Every year, Takeuchi-US recognizes outstanding individuals who go above and beyond in their commitment to excellence and the “Takeuchi Way” of creation, challenge and cooperation. Recently, the compact equipment manufacturer celebrated a special group of four employees who’ve demonstrated an unmatched commitment to the company, their coworkers and their customers, according to the company.
“We’re incredibly fortunate to have so many hardworking, dedicated employees at Takeuchi,” said Jeff Stewart, president of Takeuchi-US. “Whether you’re at our Pendergrass, Ga., facility or our track loader assembly plant in Moore, S.C., you’ll meet people who not only care about making Takeuchi a top-notch equipment brand, but who also care about each other and their communities.”
The following four individuals received top honors in their respective categories:
Salesperson of the Year: Eric Wenzel, Southeast regional business manager
Since Wenzel joined Takeuchi-US three years ago, he’s demonstrated outstanding enthusiasm and dedication to customers and dealer partners. Wenzel is responsible for all sales development and activity across a multi-state region in the Southeastern U.S., and his duties include dealer development, dealer recruitment, forecasting, promotions and more. Wenzel’s customers benefit from his responsiveness and solution-based approach to any challenge that comes his way, according to the company.
South Carolina Employee of the Year: Jamelia King, assembly team leader, Main Conveyor assembly line
True leaders provide a positive example for others to follow, and Takeuchi says King has done all that and more since joining the Takeuchi-US team at the Moore, S.C. track loader assembly plant in August 2022. King makes a difference by coaching her teammates, removing obstacles to progress and creating success for Takeuchi and its customers.
“Jamelia is a team player who’s always willing to do what she can to help us achieve our goals,” said Tim Dobmeier, manufacturing manager at Takeuchi-US. “She always rises to the occasion, no matter what the challenge.”
Georgia Employee of the Year: Kenny Goheen, attachment shipping lead
For the past eight years, Goheen has received shipments, pulled orders and inventoried attachments for Takeuchi, along with overseeing the attachment warehouse. Goheen’s coworkers and Takeuchi customers alike appreciate his vast knowledge of all the different attachments, what machines they fit and where to find them. He is the in-house attachment guru and works hard to ensure attachments are shipped correctly and arrive on time. According to the company, Goheen is a dedicated employee who gets the job done quickly and correctly.
Wiley Hutto Award: Lorenzo Forde, LTL lead, Pendergrass, Ga.
Forde is an inspiring Takeuchi success story. Back in 2006, he came to Takeuchi from a temp agency. Nineteen years later, Forde is responsible for the daily planning and shipping all LTL shipments and stock orders. He leads a team of 10 employees and trains all new employees in his area on how to do various tasks correctly and safely. Forde is known throughout the Pendergrass facility for being extremely hardworking and dedicated. His No. 1 priority is doing his best for Takeuchi customers, according to the company, and outside of work, Forde puts just as much effort and care into his church, family and friends.
Massey Services’ Angie Davis earns Associate Certified Entomologist certification
Angie Davis, director of technical and training for Massey Services, a pest management service company, recently earned her Associate Certified Entomologist (ACE) certification from the Entomological Society of America.
Angie Davis joined Massey — No. 31 on the 2024 LM150 list — in 1999 as a pest technician, and within five years, was promoted to service manager. In 2017, she expanded her role by becoming a quality assurance manager, and in 2022, advanced to her current position as director of technical and training. Her knowledge and experience encompass multiple aspects of the pest management industry including sales, service and training. Earning her ACE Certification demonstrates her dedication and desire to learn, enabling her to provide outstanding support to Massey Services’ customers.
To achieve ACE certification, individuals must meet several stringent requirements. These include holding a current U.S. pesticide applicator’s license, having at least five years of experience in the pest management industry and passing a rigorous exam. The exam encompasses a wide range of topics, including general entomology and pest biology, as well as integrated pest management (IPM) principles.
“We’re incredibly proud of Angie for earning her Associate Certified Entomologist certification,” said Tom Jarzynka, associate certified entomologist and vice president of technical and training at Massey Services. “This accomplishment demonstrates her commitment to expanding her expertise and delivering exceptional service to our customers. Angie’s hard work and dedication are an inspiration to our entire team.”
Envu appoints Chen Lichtenstein as chairman of the board of directors
Envu‘s board of directors recently appointed Chen Lichtenstein as its new chairman.
Lichtenstein has more than 25 years of experience leading and running global companies in life science and related fields, including environmental health. According to the company, he brings to Envu a strong track record of accelerating innovation and growth, building winning teams, transforming organizations and generating stakeholder returns.
“As a leader solely dedicated to the environmental science space, Envu has a bold vision for the future that involves continued growth and partnerships while delivering value-added, sustainable innovations for our customers,” said Envu CEO, Gilles Galliou. “We are excited to welcome Chen as our new chairman of the board as his extensive experience leading global operations and his deep expertise in our industry will enable him to immediately add value in this role as he works with us toward achieving our ambitious goals for our customers and the industry.”
Lichtenstein is assuming the chairman role from Pontus Pettersson, partner at Cinven, the private equity firm that has majority ownership in Envu. Pettersson has been serving as chairman since Envu was formed in October 2022.
“I am very pleased to pass the reigns of the chairman of the board of directors role for Envu to Chen Lichtenstein,” said Pettersson. “Chen’s expertise in biotech and crop protection, his experience in the investment and financial sectors and his passion for building strong organizations that generate value for their customers, employees and shareholders lends itself well to supporting Envu in the next chapter of its exciting growth.”
As a long-time industry executive, Lichtenstein shared that he has followed Envu since its inception.
“I am impressed by the breadth of innovative, sustainable solutions Envu offers, which drive customer engagement and quality growth,” said Lichtenstein. “Further enhanced by its robust network of innovation partners and selective acquisitions, Envu is well positioned to continue driving forward, and I am delighted to be joining its strong team.”
Davey Tree promotes Sandee Reid
No. 2 on the 2024 LM150 list — Davey Tree Expert Co. recently promoted Sandee Reid to executive vice president, corporate communications and strategic planning.
“Under Sandee’s leadership, the corporate communications team has strengthened its reach in brand awareness, industry recognition and employee engagement,” said Pat Covey, chairman, president and CEO of Davey Tree. “In addition, Sandee’s commitment to Davey’s strategic planning activities has made tremendous progress since she began overseeing this important initiative. She will continue in this leadership role as we work towards our Vision 2030 strategic goals.”
Reid joined Davey in 1986 and has worked in numerous corporate communications and marketing capacities, such as the editor of The Davey Bulletin, company spokesperson and manager of public relations and corporate communications. In 2009, she was named manager of corporate communications and marketing and oversaw the integration of Davey’s corporate communications and marketing functions. In 2013, she was promoted to her most recent role as vice president of corporate communications and strategic planning.
Reid holds a master’s degree from the University of Phoenix and a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a dual major in marketing and public relations from Ohio Northern University. She is affiliated with numerous professional and civic organizations that are local, national and international in scope. Reid is a recipient of the Best of Davey Leadership Award and a former member of Davey’s President’s Council.
Neighborly appoints Reese Neumann as chief growth officer
Neighborly, a home services company, appointed Reese Neumann to the newly created role of chief growth officer. He will serve as a member of Neighborly’s corporate leadership team and report directly to CEO Mike Davis.
“We are extremely fortunate to have the wealth of experience that Reese brings to help us become a more data-driven, technology-first company with insights at the heart of our decisions,” said Davis. “He will be fanatically focused on advancing operational excellence throughout the organization and a key part in shaping our strategic roadmap and how it supports our franchise owners.”
Neumann is a global executive with 25 years of business experience across multiple industries and disciplines. He is experienced in building and partnering with some of the world’s largest brands, manufacturers, retailers and suppliers to create value and profit.
He has served as vice president of strategy for KFC Global at YUM! Brands, where he led a team to develop and execute strategic planning, generated a comprehensive 2030 growth strategy and spearheaded the acceleration office. Additionally, Neumann was the Interim CFO for KFC Global, leading financial operations across 149 countries. He also led finance and new store development as the chief growth officer of Pizza Hut Europe, spent 10 years at Bain & Company and most recently had been leading the integration of private equity-backed companies to create Purpose Brands, a health and wellness platform with one of the largest global footprints of gyms.
“Neighborly has an incredible team, innovative vision and has made a commitment to the growth of its franchise owners,” said Neumann. “I look forward to leveraging my experience to streamline processes, remove friction and make Neighborly faster, more efficient and easier to do business with.”
Planterra founder honored with Lifetime Achievement Award at International Plant Convention in Florida
Larry Pliska, the founder of West Bloomfield, Mich.-based Planterra, was inducted into the International Plantscape Hall of Fame at the Tropical Plant Industry Expo in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Each year, this prestigious lifetime achievement award is given to a single interior plantscape professional who has made a lasting impact on the industry.
Founded in 1973, Planterra was one of the first companies in North America to specialize in interior landscaping, with Pliska recognized as one of the pioneers of the profession, according to the company. Under his leadership, Planterra grew from a Detroit-area greenhouse into one of the largest interior landscaping companies in the United States.
“I’m truly grateful to be in the plant business and to contribute to making interior spaces more livable and vibrant through the beauty of plants and greenery,” said Pliska.
The award ceremony, held at the Hilton Marina Hotel in Ft. Lauderdale, was hosted by I-Plants magazine. Pliska accepted the honor alongside his family, including his wife, Carol, and sons, Shane and Zachary, who now lead Planterra.
