From Christmas Tree Farm to Community Leader: The Inspiring Journey of Tomball ISD Graduate Lauren Kirchner
Her story began on a Christmas Tree Farm off Decker Prairie Rosehill Road. The pine scent illuminated the air and families from all over would create memories visiting Spring Creek Growers for their annual choose-and-cut Christmas tree.
For Lauren Kirchner, formally Lauren Jones, working the family Christmas Tree Farm as a young girl was one of her favorite memories, and as she grew older, a memory she thought would only be a childhood pastime.
Now, in 2024, Kirchner leads Spring Creek Growers, Inc. as its President and Co-Owner. A creative horticulture marketer and accomplished business developer, she brings 15 years of experience to this role, having joined the family business shortly after pursuing a career that just didn’t completely fulfill her.
Kirchner is a 2004 graduate of Tomball High School where she attended Beckendorf Intermediate, Tomball Junior High, and THS during her grade school years. In a family full of Cougar graduates, Kirchner was a proud member of the swim team, competing on the first team to call the Natatorium home during her senior year. She was involved in summer theater productions, and broadcasted school announcements each morning.
Following high school, Kirchner thought she would pursue broadcast journalism, but once she began her time at Baylor University she focused on business and received her degree with a double major in Marketing and Finance.
“As I graduated [from Baylor], I left thinking I’d have a long career with a Fortune 500 company, but only after one year of corporate life, I quickly realized the young business her parents had begun was something of great opportunity,” Kirchner said.
A true family business, Kirchner approached her parents with the idea.
“I came to my father, shocking us both, that I was interested in joining the family business, something I’d never ever considered before, and asked if he could use my help.”
She began her time working at Spring Creek Growers, Inc. as a Sales Representative with no formal horticulture training or background despite working the Christmas Tree Farm her whole life.
“After joining the family business, I quickly realized how much of an impact growing flowers makes for the community.”
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To rewind and reflect on what Spring Creek Growers, Inc. has become over the years is quite inspiring.
The land was farm land originally owned by Kirchner’s great grandparents where they raised turkeys and produce for Houston Farmers Markets. Kirchner’s parents took over the land and began Spring Creek Growers, Inc. in 1992 as a Christmas Tree Farm.
In 2004, Kirchner’s father quit his day job and began the commercial nursery business full-time, embarking on an entrepreneurial leap.
“As I went through college, he and my mom wore many hats to keep a young business going,” Kirchner remembers. “Those early years were challenging for both of them but they successfully laid a foundation for the company making it what it is today.”
Kirchner officially joined in Year 5 of the commercial business, and a few years later her brother joined as well. Today, Spring Creek Growers, Inc. has 60 employees and ships to over 200 H-E-B stores regularly along with other customers like SiteOne Landscape Supply, Costco, and many premium commercial landscaping companies across Texas.
“Driving around the Houston area and seeing our flowers at shopping center esplandes, subdivision entrances, hotels, and more is something we are so grateful to see,” Kirchner said.
Her parents officially retired in 2023 from the commercial side of the business, handing the reins off to Kirchner, who has flourished into a devoted and passionate leader in the Tomball community.
As President, her main responsibility is to provide a framework for team members to serve customers and carry out the goals of the organization.
“We take great pride in providing a good experience with plants and flowers, and we use each touch point to ensure a positive outcome,” she noted.
Her impressive contributions to the community have not wavered during her time as the President and Co-Owner of Spring Creek Growers, Inc., as a mom and as a business owner, Kirchner has become an active volunteer at Rosehill Elementary School where her youngest child currently attends.
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Since 2022, Kirchner has dedicated time and resources to sponsor the Rosehill Elementary School Garden Club. As the sponsor, she teaches weekly lessons to nearly 35 students, providing them a hands-on experience through an engaging curriculum.
“Garden Club for me has been my most beloved aspect of my career,” she said. “I’ve spent many years creating things professionally, but to be able to get my hands dirty with elementary school kids and foster a life-long love of nature is something I greatly cherish.”
Through her engaging curriculum, and passion for nature, Kirchner is able to engage the students by segmenting out blocks of time for deeper learning. The learning ranges from how to observe plants, or getting their hands dirty through moving, digging, and creating, or through responsibility and taking ownership in gardening, or simply sharing experiences.
“In a world where there’s so much focus on technology, Garden Club gives the students a natural connection to the environment and some big moments of discovery,” Kirchner said.
Through discovery comes a realization that a lot of growth and change has happened over the years, one thing is for sure - this Tomball family’s commitment to their community and their business continues to be quite impactful.
Kirchner is joined by her brother, Evan, who serves as the Operations Manager and her husband, Eric, who runs the accounting and HR department. The Kirchner’s have two sons, who are proud Tomball ISD students and who have been a part of the RES Garden Club.
“This choice of career is deeply rewarding and something of great value for the agricultural legacy of my family’s long Tomball history, and for the State of Texas to have a life enhanced by an experience with plants and flowers,” she said.
Kirchner is forever a Tomball native, a proud parent and business owner, and truly understands the value of dedicating time back to her hometown.
“Those who make up this wonderful Tomball community give graciously, raise their children to be good people, and care about enriching the lives of other community members. We also prioritize quality education. It is so easy to feel at home in Tomball, even for new people moving in.”
Source: Tomball ISD
