William Varney is the founder and former owner of Fredericksburg Herb Farm, he sold the company in 2007, and started URBANherbal. Co-author of Herbs Growing & Using the Plants of Romance, Ironwood Press, Tucson, Arizona and Along The Garden Path, Favorite Recipes Press, Nashville, TN. He became interested in plants and gardening at the young age of eight, and later graduated with BS in Business and a Minor in Horticulture from Oklahoma Panhandle State University.
WILLIAM VARNEY
Entrepreneur • Botanist • Chef
In 1985, Bill moved to the quaint town of Fredericksburg, Texas and opened an herb shop. Quickly, the shop grew at a jack-in-the-beanstalk pace, and in 1991 he moved the fledgling business to the old abandoned Lehne-Itz Homestead. It is there that he built The Fredericksburg Herb Farm - originally four acres of gardens and shops, a day spa, restaurant, bed & breakfast and herbal manufacturing warehouse. That same year, the Herb Farm's Edible Flowers Herb Vinegar received the Outstanding Condiment Award at The International Fancy Food show in New York City, fueling interest in the fledgling company, and tripling sales of their herbal products. He is self-taught in cooking with herbs, and has cooked at The James Beard House in NYC, and has appeared on The Food Network, and been featured in many publications around the U.S. for his creative concept of herbs, cooking, and gardening. He has always had a certain flourishing touch to bring things to life. Be it in the form of a business, garden, or meal Bill knows how to bring the wonderment of nature into the human capacity.
In 2022, Bill moved to San Antonio, TX to continue to grow the URBANherbal brand.
He is available for speaking engagements.
MY RESUME
Bill is ever mindful that individual's lives can be enriched through the experience of herbs: in their gardens, kitchens, baths, medicine chests, homes, and places of worship. He has always been inspired by faith, hope and love through his family, friends and church.
A San Antonio herb shop located in the historic Monte Vista neighborhood that manufactures and sells personal care products, gourmet comestibles, and gardening items. Conduct lectures and demonstration on use herbs, gardening, and cooking.
Responsible for manufacturing, customizing, marketing and strategically promote/sales of URBANherbal products and services.
Responsible for creating and maintenance of URBANHerbal website.
Conducts classes, lectures and demonstration on herbs, gardening, and cooking.
Recognized by The San Antonio Express-News, About.com, The Feast Blog and Taste SA....
Oversee all aspects of Restaurant Operations to include food and beverage menu development, financial control, marketing, and sales. Provide leadership to a Team of 55 Associates, & 8 Managers. Developed extensive marketing and sales plan as well as comprehensive wine and beer programs. Developed opening budget from scratch to include sales, labor and operational expenses.
Managed a staff of over 55 employees in a work space of 35,000 square ft.
Oversaw hiring, training and retention of frontline employees.
Responsible for guest relations averaging approximately 175 guests per day.
Responsible for Texas Alcohol and Beverage Commission (TABC) regulated inventory of over $250K each day.
Collaborated...
Oversee all aspects of Restaurant Operations to include food and beverage menu development, financial control, marketing, and sales. Provide leadership to a Team of 5 Associates, & 2 Managers. Developed extensive marketing and sales plan as well as comprehensive wine and beer programs. Developed opening budget from scratch to include sales, labor and operational expenses.
Led the establishment from selling only a small category of food products and transitioned it to become a fully established restaurant.
Remodeled and redesigned the entire facility to transform it into a restaurant from a cheese shop.
Created new company logo, to help with the branding of the restaurant.
Created...
An herb farm dedicated to manufacturing over 600 personal care and gourmet food products with distribution channels in the U.S., Canada and Japan.
Began operations in 1985 with a retail outlet in the city center and then expanded to a 5 acre farm and manufacturing facility.
Increased sales from 65K in the first year of operation to $1.5 million per year which included $300K in annual international sales.
Expanded herb farm to include a day spa, restaurant and a bed & breakfast.
Exhibited at trade shows in New York, California, Texas and Georgia.
Created monthly electronic newsletter that was distributed to over 5,000...
