Massey Services Chairman and CEO Harvey L. Massey, who founded the company in 1985, was selected for membership in the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans. The award recognizes “outstanding business, civic and cultural leaders who have succeeded despite facing significant adversity and who are committed to philanthropy and higher education,” the organization said. During a 52-year career in the pest management and landscape services industries, Massey assumed charitable positions, such as chair of the Orange County Arts and Cultural Affairs Task Force, vice chairman of the Expressway Authority, chairman of the United Arts and chairman of the Rollins College Center of Advanced Entrepreneurship Program. He currently serves on the board of directors of the Edyth Bush Charitable Foundation.
Engage Agro appointed Steve Stansell as country manager. With 27 years of experience, Stansell has worked in sales and management for various companies, including Zeneca, Syngenta and ICA Americas. Most recently, he served as key account manager and marketing manager for Rotam. He is a graduate of Louisiana State University.
Stihl promoted Dave Warren to branch manger of Stihl Northwest, based in Chehalis, Wash. Previously, Warren worked as a service technician, materials handler and regional manager in various Stihl operations in Canada. Since 2012, he’s served as Stihl Northwest’s sales and marketing manager. Warren succeeds Dave Bulger, who is retiring after 31 years with the company. The promotion is effective Jan. 1.
Davey Tree Expert Co. promoted Charles Shonts to district manager of the Naperville, Ill., territory for The Care of Trees (TCOT), a Davey company. Shonts started with TCOT in 2008. He’s held various positions, including production manager in the west Chicago TCOT office and assistant district manager of the Naperville TCOT office. Shonts graduated from Western Illinois University in 2008. He has a bachelor’s in agricultural sciences with a concentration in urban forestry. He’s also a graduate of the Davey Institute of Tree Sciences, Davey’s training program in biological sciences, safety, tree and plant care and management techniques. Shonts also is a Tree Care Industry Association-certified tree care safety professional.
Mitsubishi Fuso Truck of America (MFTA) appointed Bryan Allen as its new marketing manager. Prior to joining MFTA, Allen served three years as marketing manager for Cone Health, a North Carolina health care system. Before that, he spent 10 years at Daimler Buses North America, mostly working as marketing and corporate communications manager. Allen has a bachelor’s in international business from Western Carolina University and a master’s in integrated marketing communications from West Virginia University.
Ruppert Landscape continued its hiring barrage and personnel shake-up, as it hired one new employee and promoted two others in its Georgia landscape construction branch. Rickey Ackerman was hired as estimator. He has a bachelor’s in horticulture from Auburn University and three years of industry experience, previously holding positions as account manager and area manager. Taylor Becker was promoted to project manager. He earned a bachelor’s in landscape architecture from the University of Maryland College Park in 2014 and has been with the company since an internship in 2010, initially serving as assistant project manager upon graduation. Zac Czapko was promoted to operations manager. He’s been with the company for 12 years, starting as a field manager. He’s assumed roles like estimator and contract administrator and worked on several committees and projects involving software integration and electronic purchasing.
Turfgrass Products International (TPI) honored Grady Miller, Ph.D., and Mike Kenna, Ph.D. Miller, a professor and extension turf specialist at North Carolina State University, won the Turfgrass Educator Award of Excellence. During his career, he has taught 65 university courses related to turfgrass culture, golf and sports turf management, and research methodology. He has published two books and more than 400 articles dealing with all phases of turfgrass management. Kenna, the director of United States Golf Association (USGA) Green Section Research, received the Distinguished Service Award. He oversees the USGA’s turfgrass and environmental research activities, including soliciting and evaluating research proposals, grant making, and development of cooperative funding with government and commercial sources. Kenna has worked closely with the U.S. Department of Agriculture on water and energy conservation research, has edited books on turfgrass and environmental issues, and partakes in conferences and research programs across the country.
