ADAMS TWP — Thomas McMeekin was well established in the ranks of a major corporation's senior engineers when he realized his professional calling was to get his hands dirty.

Decades later, McMeekin still is satisfied with his decision to leave the corporate world to open Quality Gardens on Route 228.

“I love going to work every day,” said McMeekin, 57. “I love working with people, and I love plants.”

Open year-round, the eye-catching glass garden center along Route 228 always has something in bloom.

McMeekin, the son of a successful salesman, grew up wanting to become an engineer because he liked “tinkering, building and designing.”

After graduating from Mars High School in 1973, he earned his mechanical engineering degree from Carnegie Mellon University.

For a decade, McMeekin worked at PPG, where he said his hard work was recognized and he was promoted regularly.

But something wasn't sitting quite right for McMeekin, and he didn't have to look far to find a career he believed would be fulfilling.

“I married into a farm family,” McMeekin said.

McMeekin's wife, Elizabeth “Liz,” was one of six children born and raised on the Hawkins farm in Middlesex Township.

McMeekin had known his wife his whole life. In high school, their lockers were side-by-side.

“There's even a picture of us sharing a crib because our parents were friends,” he said, noting they didn't become involved romantically until college.

In the early years of their marriage, McMeekin said it wasn't uncommon for him to help his father-in-law, Matthew Hawkins Sr.

Hawkins was an old-school truck farmer who took pride in his sweet corn.

McMeekin at his home in Adams Township maintained a small working hothouse that acted as a feeder to the farm for the plants needed on the farm.

McMeekin made agriculture his full-time career in 1986, when he bought the then-40-acre lot fronting Route 228 and hoped for the best.

“Back then, it was just a cornfield,” McMeekin said

The business began as just a few plastic covered growing plants to sell to customers.

“We did well enough,” McMeekin said, noting that the farm market building was soon added as a place for the Hawkins Farm to sell its produce.

In 2006 — inspired by one of his daughters' decision to study horticulture — McMeekin began studying ways to position the company for the future.

He employed a consultant who specialized in designing garden centers.

McMeekin and his wife visited England, the consultant's home country, where garden centers are used as shopping malls.

Within a year, the family settled on the design that customers visit today.

The 5,000-square-foot glass house was made by the internationally renown Smiemans Co. McMeekin said his building is the only one of its kind in the United States.

In addition to being a showpiece, the structure offers functional amenities such as in-the-floor heating and controlled shading.

McMeekin said when he ordered the building, he believed circumstances were falling into favor of reaching his personal goal of someday becoming one of the top 100 garden centers in the United States.

But the agricultural industry always is unpredictable, and the following couple of years proved to be challenging for McMeekin.

Delays in shipping the new garden center from overseas caused construction to run late, and eventually into the all-important spring sales time.

In February 2008, McMeekin was diagnosed with colon cancer. He continued to work, but was reasonably distracted.

Then, he said, the failing economy took its toll.

“The only reason we are still here is because of the hard work of the people who work here,” McMeekin said. “It's been tough, but we have survived. We are still here.”

Three years later, McMeekin said his business is starting to see signs of recovery.

The business employs 10 people year-round and an additional 20 people in the summer.

McMeekin, who also is a lay minister at Mars United Presbyterian Church, is quick to praise the quality and character of his staff.

“We try hard to help people landscape and decorate their yard for all 12 months,” he said.

And in addition to plants, the business offers a variety of what McMeekin terms “garden art.”

“We are trying to bring the outdoor in and the indoors out,” McMeekin said. “That helps expand your living space.”

The garden center sells locally grown produce. But the Hawkins farm retired a few years back after Matt Hawkins, 88, died in a farming accident. His tractor overturned.

“He died with his boots on,” said McMeekin.

McMeekin said his wife, having grown up in a farm family, already appreciated the challenges such a lifestyle could provide. Initially, when McMeekin decided to make a career change in that direction she was supportive but scared.

“Well, nowadays guess what she does?” McMeekin asked with a hearty laugh. “She's an engineer with PPG ... That's right, we completely crossed.”

<B>McMEEKIN FILE</B><B>Name: </B>Thomas McMeekin<B>Address</B>: Adams Township<B>Employment</B>: Owner of Quality Gardens Inc.<B>Family</B>: Wife, Elizabeth, and two daughters<B>Education</B>: Degree in engineering from Carnegie Mellon University<B>Community service</B>: Lay minister at Mars United Presbyterian Church‘I love going to work every day. I love working with people, and I love plants.’<B>LIFE LESSONS</B>Thomas McMeekin, owner of Quality Gardens, offers these suggestions to improve the quality of life in Butler County:• Retain our young people. Provide good resources for young people to stay in this area.• Highlight the “burgs” — meaning small communities with big character such as Saxonburg or Petrolia. These communities have points of interest that could draw people into the community and make them more likely to shop or stay here.• Highlight some of the outstanding residents of this county. People would be drawn to residents’ unique history and contributions.• “Live here, shop here.” Buy local products when available.• County leadership needs to position Butler County as a leader in the forefront of identifying services that can be combined.<B>ON THE JOB</B><B>Name:</B> Quality Gardens, Inc.<B>Address</B>: 409 Route 228 West, Adams Township<B>Owner</B>: Thomas McMeekin<B>Services</B>: Grows and sells plants and offers landscaping services to homeowners and businesses<B>Employees</B>: 10 year-round, 20 seasonal<B>Phone</B>: 724-625-2770<B>Website</B>: qualitygardens.com<B>BUSINESS INSIGHT</B>Thomas McMeekin, owner of Quality Gardens, offers these suggestions to improve business success:• You must have a vision or goal.• You must communicate that vision or goal.• You must develop a plan to bring that vision to life or to achieve that goal, which is what everyone buys into.• Implement the plan and be prepared to repeat step 2 and sometimes repeat step 3.• Give credit.