Attendees who journeyed out West to Phoenix, Arizona, for ELEVATE, presented by NALP and powered by Caterpillar, on Nov. 2-5, 2025, were not disappointed as the event was full of education, innovations and connection.
“I continue to be impressed with the diversity of topics, and then also the diversity in attendees and different positions that people hold in the company,” says Chuck Monico, CEO of Ryan Lawn & Tree, based in Merriam, Kansas. “The industry has changed so much in 30 years. It looks completely different than it did 30 years ago. That’s all for the better.”
Forward-Thinking Education
ELEVATE offered more than 30 concurrent education sessions with topics that ranged from leadership and sales to finance and HR, making it ideal for entire teams to learn.
The second annual Women’s Forum, a pre-conference event, also took place on Nov. 2. This event included keynote speaker Erin Stafford diving into how to prevent burnout while still being successful, a panel discussion and a roundtable discussion.
“The questions were great because they were very foundational, so they allowed for our table to really deep dive into our own personal experiences too,” says Katelyn Milanes, director of culture and employee engagement for Fisk Lawnscapes, based in Colorado Springs, Colorado. “It was a really great experience.”
Glenn Bonick, owner of Bonick Landscaping, based in Irving, Texas, says he’s attended ELEVATE multiple times and always gets great information.
“It recharges me,” Bonick says. “I have a lot of friends in the industry. I love seeing them. It’s the only time I get to see them, and I really love bringing our people. I brought seven people with us, and I love especially the first timers, when they see how big this industry is, and they get to see other people in other parts of the country doing the same thing they do.”
Monico also says he brought his team with them because of the growth opportunities.
“If we stay inside our own ecosystem, we risk just spinning on the same hamster wheel,” Monico says. “It’s a great way to get folks who haven’t been exposed to industry at this level, and let them meet other companies. Don’t be fearful of who they’re going to talk to or what they’re going to learn. That’s just a huge blessing that they can go ahead and learn from others in our industry.”
Brad Stephenson, co-owner and CEO of New Castle Lawn & Landscape, based in Birdsboro, Pennsylvania, says he was particularly impressed by the Opening Main Stage speaker, Kevin Brown, and that it set the stage for the rest of the week.
Closing Main Stage speaker Ben Nemtin left attendees with tips on how to move through live powered by purpose and the ripple effects it can cause.
“This isn’t about you accomplishing 100 things or even one thing off your bucket list,” Nemtin says. “It’s about trying so you don’t regret not doing things in the end.”
Cutting-Edge Innovations
Additionally, attendees had the opportunity to visit and connect with exhibitors during the ELEVATE Expo. This year’s show floor featured everything from battery-powered charging solutions and autonomous mowers to software upgrades and equipment designed to increase crews’ productivity.
Jake Clabaugh, Western area sales manager for Envu, says Envu attends ELEVATE because they want to be better partners with lawn and landscape companies.
“My hope is to add that extra recurring revenue, add that extra service, add that extra ability for our end users to convince their customers that they are the end-all professional for outdoor needs,” Clabaugh says.
Many exhibitors note they get just as much out of attending ELEVATE as landscape contractors as they are able to discover the latest challenges and possibilities the industry is facing.
“That’s the benefit of being here at ELEVATE is the opportunity to talk through and see new technologies and network with other landscape owners to understand what’s changing in the market and how their business become can become more profitable,” says Todd Zimmerman, SVP of dealer sales, operations and product at Kress.
Aaron Griffith, director of professional dealer sales with Stanley Black & Decker, also says his favorite aspect of ELEVATE Expo is networking. He says it puts a smile on his face and gets him excited about what he’s doing.
“Seeing all the things that the landscapers are wanting to learn more about in the sessions, that tells us what innovations we need to work on,” Griffith says.
Quality Networking
One particular strength of ELEVATE is the number of ways attendees can connect with one another.
Sessions such as the specialty-based Let’s Talk Shop roundtable discussions, Campfire Conversations on the Expo floor and Breakfast with Champions all provided contractors with a chance not to feel so alone. Many noted that it was a time not only to commiserate but also to collaborate on ways to overcome similar business challenges.
“Just sitting at tables and talking to people and asking them questions, understanding that our problems are the same,” Stephenson says. “It’s just cool to see how everybody helps each other.”
Josh Chalfant, associate director of training and development for Environmental Management, Inc. (EMI), based in Plain City, Ohio, agrees one of the best things about ELEVATE is being able to connect with others from across the country.
“This is where you get to meet all of the all the connections within the industry,” Chalfant says. “You get to connect with other industries, professionals that are similar type companies, and you can share thoughts on how things are working. I get to help people grow. At the same time, I get information from other people who can help our team grow.”
New to ELEVATE this year was the role-based roundtable discussion. This was a time for participants to chat with peers in similar roles and exchange insights.
Lance Richardson, Atlanta branch manager for Landscape Associates, Inc., based in Bessemer, Alabama, says even though he’s in a smaller market than some of the other companies that attended, he still gathers insights from them.
“If you want your company to be as productive and as good as your company can be, ELEVATE is the place that you want to come to,” Richardson says. “You’re not going to find all this information in one location. You’re going to have to go out and seek it individually. Everything’s here. Every leader in the industry is here, so you can pick people’s brains.”
Attendees were also able to mix and mingle during the Welcome Reception at The Duce, the Expo happy hour and the ELEVATE Bash hosted at Corona Ranch, where they watched a Mexican rodeo.
“There are so many knowledgeable people who joined this year, lots of really great sessions, a lot of fun too,” Milanes says. “The rodeo last night was fantastic. It’s been a really great opportunity to see some people that I don’t often get to see, connect on a really intentional level and learn.”
Thank you to our title sponsor, Caterpillar; our Elite partners, Aspire Software, Dewalt & Hustler and STIHL, as well as our additional partners, John Deere, Kress, Envu, Toro, Hunter Industries, Syngenta, and RealGreen by WorkWave, for all your support.
“I would like to thank our Elite partners, first and foremost, our Gold partners, our Silver partner and our media partners, all of which are so incredibly helpful,” says Britt Wood, CEO of NALP. “I’d like to thank the ELEVATE planning committee that really puts all the programming together. And of course, the NALP board that supports all the efforts that NALP undertakes. But most importantly, I’d like to thank the staff, because they do an amazing job.”
Next year’s ELEVATE will take place Nov. 8-11, 2026, in Tampa, Florida. We’ll see you there!
