Richard Chamberlin
A Short Biography
A Short Biography
I was born in Eden, New York, a small farm town south of Buffalo. Early on in my life, my family moved to Newark, New York and where I grew up. Newark was a fine place to live, work and raise children, as life was honest and easy. Much has changed since those early years.
After graduation from New High School, I attended a fine arts school in Detroit, Michigan. Being a small town boy, I did not last long in Detroit. In the fall of 1964, I transferred to Buffalo State Teachers College where I eventually received a degree in art education.
From 1968 to 1973, I taught art in the Newark Junior High School. Convinced that the teaching profession was not what I wanted for my future, I ventured forth, pursuing other occupations. Eventually I went to work for the C. H. Stuart Company in Newark in sales promotions. C. H. Stuart was widely known as owners of the Sarah Coventry Costume Jewelry Company.
In 1981, when the C.H. Stuart Company was nearing bankruptcy, I had an opportunity to interview for the position of catalog manager for the Harris Seeds Company in Rochester.
After a brief interview, I was hired and began my career in the seed business. My family and I moved to Rochester in the spring of that year.
In 1987, Harris Seeds, the original company, divested of its home garden mail order catalog business, as well as the local garden centers. I was offered the opportunity to become president of the Harris Seeds mail order catalog business, which I gladly accepted.
For the past 23 years, I have remained as president of the company. The company has been most fortunate during this tenure to be able to retain many of the original Harris Seeds employees.
I have two grown and married daughters, with two young grandchildren. I live in the country near the small village of Churchville, New York. Life is honest and easy again.
