Born and raised in Ann Arbor, Michigan, he has been a plant grower, collector, and gardener since early childhood. Pursuing a long-standing interest in rare and tropical plants, including orchids, aroids, and epiphytes, he worked at a rare plant nursery throughout high school. Nick relocated to California so that he could grow these tropical plants outdoors and took a position at an upscale club and golf course. He then moved to Florida, where he was the Director of Horticulture for the American Orchid Society Botanical Garden and Lead Horticulturalist at the International Polo Club in Wellington. In 2013, he began working at Naples Botanical Garden as Associate Director of Horticulture and is now the Director of Collections. He is responsible for acquiring, managing, and maintaining a large and diverse collection of subtropical plants from around the world. Nick has a B.S.in Botany and Plant Pathology from Michigan State University