THOMASVILLE — Burt Horton never dreamed he’d be in the flower business.

“If you had told me when I was in high school that I would be selling flowers, I would have jacked your jaw,” he said. “I thought it was ‘sissy’, but it is hard work. You’ve got to love it to work in it.”

Horton, 66, co-owner and manager of Horton-Mitchell Inc., a wholesale florist, became so good at the job that he’s been named Wholesaler of the Year three times by the Georgia State Florist Association — once in 1977, again in 1995 and, most recently, in 2009.

“I kind of suspected I was going to win the other times but, at my age, I never dreamed I would win wholesaler of the year again,” he said.

The florist got into the business because he was looking for a change. He’d worked in the grocery business since age 13 and had a brief stint as a local convenience store operator.

That job did not work out, but it is where he met the manager of the business that would one day become his own.

Horton said he’d inquired about and sort of interviewed for a job twice but was never hired.

“The third time I told him either hire me or quit killing my time. He hired me,” Horton said.

Horton started in the flower business 44 years ago as a driver/delivery man.

“I was kind of interested in flowers and was offered a dollar an hour, and I jumped on it,” he said. “From the first day that I went to work here, I loved it. I loved the people and the beautiful flowers, and wanted to be a part of it.”

In 1970, he became a road and inside salesman. A promotion to assistant manager followed in 1975, and he was named manager by 1977.

In 1988, he and a silent partner, Emmett Mitchell III, known as “Buck,” went into business together to form Horton-Mitchell Inc.

Horton said he could not ask for or have found a better partner.

Kathie Lampkin, Horton’s secretary for 20 years, said working for Horton is like being part of a family.

“He’s a person who says what he thinks and always donates to meetings and conventions,” she said. “He always tries to think about what people like instead of just getting something out of a cooler.”

Horton’s business was originally known as Rosemont Gardens, which opened in 1953 in the old Davis Meter building. It moved to 519 Smith Ave. in 1955, with additions to the building in the following years.

Construction on its current building started in the spring of 2008 and completed in late fall.

Horton credits his work ethic to his childhood employer.

“When I was 13, I went to work at Sholar’s Grocery in Cairo, and I got all my savvy and business experience from Raymond Sholar. He taught me how to be a hard worker, dependable and a good businessman,” Horton said.

Horton-Mitchell Inc. offers plants, fresh cut flowers, silk flowers, containers and other items.

It works a radius of about 100 miles and its main clientele consists of retail florists, caterers, gift shops and some businesses. There are also walk-in clients.

Flowers are imported from Brazil, Ecuador, Holland, Florida, Mexico and other places.

Anna Simpson, fresh cut flower buyer and manager, has worked with Horton for 14 years.

She said Horton is a good boss.

“He’s outgoing, but a very conscientious person and very kind,” Simpson said. “He pretty much knows what people like by looking at them.”

Orders are made by telephone and packaged for delivery in the southwestern part of the state, Horton said.

There is also a “bucket truck,” a refrigerated truck that is refilled every morning with a variety of flowers that are peddled to southeast Georgia.

The florist said he started in the flower business in 1966. Valentine’s Day came a week after his debut, and the business sold 500 roses.

“Everyone thought, ‘What a big Valentine’s Day!’ Now, the smallest retail florist I have will buy 500. This year, we were off quite a bit because of the economy, but we still sold 30,000. Last year, we sold 70,000.”

Horton said Easter and Mother’s Day used to be the big days for florists, and his staff would even stay at work, sleeping upstairs and taking turns to run home for a shower so they could get orders filled on time.

Jason Willis has been a member of the Horton-Mitchell family for three years.

“He’s got a great attitude,” Willis said of his boss. “He knows business is business, but he also has a good sense of humor. That is great. He loves his business and does anything he can to help anybody. He would give them the shirt off his back.”

Horton has a loving and supportive wife of 21 years, Verna, three children and seven grandchildren. He also has no regrets about his chosen profession.

“Today, sitting here 44 years later, I still love it. I always said one of these days I was going to own this place. People would laugh, but it has become a reality.”