Tim Martinez, executive vice president of LandCare’s West division, has been in the green industry for over 30 years. He spent the first 20 years on the golf course maintenance and operations side before moving into commercial maintenance with LandCare.
“My time in golf really gave me an appreciation for the technical aspects of the business,” Martinez says. “The precision and attention to detail required really aligned with the way I think about problems and challenges. My experience in commercial landscape has honed my attention to the customer experience and providing the value proposition balance of service vs. spend. Putting these two experiences has given me a wonderful foundation to serve my team and my customers.”
He says while some aspects of the business have changed considerably over the years, others have remained the same.
“If you would have told me 20 years ago that I would be using electric equipment or vehicles, I would have laughed at you,” Martinez says. “The technology and chemistry advancements have been incredible and really places a premium on a leader continually learning and evolving your skill set.”
However, finding and retaining labor has been a constant challenge.
“The challenge of human capital will be forever one of the toughest problems to solve for,” he says.
Professionally, Martinez says he is constantly working to avoid complacency. He examines how he leads teams, serves customers and interacts with others in the industry to find ways to improve.
“Being open to new ideas, borrowing ideas and best practices from other organizations, and implementing ideas from many mentors are all things that have shaped me along my journey,” he says.
Martinez says that many people have helped shape him in his career. He has incorporated many of their admirable characteristics into his own style.
“The one piece of advice I would give to someone beginning their career or business would be to always be learning,” Martinez says. “Gather ideas and best practices from other competitors, other industries, and other leaders.”
Martinez is also one of the advisory board members for the Latino Landscape Network (LLN). Powered by ECHO, LLN grew out of the National Hispanic Landscape Alliance, which became part of NALP in 2020. He says while LLN is structured differently than NHLA, their mission is the same to engage and serve the Latino community in the industry. The advisory board oversees the strategy to empower the Latino landscape community by growing LLN, providing custom education and advocating at the local, state and federal level.
“If there is an aspiring Latino small business owner out there looking for ideas or insight, I want to be in a position to help,” Martinez says. “I have been afforded so many opportunities and feel so blessed to have achieved what I have so far; if there is a way I can give back to other aspiring Latinos, I feel a sense of duty to do so.”
Martinez encourages Latino landscape professionals to get involved with LLN as their numbers carry more weight when advocating on their behalf for legislative affairs. He also says the different perspectives will make the collective more powerful and well-rounded.
“To the extent that there is apprehension in joining the network, I want these professionals to know that there are others that look like them, speak their same language, and have similar life experiences,” Martinez says. “It is a safe environment with which to network and grow.”
For others in the industry wanting to better support Latino landscape professionals, Martinez suggests owners look internally and ask if they are doing everything to engage the Latino demographic.
“If you are an employee aspiring to become a business owner, think about the goals and objectives you will be required to overcome to achieve your vision,” Martinez says. “I believe that in either situation (owner or employee), the LLN is uniquely positioned to offer support and resources to achieve your goals.”
