One of our judges said, “The Shackelfords are like business owners of yesteryear; a breath of fresh air with their hearts tied to the community.”  Time after time, they have supported activities that other nursery operators avoided because of competitive concerns.  In other words, the Shackelfords don’t always measure their bottom line in terms of dollars earned. Both serve on the horticulture technical advisory board of OSU-Oklahoma City and have furthered their goal of aiding future generations by funding a horticulture and landscape architecture professorship. As owners of TLC Nursery and Greenhouses, they have frequently donated plant material in support of public education projects.  Their sponsorships of television and radio programs have helped to guide the public with knowledge about how and when to garden.  In 1996, TLC became one of the first nurseries in the nation to join the Internet revolution. Experts at nurturing a respect for horticulture while silently serving the community, Charles and Linda Shackelford are in full flower as our Individual Achievement Award winners!