Meet the team

Sunshine, a seasoned business leader with over 25 years of experience, brings a wealth of expertise to Gift & Garden Works. Known for her innovative approach and proven track record in driving long-term revenue growth, Sunshine has a charismatic spirit and unstoppable energy. Her diverse background, including roles as a professor, corporate trainer, e-commerce store owner, and marketing consultant, equips her with a unique perspective and deep customer relationship skills. Sunshine comes from a long line of passionate gardeners and loves creating beautiful outdoor spaces in their homes in Florida and Utah.

Gabriel, a dynamic entrepreneur and business leader, has extensive expertise in business development, product evangelism, and operational excellence. His career includes successful product launches, market capture, and leadership positions in marketing and software development. Gabriel has consistently created multiple millions in revenue through various strategic initiatives. His diverse background includes leadership positions in marketing, operations, and software development, having worked with notable clients such as Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Earthlink, AOL, Disney, and Coca-Cola. Gabriel's strategic vision and commitment to excellence are well-recognized in multiple industries. A passionate photographer, Gabriel enjoys capturing the beauty of gardens wherever he and Sunshine travel.

With more than 25 years of hands-on leadership in warehouse and distribution operations, Dean brings deep operational expertise, systems knowledge, and people-first leadership to his role as Operations Manager at Gift & Garden Works. Known for being the kind of leader who isn’t afraid to roll up his sleeves, Dean combines tactical execution with big-picture operational strategy to keep teams moving efficiently and businesses running smoothly.

Dean’s career spans senior management roles across multi-state distribution centers, 3PL environments, and high-volume medical and orthodontic supply chains. He has directed teams of up to 35 employees, overseen warehouse relocations, optimized workflows, and managed complex WMS and ERP systems. He is highly experienced in inventory management, KPI tracking, safety, freight coordination, and cross-department collaboration.

At Gift & Garden Works, Dean plays a vital role in ensuring operational excellence—from warehouse organization to staff development to systems support.

Ned leads sales across all four of our brands and serves as the primary point of contact for our national rep network. He brings a decade of sales and operations experience spanning advertising, tech, supplements, and the gift industry, and came to the role from Monarque, where he served as Business Manager — giving him a running start on the brand as it joined the portfolio.

At Gift & Garden Works, Ned works closely with our independent reps and rep groups, supporting them with accounts, product questions, and the day-to-day problem-solving that keeps retailers well served. His approach is simple: be reachable, be useful, and build relationships that last.

Ned is based in Lehi, Utah, where he's a father of three and a formidable presence on the pickleball court.

Teri brings exceptional organizational skills and a passion for customer satisfaction to her role as Customer Service Manager at Gift & Garden Works. Teri is the heart of our customer operations, ensuring seamless communication and efficient service at every step.

Her responsibilities include managing customer inquiries and orders through phone, email, fax, website, and OrderEase. With her dedication to detail and a commitment to making every customer interaction a positive one, Teri plays a key role in keeping Gift & Garden Works running smoothly.

Outside of work, Teri loves spending time with family at the beach and volunteering at her church.

John brings more than 30 years of manufacturing, shipping, and warehouse experience to his role as Warehouse Lead. His background spans production and upholstery work, quality control on military contracts, and a shipping department sending fire equipment to customers worldwide — work that taught him how to handle detail-heavy orders on real deadlines. He's experienced in forklift operation, inventory control, and logistics systems including UPS WorldShip, Navisphere, and C.H. Robinson, and has been consistently recognized by supervisors for his work ethic and reliability.

At Gift & Garden Works, John oversees day-to-day warehouse fulfillment — picking, packing, freight, and carrier coordination — keeping orders accurate and out the door on time.

He also brings an unexpected second skill set: John trained in photography at the Art Institute of Philadelphia and spent more than a decade as a studio manager and senior portrait photographer, training and mentoring photographers along the way. Today he shoots much of the product photography for our brands, so there's a good chance the image you're looking at is his.

Louween is a seasoned Order Specialist at Gift & Garden Works, where she brings over a decade of administrative expertise to support the company's leadership and operations. With a strong background in virtual assistance and a passion for streamlining workflows, Louween excels in managing complex schedules, coordinating projects, and ensuring seamless communication across teams.

Her commitment to efficiency and attention to detail make her an invaluable asset to Gift & Garden Works, contributing to the company's mission of delivering exceptional products and services.

Cassidy manages customer service and order management for Vinrella, handling orders from entry through fulfillment and serving as a go-to contact for Vinrella retailers. She also supports the broader customer service team with calls and order assistance during busy season.

Cassidy came to the role from a marketing background, with experience building organic and paid social strategies and writing blog posts, emails, and press releases across a range of industries. That brand-side perspective shows up in how she works with retailers — she understands the product, not just the order.

As Gabriel and Sunshine's daughter, Cassidy is part of what makes this a family business in more than name. Outside of work, she and her daughter Margo — the granddaughter you'll find mentioned at the top of this page — can usually be found at a theme park.

McKenzie brings a strong background in customer service, collections, and order management to her role at Gift & Garden Works. She began her career at England Logistics, where she was promoted from Customer Service Representative to Collections Manager at just 21 years old. In that role, she managed a team of four while overseeing customer accounts and collections, developing a passion for building relationships and providing exceptional customer service.

After becoming a mother, McKenzie stepped away from the corporate world to focus on raising her family while building a part-time career as an eyelash extension technician, which she has continued for more than 11 years. She later joined Monarque, where she handled shipping, customer service, and collections before transitioning to Gift & Garden Works following the acquisition of the company.

Today, McKenzie helps keep customer orders running smoothly by processing orders and invoices and supporting customers throughout the process. A proud mom of three, McKenzie considers her family her greatest priority and loves that her role allows her to continue growing professionally while being present for her family.