Employee Appreciation: Everett Chronowski

By Alexa Sinatra

Phipps is well-known for our beautiful gardens, seasonal flower shows, pioneering sustainability initiative, informative educational programs and community outreach. None of our work would be possible without the knowledge and dedication of our employees. There is a wide array of departments at Phipps, each playing an integral role in creating a wonderful experience for our guests. In this series of profiles, we meet some of our employees and get a glimpse into what they do to make Phipps possible.

For Display Horticulturist Everett Chronowski, working at Phipps has been his dream since he was a child. He recalls visiting during his childhood and being completely amazed by the beautiful variety of plants on display. He chose to pursue a degree that would allow him to work here one day and fulfill his dream!

Everetts’ focus area is the Tropical Forest and a typical day can include a variety of different tasks. In the morning, he waters a section of plants and then inspects the room for any plant issues such as pests or nutritional deficiencies. As the day goes on, Everett is continuously cleaning up the Tropical Forest along with helping out in other display rooms as needed!

He says his favorite memory during his time at Phipps is, “When me and Laken found a void (a hollow bit of soil in the ground caused by a decayed root or erosion) and we figured out it was from an old mango tree that grew in the South Conservatory a long time ago!” There’s always something new to discover at Phipps and we look forward to watching Everett expand his horticultural knowledge and abilities!

After working at Phipps for about a year and a half, he says his favorite part is working in an environment that is green year-round. Outside of work, Everett enjoys hiking and camping with his husband and their dog Kepler. He also enjoys trying out new restaurants all over Pittsburgh.