November December 2023 - 7

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BY PETER KONJOIAN AND JULIE DEAN
Greenhouse Energy Curtains
evolved from being a family of
master electricians who did
commercial and residential
wiring to installing and
maintaining traffic light
controls. That experience made
a natural transition to designing
greenhouse automation.
In the early 1960's my
Peter Konjoian is president of Konjoian's Horticulture
Education Services Inc. His career spans four decades as
a commercial grower, researcher and consultant. Julie
Dean is the vice president and co-owner of Wadsworth
Control Systems.
J
oining me today is Julie
Dean, vice president and
third-generation co-owner
of Wadsworth Control Systems
in Arvada, Colorado. Julie
has a Bachelor of Fine Arts
degree from the University
of New Mexico and learned
business from hands-on work
experiences with start-ups and
growing up with generations of
family businesses. She leads
the financial team and oversees
operations with her brother
Gary Dean, who is the president
at Wadsworth.
Peter: Thank you for joining
me today Julie. From one family
business to another, tell us more
about Wadsworth's history and
your family's adventure in our
extraordinary industry.
Julie: From the start,
Wadsworth's culture was
open to new ideas and
innovation. The company
father, George Dean Jr.,
helped a friend who had been
sleeping in his greenhouse
and desperately needed an
alarm. Dad said, " I think I
can help. " And he did. Word
spread among growers as
did Wadsworth's capabilities.
Soon, there were requests for
irrigation, temperature control,
vent automation and curtain
systems. We listened to the
growers and met their needs.
Because of this, Wadsworth
offered a full solution very
early on.
That's how Wadsworth
became the first greenhouse
automation company in North
America. We remain dedicated
to designing and building
innovative climate systems.
Today, my brother Gary, my
sisters Patricia, chief executive
officer, and Laurie, marketing
lead, and I manage Wadsworth.
Peter: That's a very
interesting shift for your
dad to make in the 60's.
Coincidentally, it parallels
my father building his first
greenhouse in 1960 to
supplement his meat cutting
career and the family farm
effort. I think it's important
for all of us to share our family
business stories Julie, it's not
just growers who run these
types of businesses.
Master electricians, huh?
They have my respect, I often
say that I enjoy doing my own
general electrical work in part
because a circuit is wired either
right or wrong. There's no in
between with electricity, you
basically either get it right
or you don't. The scientist in
me is drawn to that logical
characteristic of electrical work.
Julie: That's true Peter,
though things like interference
caused by incorrect wiring
can be less definitive. Today's
networks require a new
understanding of how digital
information is transmitted,
adding another layer to the
electrical needs for each project.
It's been a great honor
to work with the families of
generational growers, and like
you, to have come from that
same background. There's a lot
of trust and communication built
through these shared histories.
Peter: I installed your energy
curtain two years ago and have
been using it as part of a larger
case study I'm working on to
share with fellow small growers.
Keith Bemerer at Prospiant
helped me work through
the original decision making
GREENHOUSE PRODUCT NEWS 7
November December 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of November December 2023
