Jim Huston, a longtime landscape consultant and figure in the green industry for more than 30 years, died last week at his home in Grand Lake, Colo. He was 75 years old.
Huston was the founder and president of J.R. Huston Enterprises, which provides consulting services, software solutions and educational workshops and seminars to the green industry. He had a Master of Business Administration degree in finance and was a Certified Professional Landscape Estimator — one of only two such professionals in the world. He was also an inductee into the Green Industry Hall of Fame.
In a letter sent to J.R. Huston clients, his son, Josh, wrote that Huston had “pioneered the concept of ‘brainstorming meetings,’ which brought together multiple landscape and green industry professionals for open discussions on common challenges and solutions. His first meetings were held in locations such as Connecticut, Boston, Jackson Hole, Park City, Vail and even Cabo. While these types of consulting events are now commonplace, Jim was a trailblazer, organizing them as early as the early ’90s.”
Huston wrote seven books and developed five software packages during his career that dealt specifically with the landscape, irrigation and tree service industries.
Huston was preceded in death by his son Uriah and grandson Gabriel, and is survived by his two sisters, Carol and Sue and their families, his two sons, Clay and Josh (and wife Tiffany) and four grandchildren, Josephine, Connor, Liam and Logan.
Funeral arrangements are being coordinated by his family and announcements will follow.
