BASIS and FACTS qualified Dean joined ICL’s technical area sales team in 2012. With nearly four decades of practical growing and technical sales experience under his belt, he advises growers in the North West of England and is starting to embrace a more technical role supporting Andrew Wilson, our technical manager for fertilizers. A busy man, Dean is currently studying part time for a degree in Horticulture at Mysercough College!

How did you get in to the industry?

I first got the ‘bug’ while at High School in the late 70’s, working at weekends and in school holidays on a school friend’s family nursery growing indoor and outdoor Chrysanthemums and tomatoes. On leaving school I joined Fryer’s Roses and over three decades progressed to become nursery manager. I particularly enjoyed the challenges of working with the seasons to achieve top quality field grown and container-grown plants and took a particular interest in the breeding side. 

What does your typical day involve? 

There isn’t a typical day when working in horticulture, that’s one of its greatest challenges and what helps keep it interesting. Most days I’m on the road, visiting growers to discuss and advise on nutrition, growing media mixes, plant protection and other technical aspects of modern crop production.

I’m currently taking on a more specific technical role primarily supporting and working with Andrew Wilson on ICL’s extensive portfolio of controlled release and water-soluble precision nutrition products.

What’s the best aspect of your job? 

I enjoy being at the forefront of innovations - helping growers to grow, nurture and protect their crops and to be the best they can.  

And the worst?

The challenge of a very competitive market leaves growers with little time or money to invest in new ideas and technologies; but then, that’s what ICL is all about - looking for ways to help growers make the most of what they do and get the maximum return on their investment.

Your biggest professional achievement?

My ambition has always been to progress to a technical role and that is very much what this job gives me. I gain immense personal satisfaction from being able to help growers to overcome challenges and find solutions to problems, however large or small.