civano, an 818 acre sustainable community located on the Southeast side of the City. A year later, he was joined by his three sons and daughter-in-law; Chris, Nick, Alex, and Mel to establish Civano Nursery.
Administration
Lorraine Ramirez
HR/Inventory Control Manager
Safety Coordinator
​Lorraine started working for Civano Growers in 2019, she brings more than 20 years of inventory experience to the table. She is a certified Training and Safety Coordinator. She is our current certified Human Resource Manager & Inventory Manager. Her passion and dedication to keeping the integrity of inventory has allowed her to quickly climb the ladder. In her free time she loves baking cakes and goodies. She is actively involved in her children's sports, and holds a Vice President position on the Pueblo High School Booster Board.
Vickie Acosta
Accounts Payable Manager
Vickie has been in the accounting field for over fifteen years. Before coming to Civano Growers, she worked in the roofing industry for over eighteen years. She loves the beach and Disneyland. She enjoys listening to music, spending time with friends and family and making people laugh.