LandscapeHub welcomed Josh Chapman as the company’s first COO.
With more than 25 years of leadership experience, Chapman brings valuable influence to LandscapeHub’s executive team during a period of rapid growth. As COO, Chapman will lead operations, growth, marketing and direct the company’s finance and accounting functions.
Before joining LandscapeHub, Chapman was the COO and treasurer at Matter, a Chicago-based healthcare startup incubator, where he was responsible for all nonsales activities, including finance, human resources, marketing, technology, operations and programs.
Prior to Matter, Josh was the CEO of GiveForward, a personal crowdfunding site that was acquired by YouCaring in 2017. An alumnus of Virginia Commonwealth University, Chapman is a published author, keynote speaker and was recognized as the top customer experience executive by the International Customer Management Institute in 2013.
Jim Canning has joined PBI-Gordon Corp. as a sales representative.
Based in Elgin, Ill., he is responsible for PBI-Gordon product sales to golf course and turfgrass management customers in the Chicagoland.
Most recently, Canning was the head golf course superintendent at White Eagle Golf Club in Naperville, Ill., a position he held since 2009. Canning holds a Bachelor of Science in horticulture and turf Management from Rutgers University and a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Purdue University.
“Jim Canning’s connections and experience in working in Chicagoland, coupled with his deep understanding of the area’s agronomic issues, will be a tremendous asset to our customers,” said Neil Cleveland, vice president and general manager of PBI-Gordon.
Effective Oct. 1, Bob Walker transitioned from the role of president to chairman of the board of Walker. In his place, third-generation family member Ryan Walker has been named president.
Ryan Walker assumes this position after working ten years at Walker in sales, marketing and business development. Bob Walker will remain active in day-to-day operations, including ongoing mentoring to next generation leadership.
The National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP) named H. Jaclyn Ishimaru-Gachina as the 2019 NALP Woman Entrepreneur of the Year.
The award recognizes an NALP member who has demonstrated entrepreneurial spirit and initiative, ensured advancement of the landscape industry by actions and endeavors and has served as a shining example to current and future female entrepreneurs. This award was presented at NALP’s Landscapes 2019 in Louisville, Ky.
Ishimaru-Gachina is president and co-founder of Gachina Landscape Management. In 2018, Gachina Landscape was certified by the Women’s Business Enterprise Pacific Region and received the Western Regional Minority Supplier Development Council certificate summer of 2019. Gachina has been named in the top 25 woman- and minority-owned companies by the San Francisco Business Times the past four years.
Vectorworks named Kristopher Clemson winner of the 2019 Richard Diehl Award, the grand prize for the Vectorworks Design Scholarship.
With more than 1,600 submissions, scholarships were awarded to 20 student projects from the architecture, entertainment, landscape and interior design industries. Winners included both individual and group submissions.
The winning project, “The Octagon,” submitted by Clemson, a recent graduate of Full Sail University and founder of Bifröst Lighting, focuses on lighting design, Vision and MA 3D renderings.
Sipcam Agro USA promoted Todd Mason, former manager of the company’s southeast territory, to director of sales and development within the turf and ornamental division of the company.
Mason, in his new role, will be responsible for daily customer sales, management of the account manager team and the design and implementation of national field research studies.
Mason has been with the company for one year. Prior to his promotion, he managed the southeast territory, key accounts and product development in the southern region. He holds an associate degree in ornamental horticulture.
At the recent San Bernardino Water Conference, the Building Industry Association (BIA) awarded Rob Starr with its Lifetime Achievement Award.
“The Building Industry Association Southern California Baldy View Chapter is pleased to recognize Rob Starr for his distinguished career at Toro and previous contributions on our Board of Directors,” said CEO Carlos Rodriguez. “Over the years, Rob has collaborated with us and helped the annual San Bernardino County Water Conference emerge into one of the premier policy forum discussions in our state. We are grateful to Rob for sharing his invaluable insights, his technical attributes and volunteering countless hours to the betterment of our industry.”
One of Starr’s efforts in water conservation is The Water Zone radio show. With sponsorship and support from The Toro Co., The Water Zone began in 2015 in response to the water crisis that impacted much of the western U.S. Its purpose was to keep listeners in the Southern California region informed and updated about the drought and ways to conserve in business and at home. Since then, he and co-host Chris Davey have grown the show to become a forum for industry experts, government leaders, authors, environmentalists and others to discuss issues and opportunities for water conservation across the country.
Chris and Juanita Draaistra, owners of The Grounds Guys of Abbotsford, a Neighbourly company, received the Franchisee of the Year, Recruiter of the Year and Top Gun Awards from The Grounds Guys corporate.
The Franchisee of the Year Award is presented to the franchisee who has consistently grown through proper training and management of his or her organization and has had a consistently high level of sales through quality, professional service.
The Recruiter of the Year Award is presented to the franchisee who has demonstrated superior recruiting skills by attracting quality people to their franchise, providing an effective training program for their people, and has created opportunity within his or her franchise for its people to grow.
The Top Gun Award goes to franchise owners who achieve top sales and reach operation benchmarks.
