Chris Schad is founder and co-owner of The Bee Shed. He is a biologist by training and a certified Minnesota Master Naturalist. Chris' grandfather was a beekeeper 'back in the day', and though the beekeeping bug skipped a generation, he credits his dad for instilling an appreciation for the natural world.

As a scientist, Chris prefers to take a scientific and natural-resources approach to managing the bees, considering how the bees thrive in their setting (the bee yard) and the supporting forage surrounding the yard.

Chris loves to teach about beekeeping and the need for native prairie restoration. He produced a highly regarded TEDx talk about the natural history of North American prairies, and he is an instructor for the University of Minnesota Bee Squad.

Between Chris and co-owner John Shonyo, thousands have learned about beekeeping or heard the message about supporting pollinators through prairie restoration.