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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.

Another casting call

Yet another network is seeking small businesses with 50-plus employees for a television show that “encourages employee team-building and problem solving in the workplace.” Interested business owners may contact BusinessShow@pitmancasting.com for a chance to participate (and earn $25,000 if selected). Send the following with your email: Name and contact information; Photos of you; Photos of […]

10 mowing safety mistakes to avoid

The folks at John Deere shared these top 10 safety-related mowing mistakes. We’re passing them along to you with the thought that this post could serve as a ready-made tailgate safety talk, ensuring this advice is front of mind for the rest of the summer. 1. Not reading the safety and operations manuals. Proper, safe […]

In the long run

In late spring I traveled to Naperville, Ill., to see how that city has put in place an aggressive program to save its 16,000 municipal ash trees from Emerald Ash Borer (EAB). (See this story for more details on that trip.) In addition to hearing about (and seeing with my own two eyes) healthy, thriving […]

A good option

In Naperville, Ill., a public-private partnership demonstrates removal isn’t the only option for EAB-infected trees. Municipality maintenance budgets typically have two line items for trees: prune and remove. Cities often don’t have room in the budget to treat trees with control products, no matter how dire the need, but a public-private partnership in Naperville, Ill., […]

Finding focus

How three companies flourish by sticking to a niche. Many businesses adopt the “one-stop shop” approach, either with strategic intent to offer convenience and sell more products and services to existing customers or simply because they have trouble saying no. In any case, some companies can offer the Jack-of-all-trades approach and prosper. (Think: Walmart, among […]

Small business confidence sputters, NFIB says

Small business optimism remained in tepid territory in June, as the National Federation of Independent Business’ (NFIB’s) monthly Small Business Optimism Index dropped just under a point (0.9) and landed at 93.5, effectively ending any hope of a revival in confidence among job creators. Six of the ten Index components fell, two rose and two […]

Oregon prohibits dinotefuran use for 180 days following bee deaths

The Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) on June 27 issued a temporary ruling prohibiting the use of 18 pesticide products containing the active ingredient dinotefuran on all plants for 180 days. The move follows a kill-off of an estimated 50,000 bumble bees in Wilsonville, Ore., in a shopping center parking lot. A landscape contractor reportedly […]

Smart Irrigation Month

7 tools to promote Smart Irrigation Month

No surprise here, the Irrigation Association is on the ball with it being July 1, the first day of Smart Irrigation Month. They distributed some useful tools this morning, sharing some ways industry members can get involved and promote the water-saving message to the public. Here they are:   Download the Smart Irrigation Month logo […]

Do you have a blue collar success story?

We got wind of another casting call for those looking to tell their stories on the small screen. A new anthology documentary television series is seeking “blue collar success stories” that demonstrate the unbreakable American spirit, determination and hard work that lead to achieving the American dream. I, for one, know a lot of these […]

The Pattie Group to design, install children’s garden

The Pattie Group of Novelty, Ohio, was hired to design and build PLAYGARDEN at Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens in Akron, Ohio. The company is slated to break ground on the 5,000-sq.-ft. children’s garden this summer. It’s planned to open in 2014. PLAYGARDEN is being built as a participatory multigenerational outdoor experience for families with […]

National Mall accepts propane mower donation

More than 24 million people visit the National Mall each year, and the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) is betting that more than a few of those visitors will notice the shiny, new propane-fueled mowers maintaining the high-profile grounds. On June 24 PERC donated six Exmark Lazer Z S-Series lawn mowers with Kohler Command […]

John Deere demos new equipment

John Deere hosted a Coal Valley Rally last week in the Quad Cities area of Illinois and Iowa, and Darren Constantino, editor-in-chief of LM‘s sister publication Pit & Quarry, attended on behalf of North Coast Media. More than two dozen journalists attended the event, where they learned about the company’s new E-Series skid-steers and compact […]

LM150: Think big

We analyze data from the Green Industry’s largest 150 firms. Plus, 13 ideas any size company can implement to boost revenue and profits.  Whether your company’s goal is to make this list someday (or stay on it)—or to remain the same size and improve other metrics, there is good reason to think big. Think: Benchmarks. […]

Yours for the taking

There’s an intriguing quote attributed to artist Pablo Picasso, “Good artists copy. Great artists steal.” That’s what the best of the best in any profession do. Excellent writers curate concepts and borrow themes from other writers all the time. Top landscape designers pull ideas from not only nature but public gardens and parks created by […]

1-Minute Mentor: Jim McCutcheon, LIC

Meet Jim McCutcheon, LIC, CEO of HighGrove Partners, Austell, Ga. Who’s your mentor? As far as the landscape industry goes, it’s the tale of the two Franks. Frank Ross [with 3PG Consulting]: I’ve been working with him for over 15 years. He’s had a huge impact on not only my business growth but my personal […]

It’s bed time

Landscape bed weed control is an attractive service opportunity, says one LCO. Lawn care companies that haven’t yet embraced the business opportunity of landscape bed weed control should rethink their decision not to provide this service. So says Phil Fogarty, owner of Crowley’s/Weed Man of Euclid, Ohio, which has a 90 percent renewal rate for […]

3 tips for employee files

Many landscape companies don’t have a full-time human resources professional on staff to ensure they’re following correct processes, procedures and best practices. Are you one of those companies? If so, landscape consultants Ed Laflamme and Bill Arman are addressing some of those needs this month in their weekly video. Here are three tips for storing […]

Blade runners

Handling mower blades with care preserves quality and productivity at Mainscape. At Mainscape’s Naples, Fla., branch, the staff handles mower blades with care to give its military, homeowner association and commercial clients the best quality of cut without any dreaded “streaking.” If quality is subpar and callbacks occur, Branch Manager Jim Spano cringes at the […]

EAB: A case for treatment

It’s Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) Awareness week, and I’m on my way home from Naperville, Ill., where I visited with members of a public-private coalition who are working to save the ash trees there from this invasive, devastating pest. EAB, which was first detected in Michigan in 2002, has killed tens of millions of ash […]

May Web Extra: 5 ways to improve your corporate impact

Even companies that aren’t ready to make the full leap to being a Certified B Corporation have some options for incrementally improving their corporate social responsibility programs. The nonprofit B Lab, which administers the Certified B Corporation certifications, offers a few easy steps to get started: 1. Get a current benchmark and create an action […]

B the Change

B the change

Companies seek B Corporation status to emphasize stewardship of the community, environment and their employees. “We must be the change we wish to see in the world.” –Gandhi Call it what you will: “Corporate social responsibility.” “The triple bottom line.” “Conscious capitalism.” Whatever your terminology, the movement of for-profit enterprises toward considering their impact on […]

John Deere upgrades loyalty program

John Deere is rolling out its new GreenFleet Loyalty Rewards program. It’s designed to function as a loyalty, rewards and discount program wrapped into one. “This program is our way of thanking [customers] for their loyalty,” said Steve Wilhelmi, tactical marketing manager for John Deere Commercial Mowing, calling it “much more than just a perks […]

Designation style

The way a publication writes and applies grammar and punctuation is called its “style.” Landscape Management uses the Associated Press Stylebook and we have our own house style, too, which is nothing more than a Word document that lists the idiosyncrasies of the way we write about the industry. For example, we capitalize Green Industry. […]

TOCA Awards 2013: Tooting our own horn

Last week the Landscape Management team traveled to beautiful Portland, Ore., to take part in the Turf & Ornamental Communicators Association’s annual meeting. Among the highlights of this year’s event were a tour of Pacific Landscape Management, a creative writing education session and the Communication Awards banquet, held May 9. (OK, and Voodoo Doughnut.) I’m […]

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