Adam Gore, Ph.D., joins Envu Turf and Ornamental to provide technical support and agronomic solutions to the most complex turf challenges. Prior to joining Envu, Gore served as a horticulture extension agent with Clemson University for six years, specializing in turfgrass agronomy and weedy plant control. Now, Gore brings 18 years of turfgrass experience to the Envu team.
“Adam is an exceptional addition to our team,” says Zac Reicher, Ph.D., Green Solutions Team manager. “With his background in applied research and extension services, Adam brings a unique blend of practical knowledge and scientific insight to our team. Adam’s commitment to advancing turfgrass health and quality aligns perfectly with our mission to provide the best possible support to our customers.”
A South Carolina native, Gore attended Clemson University to receive his bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees. His research included weed control as well as plant health products on cool- and warm-season greens and the potential impact of copper within industry products. As a result, he saw multiple peer-reviewed articles span several facets of the turfgrass industry.
In his spare time, Gore and his wife enjoy hiking local state parks with their dogs or visiting botanical gardens. Gore and his family currently reside in South Carolina but will be moving to Florida soon to better serve Envu customers.
Tiffany Erickson joins the Irrigation Association
The Irrigation Association (IA) hired Tiffany Erickson as its new brand, engagement and growth vice president. Erickson brings more than 15 years of experience in strategic brand engagement, integrated strategy development and an established history of driving revenue diversification and growth.
In her new role, Erickson will lead the IA’s efforts to enhance brand presence, member engagement and overall business growth. She will direct the IA’s business development strategies, focusing on increasing membership, growing revenue and elevating the organization’s brand across all touch points.
“We are excited to welcome Tiffany Erickson to the Irrigation Association. Her extensive experience in marketing, content strategy and brand engagement and growth, combined with her innovative approach to business development, makes her the ideal leader to help drive our strategic priorities forward,” said Natasha Rankin, MBA, CAE, CEO of the Irrigation Association. “Tiffany’s vision and expertise will undoubtedly strengthen our efforts to deliver exceptional value to our members and stakeholders and enhance the IA’s brand.”
Erickson brings plenty of expertise from her previous roles, including executive leadership at the American Counseling Association, Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation and First Things First. In her most recent position as executive vice president of strategic communications at Forum for Youth Investment, Erickson was responsible for modernizing communication and marketing strategies, and she worked to increase sustainable revenue streams.
“The Irrigation Association has a rich history of advancing the industry through education, advocacy and innovation,” said Erickson. “As we face global challenges in water management and sustainable agriculture, I’m honored to join the team and excited to collaborate with our members and partners to develop and implement strategies that will strengthen the IA’s position as a leader in the field.”
Control Solutions appoints new marketing director
Control Solutions Inc., (CSI), a member of the ADAMA Group, appointed Ryan Karapas as the company’s new marketing director. In his new role, Karapas will report to CSI founder and president, Mark Boyd.
Karapas holds a Bachelor’s degree in finance and economics from Otterbein University in Columbus, Ohio, where he was also a member of the golf and basketball teams. Karapas brings plenty of experience to CSI with past roles managing marketing efforts at two major consumer products manufacturers.
Karapas recently relocated to the Houston area and will be based at CSI headquarters in Pasadena, Texas. In addition to his professional pursuits, Karapas is an avid sports enthusiast who enjoys playing golf and staying active. As a lifelong Ohio State and Detroit Lions fan, he is excited to embrace the local Houston sports scene.
CSI is a U.S. specialty chemical manufacturer known for delivering effective, innovative and cost-efficient solutions across various markets, according to the company. Serving the pest control, turf and ornamental, consumer products and professional animal health care sectors, CSI leverages its position as a subsidiary of ADAMA, one of the world’s largest agricultural chemical companies, to access a wide range of active ingredients and offer an extensive product portfolio.
Clay Eubanks celebrates four decades at Takeuchi
Clay Eubanks, vice chairman of Takeuchi, celebrated four decades with the company. In September 1984, Eubanks was a college student who began working part-time in Takeuchi’s warehouse near Atlanta, cleaning up the facility and pulling parts from inventory. Over the next four decades, Eubanks took on more and more responsibilities, strengthening his knowledge of the equipment industry and rising through the ranks to his current position.
“I’ve had the opportunity to work with some of the most dedicated and passionate people in the industry right here at Takeuchi,” Eubanks said. “It’s been so special to learn and grow with such a great group that always puts the customer first — that’s been Mr. Takeuchi’s philosophy from day one. I can honestly say there’s never been a day when I questioned if we were doing the right thing. It is expected to always treat the customer how we would want to be treated.”
After his stint in the warehouse, Eubanks moved into a full-time role as Takeuchi’s central region sales manager based in Texas. He later moved back to Atlanta and ran Takeuchi’s retail store, then became the company’s Southern region manager, eventually promoting to national sales manager, general manager, and finally, president of Takeuchi-US. His current position as vice chairman of the board took him to Takeuchi’s global headquarters in Nagano, Japan where he currently lives and works.
“I’m proud to have been a small part of growing two new segments in the construction industry — the compact excavator and the compact track loader — both products that Takeuchi was the first to develop,” Eubanks said. “In the early days, no one knew what these machines were, and it was a real thrill traveling the country and demonstrating what they could accomplish. What started out as laughter often turned to amazement.”
Eubanks says that over the past 40 years, technology has had the largest impact on the compact construction equipment industry. At the start of his career with Takeuchi, cell phones, tablet computers, or even laptops didn’t exist, and machines were very basic with no strong connections to each other. Since then, technology has especially made its mark, and he doesn’t see that trend changing anytime soon.
As Eubanks reflects on his long career with Takeuchi, he hopes that other young people will be able to find a lifelong career with the company as he did back in 1984.
“I want Takeuchi to continue providing a workplace that helps people from all walks of life support and raise their families while finding their own unique definition of personal fulfillment,” he said. “I believe we’ve created a culture of focusing on our customers and always listening to their needs, and I hope that we’ll continue to have a special place in our collective heart for our communities and our neighbors. I want Takeuchi to always be remembered — not for how many excavators or track loaders we’ve sold, but how we’ve made a difference in people’s lives.”
Focal Pointe adds Luke Williams as CFO
Focal Pointe, a provider of landscaping services for the commercial real estate industry and No. 87 on the 2024 LM150 list, appointed Luke M. Williams to its executive leadership team as chief financial officer (CFO). Williams’ appointment follows a period of accelerating growth for Focal Pointe as the firm continues to bring best-in-class service and value creation to its stakeholders throughout the Midwest, according to the company.
“It’s a great privilege to join Focal Pointe at such a pivotal time in their growth,” said Williams. “The team’s unwavering commitment to being people-first, combined with their focus on technology, sets them apart to deliver outstanding value to customers and stakeholders. I’m looking forward to collaborating with a talented team as we continue to set the course for the company’s future.”
Williams served most recently as vice president and corporate controller at West Star Aviation, where he was crucial in integrating acquisitions and driving process improvements. He began his career at Ernst & Young and spent 14 years at American Railcar Industries, Inc. (ARII). Williams served in various financial roles at ARII, including five years as senior vice president, CFO and treasurer.
“We’re thrilled to have Luke join our team,” said John Munie, president and founder of Focal Pointe. “Luke’s impressive background and strategic thinking align perfectly with our company’s vision. His ability to balance a growing list of priorities make him just the right leader for us at this time in our journey.”
Williams is a Certified Public Accountant in Missouri, and he attended the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign to receive both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in accounting.
Josh Willey promoted to president of Green Lawn Fertilizing
Green Lawn Fertilizing/Green Pest Solutions, No. 108 on the 2024 LM150 list, recently completed a strategic leadership change to drive the company’s continued growth and success over the next two decades. Company founder, owner and CEO Matt Jesson promoted Josh Willey to president, with Willey retaining his title of COO.
“Josh has been instrumental in our success,” said Jesson. “He played a pivotal role in growing our revenue from $10 million to more than $50 million over the last eight years. Josh is an incredible leader who understands that a people-centric approach is core for us. He cares deeply about our team members’ development. With this promotion, we know that Josh will help the company accelerate its growth beyond the $100-million revenue mark while expanding into new markets.”
According to the company, Willey has also been the driving force behind the company’s internal leadership development program, which he founded five years ago. Since its inception, the program has produced more than 75 graduates, leading to more than 40 internal promotions.
“Our strategy is all about people,” said Jesson. “To continue our growth plan, we must focus on developing leaders like Josh from within. We are ready to scale with our current leadership team and foundation.”
Willey has held business development and operational roles within the company since 2017 before becoming COO of Green Lawn Fertilizing/Green Pest Solutions in 2022. He previously served as regional director of Scotts Miracle-Gro for more than 15 years. Recently, Willey has spent the past few years attending executive programs at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and Stanford University while graduating from Harvard Business School’s Executive Education program.
“I take great pride in representing this company,” said Willey. “We have an incredibly talented team who continues delivering on our mission daily, which is to build an industry-leading lawn and pest control company that consistently offers superior customer experiences.”
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Have promotions or updates about your team? Send it to associate editor Nathan Mader at nmader@northcoastmedia.net, and we’ll feature it in an upcoming People on the Move.
