Read more about these NALP members and partners in the news.
Sperber Landscape Companies Names New CEO
Sperber Landscape Companies has appointed Jeff Berg as the company’s CEO. Richard Sperber, who has been serving as the company’s interim CEO, will continue his active leadership in the role of executive chairman.
Berg spent 18 years as a leader and partner at the global consulting firm McKinsey and Company. His service with McKinsey spanned a wide range of service businesses, industries and initiatives. Prior to McKinsey, he served in the Navy as a submarine officer.
“I have the greatest confidence in Jeff,” Sperber says. “His career at McKinsey built an unparalleled understanding of services businesses, and I know that he, alongside our exceptional leadership team, will be a strong driving force for the next phase of Sperber’s growth.”
LandCare Employee Relief Fund Reaches Landmark 100th Grant Given
LandCare is committed to supporting its team members, especially amidst sudden financial hardship. This commitment led to the creation of the Tangerine Employee Relief Fund (TERF).
LandCare was developing TERF in late 2019 and accelerated its launch when the pandemic hit in March 2020, anticipating the potential negative financial impact.
“The creation of TERF was a crucial step in addressing the financial vulnerabilities of our team members who may not have access to emergency funds,” says Mark Hopkins, central division VP for LandCare. “During the uncertain times of 2020, it became increasingly difficult to predict the well-being or financial stability of ourselves or our loved ones from week to week. TERF provided a means for both donating and accessing funds in times of unexpected hardship, embodying the culture of care and support that is at the heart of LandCare.”
Since launching in May 2022, TERF has provided over $180,000 in assistance through 100 grants to LandCare team members facing financial hardships. The program is entirely funded by team members who want to help with unexpected challenges. Nearly 100 team members make recurring donations from their paychecks from crew members to senior leadership.
Davey Resource Group Promotes Rob Toney
Davey Resource Group (DRG), a subsidiary of The Davey Tree Expert Company, has promoted Rob Toney to vice president of DRG Pacific Services, LLC.
Toney joined DRG in 2007 as a consulting utility forester on the on the Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) Central Coast pre-inspection project. He is an International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Certified Arborist and Utility Specialist.
“Rob has vast experience in DRG, and that knowledge will be essential in his new role,” says Jack McCabe, vice president and general manager, DRG, utility vegetation management (UVM). “During Rob’s time with us, he has been instrumental in creating value for our clients and success for the company. We are looking forward to Pacific Services’ continuing growth under Rob.”
Green Lawn Fertilizing Opens New Branch and Awards Safest Driver for 2022
Green Lawn Fertilizing / Green Pest Solutions opened their new branch in North Wales, Pennsylvania, this month.
“The North Wales service market will be paramount in our long-term growth plans!” says Matt Jesson, CEO of the company. “We look to aggressively grow this market and create incredible opportunities for our team members while executing on our mission to deliver a superior customer experience!”
Green Lawn Fertilizing / Green Pest Solutions moved into a new headquarters building in West Chester, Pennsylvania, late last year, with extensive construction to take place to customize and modernize the layout. The company is also investing in a brand new 20,000-foot warehouse next to its current headquarters building, which will become the new West Chester lawn and pest operations building once the new headquarters building is ready.
The company also recognized lawn care technician Josh Torres as their safest driver and awarded him a brand-new 2023 Ford F-150 as part of their safety initiative. Torres has been with the company for over 11 years.
This is the company’s second year awarding a truck to one of their safest drivers. All of the finalists were gathered for the raffle during the 2023 company kick-off meeting.
Photo: Green Lawn Fertilizing
In order to qualify for the contest, technicians must have been a full-time team member by April 1, 2022, and must not have had any at-fault vehicle accidents during 2022. Each technician’s driver score is based on a combination of braking, speeding, and acceleration, which is tracked by Azuga. All qualifying technicians with driver scores over 90 received entries into the contest. The higher the technician’s driving score, the more entries in the raffle the technician earned.
Green Lawn Fertilizing has announced they will give away another Ford F-150 next year as well.
Ruppert Landscape Expands Landscape Construction Operations to Tennessee
Ruppert Landscape has added a permanent location in Nashville, Tennessee for their landscape construction operations. This branch joins the 30 existing branch locations spread throughout Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, D.C., Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, and Texas.
“We have frequently stepped out of our geographic footprint when opportunities arise to take on large-scale landscape construction projects at a national level,” says Patrick Luzier, regional vice president in the company’s landscape construction division. “Our expansion into the Nashville market was initially determined by relationships we have with clients in other geographic locations, who reached out to us for projects in the Nashville market. The success of these initial opportunities and several subsequent projects, enabled us to develop a more permanent presence in the region.”
Marvin Clermont will oversee this branch’s planning, budgeting, and personnel development and ensure customer satisfaction on all landscape construction projects within the Nashville region.
“This team is very talented and eager to take on the complex and challenging projects that come our way,” Clermont says. “Nashville is one of the fastest-growing markets in the country and has a strong economy and diverse culture. We are looking forward to continuing to build our team and tapping into the skilled and engaged workforce that this community has to offer.”
Clermont joined Ruppert in 2015 as an assistant project manager. He has also worked as a production manager, project manager, operations manager, and associate branch manager.
“Marvin’s strong leadership and customer service abilities have played a key role in our ability to turn the Nashville satellite operation into a permanent branch,” Luzier says. “We are pleased to see Marvin take this next step in his career and know that the future of Ruppert in Nashville is in good hands.”
Landscape Workshop Acquires Solid Ground Landscape Services LLC
Landscape Workshop recently acquired Solid Ground Landscape Services in Atlanta, Georgia.
As part of the transaction, Solid Ground owners Joe Christenberry and Andrew Kurstedt will both join the Landscape Workshop team.
“We are very excited to announce the acquisition of Solid Ground and we look forward to incorporating their business into our existing operations in Greater Atlanta,” says J.T. Price, CEO of Landscape Workshop. “We are thrilled to be adding two exceptional landscaping operators to our team in Joe and Andrew, and we welcome the rest of Solid Ground’s employees to our LW team. Joe and Andrew have devoted over 20 years into building a top-notch commercial landscaping company with a reputation of delivering excellent customer service and a superior product. We look forward to a smooth transition for customers and carrying on Solid Ground’s legacy as we grow our service capabilities in Atlanta.”
Landscape Workshop’s regional vice president Tim Christie will continue to oversee Landscape Workshop’s Atlanta area maintenance operations.
