History
Karen and Mario met at Cleveland State University in 1965 while studying to become accountants. After graduating, Mario joined the Army, where he met Uncle Tom. When his service ended, Mario returned to Ohio to reconnect with Karen. They rekindled their relationship, got married, and soon started an accounting business in the historic Arcade building in downtown Cleveland.
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As time went on, weekends were often spent at Uncle Tom’s nursery, where they helped plant liner trees and tended to his fields. One weekend, on their way to visit Tom and his wife Maryanne, they spotted a sign at the corner of Marks Road and Route 303 that read “Land for Sale.” On a whim, they veered off course and discovered 1547 Marks Road—the place they decided to "plant their flag." They bought 7 acres, and not long after, their friends Dick and Helen Willie built a house to the north, while the Winkelmans built two lots to the south. To preserve some space and privacy, Karen and Mario quickly purchased the adjoining 7 acres, doubling their land to 14 acres.
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Once their home was completed, they realized just how much grass 14 acres really meant. One day, while chatting with Tom, Mario decided to place his first liner order and start a new hobby of his own. That hobby took off the day Mario met a woman named Mrs. Porter on West River Road. In her field, she had white pines and other assorted trees. Mario grabbed his shovel and pickup truck, dug up a few trees, and drove them to a local garden center in Brunswick, where he met John Schering from Ulrich’s Garden Center. From that point on, Mario spent many weekends digging and delivering trees to John, making a bit of side money along the way. Over time, they did several small business transactions together.
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One summer, John asked Mario, “Hey, are you going to the Lake County Nursery Summer Show?” Mario hadn’t heard of it but decided to take a day off from the accounting office and join John. He was blown away by the size and scope of the nursery industry.
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A year later, John brought it up again: “It’s time for another Lake County Field Day—coming with me?” This time, Mario said, “Yeah, I think I’m going to rent a booth.” He and Karen had come up with a name for their budding business: Rusty Oak Nursery, inspired by the beautiful rusty hue of the Pin Oaks that lined their driveway. Mario made a sign, printed two t-shirts, and off he and their son Chad went to Field Day with John.
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After just a couple of hours, a man from Michigan walked up to their booth and said, “I’ve never seen you around before—do you have any Austrian Pine?” Mario replied, “Sure, how many do you need?” The man said, “I’ll take 20 loads.” Moments later, another guy from Michigan stopped by: “I heard you’ve got all the Austrian Pine,” he said. Mario replied, “Yup, sure do.” “I’ll take 20 loads,” the man said. Then a third guy came by and said, “I’ll take 10 loads.”
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An hour later, John came by to check in. “How’s the show going?”
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Mario grinned. “Great! I just sold 50 loads of Austrian Pine.”
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John laughed, “You’re crazy—what even is Austrian Pine?”
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Mario blinked. “I don’t know. What do you think?”
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John said, “Well, if you're serious, the only place I can think of that might have that is Indiana, Pennsylvania—the Christmas tree capital of the world. I’ll try to find a phone number for a guy out there.”
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That guy turned out to be Howard Neil. Mario gave him a call and was invited to come take a look. So he made the 180-mile trip to Indiana, PA, and was thrilled to find a mountainside full of Austrian Pine. He tagged all 50 loads on the spot, drove home, and bought a truck, trailer, and skid loader. Then he headed to a temp agency to build a workforce.
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For the next 12 years, those three customers from Michigan were Rusty Oak's only clients. They kept open orders with the understanding that they’d accept whatever trees Mario selected as “nice looking.” From March 1 to Memorial Day, and then from July 4 through Thanksgiving, Rusty Oak shipped two loads per day, five days a week, plus one load every Saturday.
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Today, Rusty Oak Nursery grows on 300 acres and still maintains a 15-acre holding yard that fills up every spring and supplies customers year-round. The business has grown to include 25 hoop houses and an extensive selection of shrubs, perennials, and grasses. In 2025, they completed a 60-by-13-foot office expansion to accommodate additional staff and family. The company now operates a fleet of 10 delivery trucks with trailers, 9 skid loaders, and a team of about 40 dedicated employees who help make it all possible.