Staff
Saranae Kurtz
Saranae is the owner of Achin’ Back. She started the business with her husband, Randy, in 2003. Prior to opening the garden center, Saranae was a full time nurse at Phoenixville Hospital for 20+ years. She is a spectacular nurse but was ready for a change after her 3 kids graduated high school. She took some horticultural courses at Temple Ambler and was already doing the bookkeeping for Chesco Landscaping. Randy and Saranae jumped feet first into building the garden center from an empty lot. As the economy took a downturn, before the recession, the family decided it was in the family’s best interest if Saranae went back to nursing. Saranae always puts family first. She can be found spending time (every day of the week!) with her 12 grandchildren, when she’s not working at the hospital. She really is Superwoman! Sarie loves to garden. She has fond memories of her grandmother’s garden growing up in Shamokin. She loves to attract hummingbirds and enjoys the many plants in her home landscape. She loves Dogwoods, Lilacs, and Hydrangeas to name a few!
Randy Kurtz
Randy has been in the landscaping industry for over 55 years. He started Chesco Landscaping before it became the "in" thing to do. Randy taught himself the ins-and-outs of the business and had an artistic talent for landscape designs. He took great pride in customer service and has been servicing many of the same customers year-after-year. Saranae and Randy decided to open the garden center as a business they could do once they retired. After 2 knee and hip replacements, the bionic man, Randy, has turned over the reigns at Chesco Landscaping to his son Matt. Randy now spends his time working at Achin’ Back. He loves keeping the place looking great, trimming shrubs and splitting firewood. He’s even earned the nickname "Eddie" for Edward Scissor hands! His favorite plants are Ruby Falls Redbuds, Rhododendron, Azaleas, and Pieris Japonicas. In his down time, he loves to watch all the Philly sports teams, study the Bible, work on his home landscape, and watch all 12 of his grandchildren play sports.
Kelli Yeager
Kelli is the daughter of owners, Randy and Saranae Kurtz, and manages the garden center. She has been with the family business from the start, following her graduation from the University of Massachusetts. Kelli grew up in a landscaping family and loves the many aspects of the family business, but especially loves the customers. She is a self-taught florist who also teaches most of the classes at Achin’ Back. She is married to John Yeager (whose family owns Yeager’s Farm in Phoenixville) where they reside with their three children. Kelli loves flowers, especially Lupines after her amazing honeymoon in New Zealand. Lilacs and Hydrangeas are also some of her favorite shrubs. Kelli loves to work in the garden whenever she can find a spare moment between running the business and coaching her kids’ sports teams.
Matt Schlipf
Matt has been working with the Kurtz family for over 40 years. He is an original member of the Achin’Back staff when the business opened in 2004! Don’t let modest Matt fool you,he’s been working in the landscaping and garden center industry for 4 decades. He is a wealth of knowledge and is a customer service expert. He is also very knowledgeable on lawns, flowers, shrubs & trees and fertilizers. His favorite tree is a Ruby Falls Redbud and his 2 favorite shrubs are Goshiki Holly and Bloomstruck Hydrangea. Matt has 2 children and loves to spend time with them whenever he can. His oldest son Phillip is in the Navy and stationed in California. Matt also loves to hunt and relax up in the mountains when he’s not at the garden center.
Robin Martin
Robin has been working part time at Achin Back for 11 years. She is our friendly weekend staff, as she works in Philadelphia during the work week. Robin has been working in the garden center industry for over 13 years. She loves gardening, people and shopping and has a passion for learning. Achin’ Back combines all of her passions! She loves all flowers and has a very green thumb, as she tends to take "dead" plants home and bring them back to life. She lives in Royersford and loves to spend time with her son Andy, his wife, Jessica and her 3 grandsons. Robin loves her kitties, too.
Desiree Campisi
Desiree has been a part time employee with Achin' Back since 2024 after previously working at a grower/nursery in 2023. She formerly worked in corporate finance for 30 years but decided she needed to get back to her roots, so to speak, so switched careers in 2022 after completing several horticulture classes at the Penn State Extension. She has always liked being outdoors and has extensive gardens herself, plus a social media presence on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok! She loves garden design work and is one of the designers for the We Plan, You Plant design service at Achin' Back. She also loves helping people pick the perfect plants for their gardens and when not working in her own garden loves hiking, biking and travel! Favorite plant is any type of hydrangea., especially if they are lacecap! [Youtube] | [Instagram] | [Tiktok] |
Cindy
Cindy has been at Achin’ Back Garden Center since 2024. She brings 45+ years of experience as a floral designer. She has a degree in ornamental horticulture/floriculture from Delaware Valley University in Doylestown, PA. She and her husband, Jim (also a landscaper), have raised three children and enjoy their 6 grandchildren. Cindy has always loved working outside in her garden. She loves all aspects of the business. One of her favorite perennials in the Helleborus (Lenten Rose). Some of her hobbies include counted cross stitch and quilting.
Cameron Peters
Cameron has been in the floral industry since 1993, having worked her way up from “shop help” and delivery driver to a designer. She’s earned several awards for her talents. Her goal is to achieve her AIFD which is like a PHD for floral designers. Cam is looking forward to gaining new knowledge about everything at the garden center. Guess she was always meant to be doing something in the floriculture/horticulture industry since her birthday is Earth Day!
Cam is a lover of all things Christmas but mostly all the twinkle lights. Her favorite plants are French Lilacs and Spirea. In her down time, she loves to spend time on her back porch when the weather is nice. She also loves her black and white cat named Felix.
