Meet Our Leadership Team
We aim to become the preferred sustainable provider of high-performance landscape products for North America’s forward-thinkingcommercial landscape architects, builders, and contractors.
Christopher Lyon
President
Christopher Lyon
Christopher Lyon, the President of our company, is an avid learner – it’s his passion. “Learning inspires me both professionally, and personally. Personal growth, while not always easy or comfortable, adds vibrancy to life. It’s also a passion I try to share – in an alternate universe, I’d be a high school chemistry teacher.” Christopher enjoys working on vintage cars, usually around his age (we’ll skip that part) and finds the focus relaxing. He says, “The concentration required to fix them means I don’t think about much else.” He doesn’t take himself too seriously, likes to laugh and has a very positive outlook.
Funny thing about Christopher is that he feels like he was “born a hundred years too late – my favorite foods are salty, pickled, or smoked. It was the only kind of food you could get prior to the advent of the refrigerator.” Tournesol is lucky to have Christopher as our president – we’re in this together!
Favorite Tournesol Product?
Christopher’ favorite is the Wilshire Box Hanging Planter – he says “Years ago, we had customers asking the best way to hang a planter on a wall, so I invented one. It’s proved its use over the lifetime of the product.”
Pinal Mehta
Head of Operations
Pinal Mehta
Pinal Mehta, our Head of Operations has lived in the Bay Area for almost 30 years, with his wife and now two kids. Coming from Mumbai, where he attended boarding school, he says “I can totally relate to the Harry Potter books, as the books’ characters also lived away from home.”
In the beginning of his Bay Area life, Pinal says that “Chris Lyon [our president] and I made a deal – he would be responsible for getting orders from customers while I would be responsible for getting them out, and that is the fun job I’ve today. I get to make some cool stuff!”
Today, Pinal enjoys running and has “managed to run a half marathon on 2 continents so far – 5 more to go!” He still has vivid/fond memories of India (and visits often), and he shared a fun memory: “When I was about 12 or 13, on my way from Mumbai to Djibouti, I got to ride in the cockpit (jump seat) of an airplane, as my dad knew the pilots. Amazing to see the landing from that view!”
Favorite Tournesol product?
Pinal’s favorite is our irrigation system – he says, “when used correctly it makes the user’s life a lot simpler. The simplicity of the product is marvelous.”
John Denman
Head of Sales
John Denman
John Denman, Tournesol’s Head of Sales for over ten years, brings energy, vision, and a deep commitment to both his team and clients. A natural mentor, John leads with purpose—always encouraging his team to aim high and keep the customer at the heart of everything they do. He thrives on collaboration, especially when working alongside designers to transform bold ideas into reality. “The projects that excite me most,” John says, “are the ones that challenge us—where we stretch beyond the obvious to create something truly remarkable.”
John doesn’t just embrace challenges at work, he lives for them. An avid cyclist and mountain biker, he hits the trails nearly every weekend and has twice conquered the Mammoth Gran Fondo, a legendary week-long ride along the Rhine from Strasbourg to Lake Constance. Talk about going the distance—literally and figuratively!
Favorite Tournesol Product?
John’s favorite product is the Wally Bench - he says, “because of the integration of the bench seating with the planter. The proximity of the greenery/plantings adds to the tranquility of the seating area.”
Carla Dougher
Head of Marketing
Carla Dougher
Carla Dougher, our Head of Marketing, grew up in Northern California where she currently lives with her family. Carla spent several years working in ecommerce and high-tech, before stepping into her role at Tournesol where she oversees marketing, and the customer journey. In her leadership role, Carla is enthusiastic about workplace culture and is driven by her passion for great design and her entrepreneurial spirit.
In her personal life, Carla is an avid golf-enthusiast - playing a round of golf as often as possible. Carla enjoys various interests including gardening, traveling, and raising backyard chickens.
Favorite Tournesol Product?
Carla’s favorite is the Wilshire Collection Round Planter - for its clean and uncomplicated design. She appreciates the round planter creates a highly effective way to configure space using live plants.
Annette Melin
Head of Finance and Administration
Annette Melin
Annette Melin, our Head of Finance and Administration, is the newest member of our leadership team. Born and raised in Northeastern Ohio, she has spent her career in San Diego, until moving to the San Francisco Bay Area a few years ago. While she strives to continue learning and growing, Annette also enjoys helping others to do the same. She shared, “While I don’t always succeed, I try to be a little better every day, whether it is mentally, physically or emotionally.”
While spending time with her family, Annette enjoys cooking her favorite food - homemade pasta with a Bolognese sauce, accompanied by homemade sourdough bread. She enjoys quilting, crocheting, and knitting, and says, “I really enjoy anything that results in a final product. It’s kind of like manufacturing on a personal level.” A fun fact - Annette climbed to the top of Mount Whitney in California - 14,505 feet high and it took 18 hours - what a huge accomplishment!
Favorite Tournesol Product?
Annette’s favorite product is the Boulevard Screen – she appreciates the natural wood of the planter, and the green growth of plant life climbing the screen.
Greg Kooistra
Head of Engineering
Greg Kooistra
Greg Kooistra is our Head of Engineering, he manages the Product Innovations Group and Engineering Team. Greg spent most of his career in the commercial furniture industry, where he served as VP of Engineering and Development, and VP of Manufacturing for Watson Furniture, located in Poulsbo, WA. Greg enjoys working for a company that is putting sustainability into its DNA and is looking forward to shaping Tournesol’s journey towards becoming a more sustainable manufacturer.
Greg lives on Bainbridge Island with his wife, high school daughter, and a funny cat who thinks he’s a dog. Living in the Northwest with all the great outdoor activities inspires Greg to continue to advance and grow. In his free time, he enjoys hiking and backpacking, as well as woodworking as a hobby. A fun fact about Greg is that he’s 6'5" tall, so you can easily spot him in a crowd!
Favorite Tournesol Product?
Greg’s favorite is the Kitsap Modular Metal Planter Wall! He says, “It's a truly flexible product line that lets architects and designers create some amazing spaces both on grade or on the rooftop.”
