New Board Member Profile Jim Cirrincione, Hinsdale Nurseries

21283 IL Route 76 Poplar Grove, IL 61065

11228 East County Road X

Lorem Clinton, WI 53525 Salem, WI 7530 288th Avenue Salem, WI 53168 1-262-537-3326 ipsum wholesale@breezyhillnursery.com

by Meta Levin

“I think I’m going to learn a lot,” says Jim Cirrincione of Hinsdale Nurseries about his new position as a member of the ILCA Board of Directors.

Cirrincione, who at the time of this article was so new he had yet to attend a board meeting, in person or virtually, already has learned a lot in his years in ILCA. In fact, his early introduction to the association came when he attended some training sessions, followed by a few years on the education committee.

Three years ago, ILCA Executive Jin Cirrincione Director Scott Grams and ILCA Past President, Tom Lupfer, approached Cirrincione about accompanying them on a trip to Springfield. They were planning to talk with State Rep. Jim Durkin, Illinois House Minority Leader, and several other lawmakers. “They needed someone who lived or worked in his district to talk with him,” says Cirrincione. That trip led to a stint on the Political Action Committee. “I’ve been helping raise money since then.”

It came as no surprise when he was approached about joining the ILCA Board of Directors. “Tom Lupfer has been trying to talk me into it for the last two years,” he says. “Lupfer wanted someone representing a company about the same size as his to take his place when he went off the Board.” This year, he agreed to seriously consider it, calling Grams to find out more before agreeing to join the board.

A native of LaGrange and a graduate of Lyons Township High School, with a Bachelor of Arts in political science and government from Marquette University and an MBA in business management from Loyola University Chicago, Cirrincione started out as a pension consultant, but was laid off following 9/11. He was no stranger to the green industry. During high school and college, he had mowed lawns for a small lawn maintenance company. During his job hunt following the post-9/11 layoff, he was introduced to the Hinsdale Nurseries owner, who offered him a job working on a crew. From there he rose to landscape maintenance manager, eventually rising to production manager, then general manager and in 2008, president — a position he now holds.

Cirrincione enjoys his job. “Every day is different,” he says.

He is married and the father of two children, ages 10 and eight.

His background will be helpful in working on the Board, he says. “I am doing crisis management in one form or another. I think that will help me on the Board.”