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Author: Marisa Palmieri

Marisa Palmieri

Marisa Palmieri

Marisa Palmieri is an experienced Green Industry editor who's won numerous awards for her coverage of the landscape and golf course markets from the Turf & Ornamental Communicators Association (TOCA), the Press Club of Cleveland and the American Society of Business Publication Editors (ASBPE). In 2007, ASBPE named her a Young Leader. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Journalism, cum laude, from Ohio University’s Scripps School of Journalism.

Yard-Nique makes acquisition in Atlanta market

Yard-Nique acquired Estes Landscape of Sharpsburg Ga., on Jan 30. Terms were not disclosed for the deal, which adds about $3.5 million in annual revenue to the Morrisville, N.C.-based full-service landscape firm. Yard-Nique had a 2014 annual revenue of about $19.7 million and plans to grow 22 percent in 2015. It was No. 81 on […]

Backstory: Tom Wood

Tom Wood Owner, Wood Landscape Services Columbus, Ohio   Education Thomas Worthington High School Worthington, Ohio Class of 1975 “I had a summer job between junior and senior year at a local landscape company called Four Seasons Nursery. I loved being outside.” The Ohio State University Class of 1982 “I studied at OSU and worked for […]

The shining light

Last month I traveled to The Lighting Summit in Omaha, Neb., to join the crew from McKay Landscape Lighting and their guests—16 landscape lighting professionals from across the country. Jerry McKay, a member of the LM Editorial Advisory Board, started the Summit last year to create an intimate conference and networking event for lighting professionals. […]

Yellowstone to grow in the South, CEO says

Bunnell, Fla.-based Yellowstone Landscape Group plans to continue its growth in the southern U.S. following its acquisition by private equity firm CIVC Partners, based in Chicago. It will do so through organic growth and strategic acquisitions, CEO Tim Portland told LM. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly how much Yellowstone will grow this year, Portland said, but he […]

Backstory: Robert Clinkenbeard

Robert Clinkenbeard Co-0wner, Integrated Landscape Management Tempe, Ariz. Education Forrester High School and Currie High School Edinburgh, Scotland Class of 1988 “My dad used to be a Presbyterian minister. He had older ladies in his congregations who needed help in their gardens, so I used to do that to make some extra money. That’s what […]

Photo: Scott Foreman, Cultivator Content Labs

Masters of efficiency

Three companies optimize their operations with simple steps and extensive measures. Driving efficiency Oasis Turf & Tree, Cincinnati, Ohio 2014 revenue: $3.2 million (+22% over 2013) Efficiency cred: Three or four technicians will produce more than $300,000 in revenue this year (working nine months). At Oasis Turf & Tree in Cincinnati most of the company’s […]

Efficiency journey

Sofa beds. Visits to the dentist. Michael Scott on “The Office.” This is my list of “uncomfortable things.” Here’s another: Changing a long-held company process or implementing a new one. We all know change is difficult. This can be particularly true when it comes to becoming more efficient as an organization, says green industry consultant […]

Sno-Motion slated for July

Landscape and snow industry consultant Phil Harwood and the team at Pro-Motion Consulting will host Sno-Motion 2015 in Ohio’s Amish Country from July 22-24. The biennial educational and networking event for snow and ice management professionals has a theme of “focus.” The event kicks off on July 22 with a welcome dinner and presentation on […]

Bullish bellwethers?

My ears perked up when I interviewed Philip Germann for the LM Industry Pulse report. The owner of GreenLawn Specialists in Lewis Center, Ohio, said homeowners are having a hard time getting landscape professionals to return their phone calls. It reminded me of an economic indicator, albeit unscientific, I read about a few years back: […]

Customer report: On the rise

Buyers of landscape services in both the commercial and residential markets are opening their wallets again—and prices reflect that demand. The LM Industry Pulse research shows green industry members’ optimism is rising—and that correlates with their customers’ positive feelings. Data from both the commercial and residential customer segments show confidence measures moving in the right […]

Backstory: David Hartzell

David Hartzell, CIC, CLIA General manager and director of client services, NJ Best Lawn, Irrigation & Fence Lakewood, N.J.   Education Piscataway High Piscataway, N.J. Class of 1981 “I had three paper routes at the same time when I was in 6th grade. I very quickly realized that the harder I worked, the more money I […]

Industry overview: In the black

The LM Industry Pulse report reveals 2014 was a win—with strong profits and an average growth rate of 17 percent. The word is, clients can’t get landscape companies to return phone calls or show up to give estimates. To Philip Germann, owner of GreenLawn Specialists in Lewis Center, Ohio, that’s good news. “In general, demand […]

Labor report: Now hiring

Lack of qualified employees causes labor costs to rise. When answering, “What keeps you up at night?” Lynn Tootle could have been speaking for green industry owners and managers everywhere. “Through the recession my concern was, ‘How am I going to get enough work to keep my people working?’” says the general manager of Gro-Masters, […]

Got grubs?

Check out this cheat sheet to help you determine if you should treat for white grubs and how.     A word on irrigation… Regardless of the control product or approach (preventive or curative), all grub control treatments must be watered in with sufficient irrigation or rainfall, says Chris Williamson, Ph.D., turfgrass and ornamental specialist, […]

Costs report: Not too bad

Operating costs inch up, but landscape professionals don’t have much to complain about. Despite the LM Industry Pulse revealing an 11 percent increase in overall operating costs over last year, contractors interviewed for the report didn’t report many outrageous increases. For Chris Solimini, the most difficult cost to contend with is taxes. “You’re trying to […]

Learning ‘face to face’ at Schill Grounds Management

In September, Schill Grounds Management agreed to go under the microscope. It welcomed about 80 of its landscape industry peers and suppliers to its North Ridgeville, Ohio, facility to host a Face to Face event. The Face to Face concept, led by JP Horizons, entails a landscape company opening its doors and giving department-by-department tours […]

Backstory: Donna “DJ” Wood

Donna “DJ” Wood President/CEO of Tierra Madre Landscape Services Education: -Bourgade Catholic High School, Phoenix, Class of 1975 (GED) “I went school to be a dental technician. After a few months I realized I didn’t want to spend my life with my fingers in other people’s mouths.” -Desert Landscape School, Desert Botanical Garden, Class of […]

Reliable, Lawn Ranger form partnership

Two large landscape and snow service providers in the Twin Cities are now working together. On Nov. 1, Reliable Property Services formed a strategic partnership with Lawn Ranger of Eden Prairie, Minn. Reliable, based in Eagan, Minn., picks up key staff and assets from its former competitor. Terms were not disclosed. “We’re excited about this opportunity […]

Putting software to work

  A decade ago, there were only a handful of green industry software options. Thanks to the cloud and the advent of mobile technologies, many other programs are viable for landscape and lawn care companies. We selected this month’s cover story—and compiled its associated chart—because readers asked us to. “Perhaps this has been done recently […]

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The new LM

We hear from readers a lot. Sometimes you ask us to address a problem. Sometimes you pitch story ideas. Sometimes you’re just giving us a thumb’s up; other times, it’s constructive criticism. Never, though, has anyone suggested we redesign the magazine. Then you might wonder why we’ve spent the last six months refining the LM […]

Backstory: Bill Hoke

Bill Hoke President, NexGreen in Columbus, Ohio + Frederick, Md. Education: -Birmingham Seaholm High School, Birmingham, Mich., Class of 1977 -Michigan State University, East Lansing, Mich., Class of 1982 Work experience: 1983: Sales, TruGreen, East Lansing, Mich. “I always liked working outside. TruGreen seemed like a natural fit from the standpoint of development and career […]

Responding to the customers’ voice

Have you asked your customers what they want lately? “We don’t need to do that,” you might say. “We’ve been at this for a long time, so we already know. Our customers want…” Whatever your impressions are about what your clients want, are you sure they’re not just that—merely impressions? When was the last time […]

The Grounds Guys’ Elmore expects continued growth with parent company’s acquisition

Private equity firm The Riverside Co. acquired The Dwyer Group from TZP Group. It’s the second time Riverside has owned the Waco, Texas-based parent company of landscape maintenance franchisor The Grounds Guys. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Riverside first purchased The Dwyer Group in 2003, taking the company private. After seven years, the […]

Landscape industry members accept ALS Ice Bucket Challenge

As the Ice Bucket Challenge sweeps social media this summer, members of the landscape industry are jumping on board with their own versions, often incorporating equipment from their operations. The Ice Bucket Challenge dares participants to be filmed dumping a bucket of ice water over their heads and/or make a donation to support research for […]

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