Caretaker Landscape & Tree Management by North American Constructors Journal

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Caretaker Landscape and Tree Management:

The Cutting Edge Of Beautification Caretaker Landscape and Tree Management of Gilbert, AZ works exclusively in the commercial realm with five locations in Arizona and Colorado. Written by Kevin Doyle Produced by Stephen Marino

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As it turns out, Susan White wasn’t quite ready to retire when she moved with her husband W.L. (Bud) Stephenson Jr. from Oklahoma to Arizona. Instead she founded Caretaker Landscape and Tree Management, established in Gilbert, AZ in 1988. Company Owner and CEO Matt White started with the company in 1988, including continuously following his graduation from the University of Arizona. He purchased 50 percent of the company in 2006 and became sole owner five years later. “I had the pleasure of meeting [Mrs. White] before she passed away and she was an amazing woman. She built the company up. Matt is the sole owner and is building on the legacy that goes back to Susan,” says Todd Schneider, the company’s VP of Landscape Construction. The company works exclusively in the commercial realm with five locations in Arizona and Colorado. It manages $18 million per year in construction work and $15 million annually in maintenance, trees, water and enhancements. It employs in the range of 270 to 370 workers, has five ISA Certified Arborists on staff, utilizes the H2B visa program to bolster its seasonal work force and is a member of the Arizona Landscape Contractors Association.

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“Our primary construction focus is on landscape development of common areas in master planned communities and large commercial complexes. We work with clients to educate and help them understand best management practices in maintenance techniques and water management and offer value engineering ideas that promote conservation,” explains Schneider. The company ranked No. 50 in both Landscape Management magazine’s Top 150 Landscapers of 2018; and Lawn & Landscape’s Top 100 issue for 2018.

Staying Safe Every worker is outfitted in jobspecific protective gear while new employees receive onsite orientation, attend required weekly tailgate safety meetings, and are eligible to compete for the company’s Annual Safety Award. “Specialized training for traffic control, cold and hot weather conditions, first aid/CPR, excavation safety, OSHA 10 hour, equipment operator, utility location, SDS and hazard analysis is offered periodically throughout the year. Team members that complete specialized training are offered hardhat stickers or certification cards. We require each foreman to submit safety suggestions that are reviewed and acted upon through our safety committee,” Schneider notes.

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Matt White - Owner and CEO

Mark Wordley - President and COO

“We work with clients to educate and help them understand best management practices in maintenance techniques and water management and offer value engineering ideas that promote conservation.” - VP of Landscape Construction Todd Schneider

Pre-construction meetings identify potential risk factors for every job site. Project managers oversee the process and all tradesmen must adhere to established protocol. “We work in an environment that can be challenging and there are pinch points. We train our people to understand and identify those possible

situations they’re putting themselves into and they’re putting their team into. If you’re mentoring a new guy, walking him through what the safety steps are for a particular piece of equipment that he’s using is crucial. We make sure the guys understand excavation, the placement of the ladders, shoring, the trench boxes – we really analyze those jobs,” Schneider elaborates.

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Caretaker Landscape and Tree Management | 6 The company celebrates its workforce at its Safety Awards event each November, held before seasonal workers return to Mexico and Central America. Different awards represent the different divisions critical to the company’s success and, Schneider says, “creates a dynamic atmosphere.”

and career growth,” he adds.

Daily Operations

“When you get to the end of a project, landscaping happens to be that last trade and we’re picking up the pieces of the schedules. If everyone is on time, you’re not stressing the guy in front of you and you’re not stressing the guy behind you. We’re the last piece and most visually stimulating part of the project but the outdoor spaces we create often have to be done on a compressed schedule,”

Whether in the field or at the office, Schneider has a hand in every aspect of the company, from financials and forecasting to performance on specific jobs. “What’s driving our business and what can we do to improve? Where are we spending our money – does it track against the budget? A number of direct reports come through me. We also have (two-day) Sales and Ops meetings once a month that are critical to our business,” says Schneider, an industry veteran of 35 years who studied Aeronautical Engineering Technology at Arizona State University and graduated from the U.S. Marine Corps’ Officer Candidate School at Quantico. “I facilitate my team by providing an atmosphere that includes state of the art technology never before used in the landscape industry, a drama free workplace, the best equipment available, competitive wages with bonus potential, and an interest in my team’s personal

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The company is adept at utilizing its resources to the fullest and focuses on partnering with like-minded companies to devise innovative solutions to compress schedules while delivering the highest quality work.

Todd Schneider - VP of Construction

Caretaker Landscape and Tree Management | 7 People. Knowledge. Relationships. Keeping our promises since 1963.

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Caretaker Landscape and Tree Management | 8 Schneider notes. “I have been in land development pretty much my whole life and have relationships with companies that have great integrity and the ability to complete their jobs at a fair value and on time. Having relationships and understanding how to work within those relationships so that there is a benefit for both parties is absolutely critical,” he elaborates. When working with subcontractors, the company pre-negotiates terms that benefit both parties, pays on time and takes payment discounts when offered, and is transparent in regards to delays and project progress. “We value our partners as part of our team. We also expect our partners to reflect our same values, our safety protocol and our on-time delivery philosophy,” Schneider says.

conserve water, promote plant health and reduce maintenance costs. Weathermatics also provides water to underdeveloped countries in a gallonfor-gallon match program.

The company is an exclusive vendor for Weathermatics, which offers cost-saving technologies that

Caretaker prefers to purchase its equipment but will rent specialized equipment as needed. It recently

“Guys are looking for somewhere they can call home, where they can build their families. As a family-owned company I’ve never seen a management staff, including the owner, that really cares about their people this much.” - VP of Landscape Management Todd Schneider www.caretakerlandscape.com

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bought a $380,000 granite shooter that has increased productivity while reducing labor. The company has updated its fleet of trucks and equipment to reduce carbon emission and conserve fuel, is installing solar powered lighting, and has used solar powered controllers for some time. “Our equipment is unbelievable and in great shape. I really believe that we are on the cutting edge of technology and on the cutting edge of providing service that, in most cases, has been antiquated,” Schneider points out.

Staff Training And Retention While the company relies on unskilled laborers, it strives to provide

workersthe opportunity to build their careers while setting down roots. “I believe this is actually a talent rich marketplace. Caretaker, first and foremost, believes in developing the great talent we already have. We believe that the team members we have are a valuable resource and the investment we make in their careers pays back tenfold,” Schneider asserts. When it comes to promotions, the company employs the DiSC (Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, Conscientiousness) methodology to identify and coach future leaders. Schneider notes “we have a lot of ‘D’s’ in this office.”

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Caretaker Landscape and Tree Management | 11 While the company pays at the top of the scale, Schneider says: “It’s not always about paying them more.” The company offers health insurance and retirement plans, provides educational assistance, caters quarterly brunches at the office and promotes Safety Awards. “We’ve been able to attract really good foremen, superintendents and assistant superintendents, guys that have been with us a long time,” Schneider says. “Guys are looking for somewhere they can call home, where they can build their families. As a family-owned company I’ve never seen a management staff, including the owner, that really

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Caretaker Landscape and Tree Management | 13 He thinks back to when he arrived at Caretaker nine years ago – offered a job by CEO Matt White after he had terminated his previous company’s contract with Caretaker for not meeting its commitments. “Where I’m at, I’m perfectly content to lead my team and be successful and proud of what they do. I don’t know that another company could offer me that. I really enjoy what I do and I really enjoy the people that I work with. When we can work through issues as a team and pursue this as a team, it’s going to be successful,” he concludes.