Stories About the Pros Archives - The Edge from the National Association of Landscape Professionals

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Stories About the Pros

Faces of the Industry: David Erdman

If David Erdman had to give advice to his younger self, he says he wouldn’t have spent two years as an engineering major at Michigan State University. Instead, he wishes he’d dived straight into landscaping from the start. Like many others in the industry, Erdman originally started mowing lawns and doing landscape maintenance when he […]

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Becoming a Platform Company: Private Equity Without Losing Your Identity

If you look at M&A news and think to yourself, ā€˜We’ll never sell,’ you’re not alone. Bob Grover, founder and chairman of Pacific Landscape Management, based in Hillsboro, Oregon, also held this mindset for years. Grover had experienced consolidation firsthand as the company he worked for after college, Northwest Landscape Industries, was approached by TruGreen […]

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Talking with Titans: Kurt Bland

Kurt Bland is the CEO and president of Bland Landscaping Company, based in Apex, North Carolina. Bland started working for his family’s business when he was 14 during the summers. He earned degrees in agriculture business management and horticulture science from North Carolina State University before he and his brother, Matt, took over the business […]

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Talking with Titans: Jerry Schill

Jerry Schill is the president and CEO of Schill Grounds Management, based in Westlake, Ohio. Schill started the company with his brother, Joe, in 1993. They developed a reputation for high-end design/build landscape construction and maintenance services. In the 2010s, the company shifted its focus to commercial landscape maintenance. Then in 2020, Schill Grounds Management […]

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Coming Full Circle: Why One Army Recruiter Returned to His Landscape Roots

Chances are you’ve had a former employee come back to work for your company after a handful of years, but for Pete LaSage, he ended up returning to David J. Frank Landscape Contracting, Inc., almost 30 years later. During this interlude, LaSage gathered relevant and necessary skills for his current role as a human resources […]

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Talking with Titans: Chris Senske

Chris Senske is the acquisition ambassador for the Senske Family of Companies. He started out in the industry at a young age, working for his father, Bill. After his father had built up Senske Services’ reputation, he passed the reins to Chris in the 1980s. Over the years, Senske grew the Kennewick, Washington-based business to […]

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Faces of the Industry: Marcus Jones

Originally, Marcus Jones set out to be a music teacher. Now, he is the director of systems for Landscape Workshop. ā€œThe only constant is change,ā€ Jones says. ā€œYou have to stay flexible because things rarely unfold exactly as you expect.ā€ Like many others unfamiliar with the industry, Jones says before joining Landscape Workshop he thought […]

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Growing the Right Way: How Green Lawn Fertilizing’s People-First Strategy Is Paying Off

Often when businesses grow rapidly, company culture can fall by the wayside, but this has not been the case for Green Lawn Fertilizing, based in West Chester, Pennsylvania, which recently earned four major awards all in the same quarter. These awards include ranking on the Inc. 5000 2025 list, the 2025 Philadelphia100 list, being named […]

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The Ripple Effect of Mentorship: The Supporters Behind Rossen Landscape’s Success

When you look in the mirror, do you see yourself or the others who made you who you are today? Jeff Rossen, CEO of Rossen Landscape, based in Great Falls, Virginia, recently reflected on some of the individuals who made a tangible impact in his life. Rossen’s Role Models As a kid, Rossen always had aquariums […]

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Talking with Titans: Pat Covey

Pat Covey is the chairman, president and CEO of The Davey Tree Expert Company, based in Kent, Ohio. Covey joined Davey in 1991 and has held various roles throughout the company over the years. He became president and CEO in 2017 and was elected chairman of the board in 2020. Covey has a Bachelor of […]

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