William (Bill) T. Ruppert

Owns and manages the St. Louis office of National Nursery Products (NNP), a horticultural sales, marketing and consulting company representing regional and national wholesale growers of ornamental and environmental landscape plants.

Prior to assuming his position with National Nursery Products in 1990, Bill was employed by the University of Missouri serving a management role coordinating the landscape redevelopment and enhancement of the University of Missouri – Columbia campus which was a large part of (then) Chancellor Barbara S. Uehling’s campus beautification initiative..

BIOS and INVOLVEMENT

Education Background

Graduated from the University of Missouri - Columbia in 1980 with a BS from the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources Horticulture program with a concentration in ornamental horticulture and landscape design.

As a student in the Horticulture program, Bill coordinated the planning, design, funding acquisition,construction development, and initial maintenance of the Woodland and Floral Gardens, a mini-botanic garden formerly located on the grounds of the MU Agriculture Building.

Bill continues to participate in adult education programs regarding information technology systems, ecological uses of horticultural plants and frequently attends a variety of professional green industry symposiums, lectures and workshops.

Bill's mantra: "The world is ruled by those who show up AND PARTICIPATE."

Active leadership participation in professional and civic organizations includes:

 

 

Additional Photos
Bill and mother, Francelia, in the garden at their Sprinfield, MA home (circa 1960).

Personal Interests

  • In addition to professional horticultural activities, enjoys an active gardening hobby including the collection and evaluation of recently introduced plants at Ruppert Gardens located in Kirkwood, Missouri. Special interest is given to combining unique and tough companion annual varieties with a diverse collection of hardy perennials and ornamental shrubs.
  • Raising and caring for a flock of egg producing hens at the Ruppert Ranch.
  • Managing Fox Hollow Forest, a rural nature preserve located along the Missouri River corridor in southern Boone County, Missouri.
  • Missouri, Illinois and local history.
  • Experiencing a wide variety of music genres and pursuing a series of tributes to the legacy of the man who taught the world to play guitar, the late Kirkwoodian Mr. Mel Bay.
  • Reading biographical information about people who have made significant contributions to our world.
  • Travel and discovery.

 

National Nursery Products - St. Louis is a proud member
of these professional trade organizations: