Tony Abruscato
Mr. Green Chicago FLOWER SHOW PRODUCTIONS, INC.
Affectionately called “Mr. Green Chicago” by his friends and supporters, Tony Abruscato’s broad experience in marketing, finance, promotions, sponsorship and executive management converge under his leadership as president of Chicago-based Flower Show Productions, Inc. and founder of The Get Growing Foundation.
In 2011, Abruscato acquired the Chicago Flower & Garden Show and became owner and president of its parent company, Flower Show Productions. In the years that followed and through his mantra to “Inspire, Educate. Motivate.”, Tony has built on the legacy of the iconic event to create a flourishing, urban-style flower and garden show that not only welcomes spring in Chicago but educates waves of new attendees each year. It has become a show whereby it can turn any thumb "green".
In March 2017, Abruscato founded the non-profit, Get Growing Foundation, a 501c3 dedicated to continuing the mission of the Chicago Flower & Garden Show to cultivate the next generation of gardener with inspiration through education, community outreach and impact programming and year-round outreach through PLANT TRUCK Chicago, a mobile garden boutique launched in August 2019.
Abruscato’s mission to inspire a greener Chicago and generations of new and experienced gardeners comes from his personal passion to create livable, sustainable communities that enhance lives and neighborhoods.
The Mission Lives On -- Great Grow Along
The Chicago Flower & Garden Show® has roots dating back as far as 1847 and though Flower Show Productions, Inc. worked tirelessly to create year-round educational programming, the sponsorships from our corporate partners were predominately focused on the benefits of the annual March event.
As a stand-alone 501c3 nonprofit, The Get Growing Foundation has adopted the mission of the Flower & Garden Show to inspire, educate, and motivate the next generation of gardeners through community outreach and education, plus experience-based learning, and horticultural job skills and training. The need to cultivate the next generation of gardeners and enrich our communities with new career opportunities remains of paramount importance.
