Greg Raymond
Greg, Owner and Founder of Ecogardens, began his landscaping career mowing lawns at age 16. From there, he studied horticulture and landscape architecture at Michigan State University, refining his natural talent for design before opening his first landscape company in 1986. Since then, Greg has performed every imaginable landscape project (go on, test him) from large-scale commercial landscapes and retaining walls to wetland mitigation and green roofs.

After 17 years of owning and managing landscaping operations, Greg decided in 2006 to start his third company, Ecogardens, as a leading firm dedicated to sustainability and community health. In Chicago, a city touting itself as one of the "greenest" in the nation, the company aims to leverage public awareness about environmental issues and push for sustainable standards in the landscape industry.

In July of 2009 Greg became one of the first accredited Green Roof Professionals (GRP) in North America. Less than 125 individuals successfully completed a multi-disciplinary exam encompassing five areas of concentration including pre-design, design, contract management, quality assurance and support, and maintenance. GRP accreditation verifies that the individual has attained the level of interdisciplinary knowledge of best practices associated with the successful design, installation and maintenance of green roof systems.

Kristen Gerali
Kristen has been a part of the landscape industry for 11 years. She played a major role in starting up Ecogardens and is currently the Office and Human Resource Manager. She handles accounting, client and vendor correspondence, project records, and daily administrative duties.

Kristen is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Humane Leadership at Duquesne University. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, she volunteered in New Orleans to rescue abandoned animals, namely pit bulls. This affirmed her passion for animals, and in 2008 Kristen launched her second animal rescue, ALIVE Rescue. ALIVE promotes sustainable living and care giving by building awareness, appreciation and respect for all animals and the environment within our communities.

Shawn Weidner, ASLA
For the past six years, Shawn has practiced landscape design primarily in the Chicago area. After graduating from The Ohio State University with a Bachelor of Science in Landscape Architecture (Minor in Business and Horticulture) in 2003, Shawn worked as the Senior Landscape Designer / Project Manger of a Chicago-based landscaping firm. He was responsible for the design and management of urban and suburban residential and commercial landscape and rooftop projects. While at this firm, Shawn played a key role in acquiring a number of industry awards during his tenure.

Shawn brought his expertise to Ecogardens in March, 2008. As the Director of Design, he oversees the design and management of all rooftop gardens, green roofs, and landscape garden projects. He actively participates with IL-ASLA and is an Instructor at The Chicago Botanic Gardens and Northwestern University’s School of Continuing Studies.