The Buckeye - March April 2022

the

BUCKEYE MARCH/APRIL 2022 Vol. 33, Issue 2

MAGAZINE

ON THE COVER:

Landscape Award Winner Project of the Year:

Bremec Garden Centers & Bremec Group

THE BUCKEYE | March/April 2022 | 1

OGIA EVENT CALENDAR Subject to change. Visit onla.org/events for more information.

March 3

Leaders in the Green Industry 2022 with Lisa Fiore 11:00 a.m. Webinar

March 9

Top 10 Things Employers Should Know When Managing Workers’ Comp 11:00 a.m. Webinar

March 10

Know Before You Dig 10:00 a.m. Webinar

March 11

Leaders in the Green Industry 2022 with Wambui Ippolito 11:00 a.m. Webinar

March 16

Marketing: Where to Invest & What to Ignore 11:15 a.m. Webinar

July 14

The Schedel Arboretum & Gardens Diagnostic Walkabout 9:00 a.m.

July 28

Franklin Park Conservatory Diagnostic Walkabout 9:00 a.m

August 11

Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens Diagnostic Walkabout 9:00 a.m

September 13

OGIA Golf Classic Safari Golf Club - Powell, OH

September 22

Sunset Memorial Park Diagnostic Walkabout 9:00 a.m

October 12 - 13

Ohio High School Landscape Olympics Ohio State ATI

November 1 - 3

Midwest Green 2022 Greater Columbus Convention Center

OTHER EVENTS OF INTEREST March 7 September 15

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Cascade Lighting Annual Lighting Expo Akron, Ohio NGLCO Field Day Losely Nursery - Lake County, OH

presents

midwest GREEN CONNECT

LEARN

THRIVE

November 1 - 3, 2022 Greater Columbus Convention Center

midwestGREEN presented by the Ohio Green Industry Association is now accepting proposals for speaker presentations and exhibitor inquiries.

If you are interested in sharing your knowledge or exhibiting at midwestGREEN to be held November 1 - 3 at the Greater Columbus Convention Center, visit onla.org/midwestGREENProposals

We are looking for seminars that feature state-of-theart topics, offer new looks at classic elements or provide hands-on-training.

CONTENTS

March | April 2022

VOLUME 33 • ISSUE 2 onla.org THE BUCKEYE is the official publication of the Ohio Green Industry Association and is published six times a year.

EDITORIAL / ADVERTISING ISSN 1536-7940 Subscriptions: $75/year sara@onla.org OFFICERS Molly John President M.J. Design Associates, Inc. Devon Stanley Immediate Past President Benchmark Landscape Construction, Inc. Genevieve Reiner-Mills President-Elect Oakland Nursery, Inc. DIRECTORS Patrick Greeson W. A. Natorp Corp.

Michael Hall Harrell’s LLC Fred Higginbotham Millcreek Gardens LLC Scott Knowles Wolf Creek Company Steve O’Neal Columbus State Community College Ron Schultz Premier Plant Solutions Matt Turner Turner Landscaping LLC STAFF

COLUMNS

5

President’s Perspective

7

Executive Director’s Message

15

Advocacy Update

26

Human Resource Spotlight

F E AT U R E D S T O R I E S

8 16

OGIA Member Profile

22

49th Annual Landscape Award Winners

24

Growing the Nursery Industry with Women-Led Teams

Tracy Schiefferle Executive Director Roni Petersen Membership & Certification Sara Cantees Communications THE FINE PRINT The statements and opinions expressed herein are those of individual authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the association, directors or staff and do not constitute an endorsement of the products or featured services. Likewise, the appearance of advertisers, or their identification as members of the OGIA does not constitute an endorsement of the products or featured services.

Women in the Green Industry

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

2

Midwest Green, Event Calendar

18

Classifieds

20

In Memoriam

21

New OGIA Members

THE BUCKEYE | March/April 2022 | 3

North Branch Nursery, Inc. Email: wholesale@northbranchnursery.com P.O. Box 353 3359 Kesson Rd. Pemberville, OH 43450 Phone: (419) 287-4679, Opt. 2 Fax: (419) 287-4509 www.NorthBranchNursery.com

Centrally located in Northwest, OH near Bowling Green Grower of finished materials, including balled and burlap and potted trees, shrubs, and perennials Call-ahead ordering is available or shop our sales yard Delivery available

Growing High Quality Plants, People, and Relationships

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Restoring the native landscape. https://bit.ly/ErnstBuckeye

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(800) 873-3321 sales@ernstseed.com

PRESIDENT’S PERSPECTIVE

W

inter finally arrived and as I write this, most of us are digging out of the recent snow and pouring on the salt. Hopefully by the time you are reading this we are well on our way to thawing out and preparing for the Spring season.

MOLLY JOHN

M.J. Design Associates, Inc. 2022 OGIA President mjohn@mjdesignassociates.com

I hope many of you took advantage of the many virtual educational programs that we offered in January and February. Tracy, Roni and Sara put together some wonderful sessions from Legislative updates, HR guidance and a couple programs lead

by Marty Grunder about; ‘What great customer service looks like’ and ‘Being a better leader’. Keep your eye out for more informative events that will benefit all divisions of our businesses from owners, managers to office and field staff. We have been collaborating with our Preferred Service Providers to help discuss features regarding their programs and how they can help us from; BWC discussing safety and health topics, Wealth Coach Financial talking about the market and investment strategies and the Palmer Report, breaking down our energy costs and what influences them.

I was also encouraged when I attended OHLO and the Career Exploration event last fall. There were many young women who were anxious to learn about a career in the green industry. A few wanted to drive large equipment, one hopes to be a grower and have her own greenhouse to another who wants to get into landscape design. I explained to them that the green industry provides endless opportunities in landscape design and artistry to software development to high quality lawn care.

There is an endless list of specialization choices.

Good luck to all of you as we start the 90 days of Opportunity in our businesses. May we continue to flourish in the current economic environment, pursue and encourage young adults, men and women alike, to enter our industry and grow our workforce.

Happy Spring!

This month’s edition of The Buckeye is featuring Women in the Green Industry. While I have never been one who puts much emphasis on the difference between men and women throughout my career, I do have to say that when I started in this industry over 30 years ago, there was no question I was in the minority. I was significantly outnumbered when attending events or meetings. But that didn’t discourage me. I feel, if you work hard, have a good attitude and are professional, you will earn the respect of peers and team members. Today we see many more women who have pursued careers in the green industry and are highly influential.

As we feature in this edition, OGIA members; Genevieve Reiner Mills, Emily Showalter and Maria Zampini, they have followed in the footsteps of their grandparents and parents in rising to the top of their organizations and are recognize figures in the green industry.

Early on in my career and as my passion for seasonal enhancements and container gardening, I had many women who I learned from. One who particularly had an influence on me was Sarah Groves from Atlanta, Georgia. I was introduced to her in the early 1990’s. She had been designing floral displays in the south for many years and I wanted to do that in Ohio. She was a spunky woman with a passion for pushing the limit on the floral displays and influencing property managers and others to do the same.

THE BUCKEYE | March/April 2022 | 5

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E X EC U T I V E D I R EC TO R’S M E S SAG E

L

TRACY SCHIEFFERLE

OGIA Executive Director tracy@onla.org

ike most of America … I liked Betty White.

And like so many I was saddened when she passed away recently. Even at almost 100, she left American wanting more. I always enjoyed her sense of humor and quick wit but as I learned more about her life during her tributes I came to understand her appeal beyond her humor. She just got it. So much of her outlook is adaptable to everyday life and business. Among some common themes she lived by were: • • • •

How will you take advantage of what OGIA has to offer to help you grow? Attend an event? Sponsor and event? Read an article? Advertise? Engage your employees to become involved?

Spark that passion to learn more and do more to help your career. Your business. Your industry. Your longevity and your legacy. We can all be a bit more like Betty.

Always make time to pursue your passions.

Keep an open mind and always stay curious.

Integrity is not an innate quality.

Longevity is a privilege.

We can all take those lessons to heart about having passion in what we do, continually learning, and doing so with respect and gratitude.

We should view ourselves as the best example our profession has to offer equal to any other.

Continually striving to learn more. Do more.

Treating our employees and customers with integrity. Perhaps doing so will help provide our longevity.

For over 100 years, OGIA has provided resources to help our profession succeed. We provide education, information, services, networking, and have been an advocate for Ohio’s green industry. We exist to support the profession thanks to your support of OGIA. It is a reciprocal relationship. What you put in helps provide what we can offer back to you.

What you support helps OGIA support you.

OGIA has begun 2022 by offering a series of educational and informational webinars. We have planned on three days of education, networking, and products at midwestGREEN. We have diagnostic walkabouts, member meetings, and social events planned throughout the state. We have added new human resources and H2A/ H2B services. Our efforts continue with legislative representation, workforce development, and certification. Our communications help inform and educate. We work to promote the industry to the community and enhance your business. The benefits of OGIA go on and on. These benefits have adapted and changed over the years as has the industry. We are here to grow with you.

THE BUCKEYE | March/April 2022 | 7

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THE FUTURE IS FEMALE? Can the green industry capitalize on the departure of women from the workforce during COVID?

BY ALANA SETTLE

W

omen left their jobs in record numbers over the course of the pandemic. In January 2022, there were still one million fewer women in the labor force than in February 2020, yet men had recouped all their job losses since the pandemic began, according to a Bureau of Labor Statistics job report.

Several factors contributed to what has been called a “mass exodus” of female workers.

Women are over-represented in industries affected by the pandemic’s restrictions, e.g. leisure and hospitality, health care, retail, and food service. We also know that women still take on the majority of caregiving responsibilities and have faced challenges from limited childcare and school disruptions over the past two years.

The upside? Nearly 2 in 3 women who left the workforce say they plan to return, according to a MetLife survey of 2,000 workers conducted in September 2021. And more than half of women surveyed say they have contemplated a career change during the pandemic.

As women reconsider their careers, and their work-life balance, post-pandemic, would companies in male-dominated industries be remiss not to evaluate where they stand with prospective female employees? We turned to three women who have had successful careers in the industry to get their take on what it’s like to be a female green industry professional and see if opportunities exist to boost the recruitment of female workers.

THE BUCKEYE | March/April 2022 | 9

You grew up in this industry (Genevieve and Emily are the third generation, and Maria is the fourth generation in her family to work in the industry). You said you were in no way pressured to join the family business and chose your own career path. What is your favorite thing about your job and this industry?

GENEVIEVE REINER MILLS

Chief Operations Officer & In-house General Counsel for Oakland Nursery and Director of Oakland Green Interiors

GENEVIEVE REINER MILLS: I love that we literally make our built environments more beautiful. Humans crave connection with nature, whether we realize it or not, and to be in an industry where we can provide plants, build greenspaces, and make our lives richer is a true privilege. I also love that every day is different and that there are never-ending opportunities for learning.

EMILY SHOWALTER: I honestly feel that my career is part of my life. I know some would say it’s dangerous not to have separation from work and “life” but especially with COVID, “life” has definitely blended together a lot more and I’m okay with that!

This industry is the best of the best. What other industry would have companies who give their competition tours, call them up for advice on any and everything, and return the favor two-fold?

It’s fun and rewarding to know that our products contribute to the health and wellbeing of the world around us and that by continuing to grow our business we are providing a path to expose more people to this wonderful industry.

MARIA ZAMPINI

President, UpShoot, LLC and Tree Program Manager, Proven Winners® ColorChoice® Flowering Trees

MARIA ZAMPINI: My favorite thing is, number one, the diversity in my job; it never gets boring. I’m constantly working on different things so there is no hum drum. Second, it is still challenging. I’m proof positive you can take an old horse and lead it to a new trough. I am glad that I still get to learn new plants, technology, and production methods. Third, the people. I’m blessed to work in such a caring and giving industry. I love the fact you can call up your competitor and ask them questions and have an open and honest conversation about practically anything in the business. It’s a gift.

Traditionally, most people think of the green industry as male dominated. Has that been your experience?

EMILY: Diversity in the workplace is definitely important. It has been my experience in the nursery environment to be surrounded by men, but I’ve always felt respected. While I still think our industry is male dominated, it’s changing for sure. We have many female leaders in our company, and it honestly has happened organically. This industry is very appealing to women who may have found a new interest in plants, trees, and shrubs during the pandemic.

GENEVIEVE: There are aspects of the industry that are still male dominated— like landscape installation—but even there, I’ve seen more women getting into fieldwork in the last few years. In retail, it’s probably more evenly split, and in my experience, the interior plant world is heavily dominated by women. Our Oakland Green Interiors team is made up of fifteen women and two men!

EMILY SHOWALTER

Chief of Human Resources at Willoway Nurseries, Inc. and Chief Operations Officer at Premier Plant Solutions

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I think many parts of our industry are just inherently attractive to women— there’s lots of space for creativity, collaboration, team-building, and employee development—all areas that, generally speaking, women tend to embrace. I think the more we do to connect with younger people and show them this is a viable career, the more diverse—in all aspects, not just gender—it will become.

“

Putting more diverse voices at the decision-making table is essential if we’re going to accurately reflect the makeup of our communities as a whole.

MARIA: I mean, regardless of your business, having a wellrounded team who looks at things from different perspectives is important. Having a team with a diverse background not only as far as sex, but age, background, life experiences, is important.

The industry is not nearly as male dominated as when I came into the industry in the 80’s. I mean when I served on the ONLA board I was only the second woman on the board and I was the first woman president when the association was approaching 100 years old. And at that time, I can recall their being approximately three other states where a woman had been president of an association. So, I’m pleased to see how many women have now served on the board and as president!

I’ve seen women gain traction in all segments of the industry. I feel you used to only see them at retail.

Now, they are everywhere; in every segment and at every managerial level up to and including owner.

Where can the industry improve in attracting women to the workforce?

GENEVIEVE: We need to keep pushing for more women in top management roles and top/national advocacy roles. Putting more diverse voices at the decision-making table (and again, both in gender and race/ethnicity) is essential if we’re going to accurately reflect the makeup of our communities as a whole. To do that we need to invest in training, support, and leadership

”

skills in an intentional way, which takes time and planning.

during maternity leave (or any other approved medical leave).

EMILY: We need to keep promoting that this industry can be a wonderful career path for anyone that loves the outdoors or realizes the economic impact of our products. We need to do a better job of promoting those benefits.

MARIA: I also think they need to consider being flexible. For instance, if you need help in propagation, are there moms who have to get kids on/off the boss so can’t work a typical 7:30 am–4pm shift but can do an 8am–3pm shift? If they are loyal and a good worker, they can probably do almost as much in the reduced time frame.

MARIA: I think one of the things I’ve learned or has been reinforced to me, in working with Spring Meadow Nursery, is that they prefer to hire someone who has not already been in the industry. They look outside the industry for salespeople which I think is fascinating.

I think in some instances, women are still paid less than men, so I feel employers need to be sure the pay is appropriate for the position no matter what gender fills that spot.

What should companies consider if they want to hire more, or are currently managing, women?

EMILY: From an HR perspective, companies need to always be looking at compliance and their benefits to make sure they are up to date and are hitting the benchmarks. Any company that is not providing accommodations for nursing mothers or maternity leave is missing the mark. We have a solid policy in place that our benefits consultants helped us create for maternity leave approval through our employer paid short term disability insurance. The cost is minimal for the company but provides a $500 per week benefit

Also, I think something Covid has made clear is that not everyone needs to go to the office every day.

I’ve worked from a home office for almost 10 years. It affords me flexibility. And in that time frame I’ve hired and had freelancers who work with me from Oregon, South Carolina, North Carolina and other parts of Ohio. Now this may not work for every job, but obviously for office/marketing positions if they aren’t looking for remote workers, no matter the gender, they are missing out.

GENEVIEVE: Our industry will suffer if we don’t come up with ways to keep smart, talented women involved long-term with benefits that also allow them to be engaged parents.

Most women with children are still the main carriers of childcare and household responsibilities and the last few years have really tested our ability to manage work and home life. Finding ways to allow caretakers (and yes, sometimes, those are men) to have flexible schedules is always helpful…having a robust maternity leave/family leave policy, and things THE BUCKEYE | March/April 2022 | 11

like Paid Time Off—not just a week or two of vacation—to manage days when kids are sick or not in school. These policies will show prospective employees, even the younger ones, that we value and are seeking out committed, long-term team members that will help us grow our businesses.

Any advice you’d like to share for women who are currently working in the industry?

GENEVIEVE: Be yourself ! More than ever, authenticity is important—both personally and from a business standpoint. Our customers, our employees, our business partners—our relationships thrive when we’re genuine to ourselves and each other.

I find connecting with our industry organizations personally and professionally rewarding. The National Interiorscapes Network, AmericanHort, and of course the Ohio Green Industry Association have been wonderful resources for problem-solving, idea sharing, and general commiserating. I also love talking to and learning from people in different industries—the food industry, banking, architecture, development, design, the law—sharing conversation and ideas with others is what keeps me inspired and motivated to do my best.

EMILY: This advice holds true for men and women—get involved in your company!

If there are committees, be on them— all of them. Safety committees, culture committees, education, etc., you name it be on it. That’s how you meet people and that’s how leadership sees who is really engaged and wants to take the next steps in their career.

If you feel that your employer is missing the mark on benefits, talk to them. They probably have honestly overlooked it or didn’t know there was an inexpensive option to create a nice benefit for women when/if they need it.

Never stop learning. I love to read, I’m bad though because I start too many books at once! You can usually find me with 3¬-4 books started at once (sometimes more).

Mix it up is my advice. I’m usually reading something about parenting, something motivational, a business book, and probably a fiction book, too. Of course, getting involved in the OGIA would be a great step and check out local groups at your library, non-profits, school advisory boards, etc.

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MARIA: Don’t be afraid and don’t wait to be asked; make your own opportunities.

Stand up straight, stick your hand out and introduce yourself with a solid handshake.

Learn from your elders. I was lucky to live in Lake County and be exposed to many industry greats including my father, Ed Losely, and the Honorable R. James Schroeder. Even if they are not active in the industry, and they may tell you the same tales over and over, there are lessons to be learned.

Try new things and as corny as it sounds, think outside the box. In trying to find a way to get free marketing I ended up developing new skills and became a writer (blog posts, articles and co-authoring a book) and a speaker. I joined GardenComm and expanded my sphere of garden communication influence with those who are a direct connect to gardening consumers and others who also do marketing in the green industry. And from that I gained another mentor, The Perennial Diva, Stephanie Cohen. Not being afraid helped me land a gig with HGTV which in turn led me to another mentor, Dr. Allan Armitage. Not everyone gets to work with and learn from Dr. A!

SOME STATISTICS Via Zippia.com. Using a database of 30 million profiles, Zippia estimates demographics and statistics for careers in the United States. Estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy.

Gender Composition LANDSCAPING 86% Men 10% Women

Gender Composition HORTICULTURE 54% Men 42% Women

Gender Composition ARBORISTS 88% Men 8% Women

THE BUCKEYE | March/April 2022 | 13

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n response to numerous lawsuits claiming the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) is not fulfilling its obligation under the Endangered Species Act (“ESA”), the EPA has announced and implemented a new process for evaluating pesticides/herbicides for registration and re-registration under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act. TONY SEEGERS

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Until now, EPA did not uniformly require ESA analysis for all applications for new active ingredients, resulting in lawsuits against the agency.

As stated in a January 11 EPA press release, “Before today’s announcement, in most cases, EPA did not consistently assess the potential effects of conventional pesticides on listed species when registering new AIs [active ingredient]. This resulted in insufficient protections from new AIs for listed species, as well as resource-intensive litigation against EPA for registering new AIs prior to assessing potential effects on listed species. EPA’s new policy should reduce these types of cases against the Agency and improve the legal defensibility of new AIs, which often have lower human health and ecological risks than older pesticides.”

OSHA VACCINE MANDATE AND THE U.S. SUPREME COURT UPDATE I am sure by now you have heard that the U.S. Supreme Court granted the stay preventing the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (“OSHA”) emergency temporary standard, more commonly known as a vaccine mandate, for employers with more than 100 employees from going into effect. As a result, OSHA has withdrawn the emergency vaccine rule. This means that the litigation regarding OSHA’s emergency rule has been dropped and large employers will not be required to enforce its onerous requirements.

While the emergency rule has been withdrawn, a Department of Labor spokesman stated that “OSHA has made no determinations at this time about when or if it will finalize a Vaccination and Testing rule”. This means we could still see something coming out of OSHA at a later date, just not on an emergency basis.

EPA’s new process has already negatively impacted Ohio. On the same day of EPA’s announcement, the agency issued the seven-year registrations for two herbicide products, Enlist Duo and Enlist One where it prohibited “the use of Enlist Duo and Enlist One in counties where EPA identified risks to on-field listed species that use corn, cotton or soybean fields for diet and/or habitat.” This resulted in farmers in 12 Ohio counties (Athens, Butler, Fairfield, Guernsey, Hamilton, Hocking, Morgan, Muskingum, Noble, Perry, Vinton and Washington) from being able to use the herbicides due to the impact they would have on the American Burying Beetle. The EPA’s apparent shotgun approach is to prohibit the use of a pesticide/ herbicide in the entire county where an endangered species might be impacted instead of limiting the use in the specific areas where the species is found.

EPA’s new process will also likely negatively impact other industries like lawn care, landscaping, and nursery operations.

THE BUCKEYE | March/April 2022 | 15

OGIA MEMBER PROFILE

THE DON L A N D S C A P I N G L LC

BY ALANA SETTLE

PHOTO ABOVE: Don Bischof, owner of The Don Landscaping LLC

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It’s the simple things that make your career rewarding. You like the people you work with. You find enjoyment in your day-today tasks. For Don Bischof, the opportunity to foster long-term relationships with each client, not just adding more customers to his roster, is what drives him to show up at work each day.

The owner of The Don Landscaping LLC in Cincinnati, Bischof enjoys the social aspects of landscaping work—mentoring his employees, networking with peers, and listening to his clients. Bischof caught the horticulture bug in the backyard of his childhood home and credits his parents as influences.

“I was always outside helping in my dad’s garden, planting sunflowers and pumpkins or helping my mom plant flowers in the landscaping beds around the house,” said Don Bischof. “I would watch This Old House on PBS with my dad and see contractors working on jobs, building houses and remodeling homes. The landscaping contractors always stood out to me because they designed ‘rooms’ outside.”

As a teen, he began mowing lawns in the neighborhood. When it came to deciding on a career, Bischof remembers a conversation with one of his first mentors.

“In my junior year at Oak Hills High School, my chemistry teacher asked me what I wanted to do after high school and I told him, ‘I want to own a landscape construction company.’ He looked at me and said ‘Great, I will be your first client.’” (Bischof noted that his former chemistry teacher is still a client of his today.)

“walking away at the end of the day with pride,” knowing that his work will be enjoyed for years to come.

Bischof wants to keep his business small so he can keep personal relationships with his clients and employees. He values having the time to connect with each client and listen to their unique needs.

Bischof has been a member of OGIA since he was a college student. He appreciates that his membership sets him apart from other companies who are not members of a professional association.

industry topics. Perks of the job include networking with a wide variety of industry professionals and vendors, traveling to trade shows, and staying on top of industry trends.

He is a devoted fan of the Cincinnati Bengals and Reds and The Ohio State University and enjoys traveling and spending time outside. He lives with his wife of three years, Lauren, their three cats, his “6 a.m. alarm clocks,” Oliver, Enzo and Milo.

To be proffled in The Buckeye, please contact Sara Cantees | sara@onla.org

“Being a part of OGIA shows you have interest in the industry and want to keep educating yourself and your company,” said Bischof. “It looks good for clients to see your involvement in the industry.”

He also looks forward to becoming more involved in OGIA and the industry’s educational programs to mentor those just getting started in the industry.

“To be honest, the best part of the industry is talking to older people who have been in the green industry and learning tips or tricks to make things better for your company,” said Bischof.

Aside from running his company, Bischof hosts a Sunday morning program, Top 20 Countdown, on Turf ’s Up Radio, a live internet streaming radio station and podcasting network dedicated to green

Bischof studied horticulture and design at Cincinnati State Community College. He then completed a co-op at Sunken Gardens Botanical Gardens in St. Petersburg, Florida and an internship with the horticulture program at Walt Disney World before incorporating his full-service landscaping business in 2012.

Today, he runs a crew of five as they complete a wide array of installation and maintenance services primarily on the west side of Cincinnati. As a landscaper in the City of Seven Hills, Bischof said he “fell into specializing in retaining walls” and likes to integrate each site’s surrounding natural landscapes into his designs. His favorite part of his job is something all landscapers can attest to—finishing up a project and THE BUCKEYE | March/April 2022 | 17

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES Ads listed here were current as of press time. For details, or to place a classified ad, visit onla.org/careers.

Horticulturist Aquilla Springs Garden Services LLC Chardon, Ohio

Plant Sales Assistant Acorn Farms Galena, Ohio

Field Technician Kevin Masters Arborist Services Worthington, Ohio

Sales Account Manager Premier Plant Solutions Hilliard, Ohio

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Various Positions Benchmark Landscape Construction Inc. Plain City, Ohio

Planting Technician Joseph Tree Dublin, Ohio

Green Goods Logistics Supervisor/ Yard Supervisor Chalet North Chicago, Illinois

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THE BUCKEYE | March/April 2022 | 19

In Memoriam Joseph Luthman March 16, 1960 - February 6, 2022 It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of one of our members, Joe Luthman. Joe passed away after a short illness on February 6, 2022. Joe was a member of the Premier Plant Solutions Hilliard team for 29 years. Joe will be missed by all. Our thoughts are with the Luthman family during this difficult time.

OBITUARY Joseph Bernard Luthman was born in Columbus Ohio. He graduated from St. Charles Preparatory School, Class of 1978 (ran Track and Cross Country, and was an Eagle Scout) and Ohio State University in 1982. His degree was in Agronomy and he loved growing plants, and eventually worked for many years at Premier Plant Solutions in Hilliard Ohio. He is preceded in death by his father, Bernard Luthman, and his mother, Patricia Rose Luthman, and survived by his brother Thomas Luthman, his sister Theresa Angelini, brother-in-law Bradford Angelini, a nephew Brandon Angelini (Theresa Saad Angelini), and a niece Megan Silverman (Mark Silverman), and a great-nephew, Jacob. Also aunts, cousins, and lifelong friends. He loved trains, car racing, sports (Go Buckeyes!), model making, hiking, bicycling, and especially trains. Yes, trains were listed twice there.

BRINE/DE-ICER 200 or 300 gal

SKID UNIT

BRINE/DE-ICER 500, 750, or 1000 gal

DUAL SKID UNIT

30, 50, 100, 150, 200, 30, 50, 100, 150, 200, or 300 gal or 300 gal

THREE POINT

55, 110, 200, 300, or 400 gal

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THREE POINT MISTER

40, 60, or 100 gal

BRINE/DE-ICER

PEST CONTROL

1300 gal

UTV

50, 68, or 110 gal

ULTRA LOW PROFILE 50, 68, or 110 gal

TREE SERVICE Tank size options

NURSE TRAILERS 1005, 1065, or 1300 gal

SPACE SAVER

TRAILERS

30, 55, 85, 100, 200, or 300 gal

VIEW SAVER

NEW MEMBERS The following companies and individuals have been approved for OGIA membership, pending the completion of the application process, which includes requesting comments from the current OGIA membership regarding the qualifications and/or dues classifications of applicants within three weeks following receipt of this issue of The Buckeye.

The following companies are applying for STUDENT membership: Cincinnati State Technical and Community College Lauren Frederick John Schaefer

Columbus Alternative High School Jaziel Cortez Columbus State Community College Luis Ayala Virginia Goggin

Cuyahogo Community College Kyle Kutinsky Camie Miller Christine Paavola Ben Whittaker Julie Richter

Delaware Area Career Center Christopher Beaver Nathan Blacker Lucas Greene Elmer Hernandez Tomas Sue Lorenz Skylar Breckler Noah Jackson

Gates Mills Environmental Center Ian Day Nicholas Dicicco Johnathan Gerland William Hardy Chris Lowe Cristian O’Haimhirgin William Price Dominic Tutolo Emily Ursu Dennis Vicchiarelli Justin White

GlenOak High School Lily Allison-Smith Braylon Beatty-Maurer Travis Bloom Xavier Brooke Alexis Dolan Alexis Drakos Sky Grindel Fred Hausser Trinity Hill Lillian Hughes Angel Johnson Annie Kark Devin Knepp Quinn Knight Natalie Lattavo Keri McCallin Austin McRoberts Jordan Meek Tucker Renicker Jack Summers Anakin Toothman Emily Westberry Alyssa Whittaker Jackson High School Drew Furcolo Joshua LaFaber Logan Perkins Katherine Aldridge Kyliegh Blaker Austin Felts Jacob Fraedrich Clayton Harper Jaden Helfinstine Tristen Jones Skylynn Kendall Autumn Parrott Madeline Porter Megan Royce Ethan Smith Noah Sommers

Addison Starcher Lovell Trammell Savannah Weber Ariel Wilson Lorain County JVS Rowdy Andersen Kaylie Blank Xander Blaylock Kevin Daviduk Sean Dzuban Kaitlyn McCormick Haylei Ready Maeve Vana

The Ohio State University Regan Draeger OSU ATI

Alexander Pletcher Penta Career Center Gretchen Germann

Rutherford B Hayes High School Christ Church

Univeirsity of Cincinnati Abigal Green Dan Wood

Washington County Career Center Daisey Bradley Brett Colyer BayLee Hollingsworth Lucy Myers Shawn Reese Dylan Shaffer Samuel Stacy

THE BUCKEYE | March/April 2022 | 21

49TH ANNUAL

Landscape Award

WINNERS

The Ohio Green Industry Association (OGIA) is proud to announce the award-winning projects of the 49th annual Landscape Awards, a program that rewards skilled landscape professionals who have executed quality workmanship across the state.

JUDGING All awards were given based on a 100-point system. A Merit Award is given to any entry scoring a minimum of 75 points. One Grand Award is given in each category to the project, if any, that has the highest score above 85 points. A single Judges’ Choice: Project of the Year Award is given to one award-winning entry at the discretion of the judges.

OGIA members and non-members were invited to nominate projects that were completed within the past five years. Ohio-based companies could submit projects within or outside of Ohio, while out-of-state companies were required to submit projects within the state.

Judges for the 49th annual program were Bill Owens, Premier Plant Solutions, Maria Sambuco, Steiner + Associates, and Ryan Kolb, Kolb Krenzel.

PROJECT OF THE YEAR Bremec Garden Centers & Bremec Group Chesterland, OH

RESIDENTIAL INSTALLATION $15,001 TO $50,000 1. Goldenscapes LLC Lockbourne, OH Project: Sandel Project Merit Award

RESIDENTIAL LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE 8. Bremec Garden Centers & Bremec Group Chesterland, OH Project: Highland Hts., Residence Merit Award

RESIDENTIAL INSTALLATION $50,001 & OVER

9. M. J. Design Associates, Inc. Plain City, OH Project: Krouse Merit Award

2. Bremec Garden Centers & Bremec Group Chesterland, OH Project: Pepper Pike Residence Merit Award 3. Grunder Landscaping Co. Miamisburg, OH Project: Poeschl Residence Merit Award 4. Landscapes by Terra, Inc. Marysville, OH Project: Three Tiered Tartan Field Merit Award 5. Bremec Garden Centers & Bremec Group Chesterland, OH Project: Moreland Hills Residence Grand Award

Project: Moreland Hills Residence COMMERCIAL INSTALLATION OVER $75,000 6. Yard Smart Landscaping, Inc. Grafton, OH Project: The Sherwin Williams Company Merit Award 7. EMI Plain City, OH Project: Mirror Lake Grand Award

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10. Bremec Garden Centers & Bremec Group Chesterland, OH Project: Pepper Pike Residence Grand Award

USE OF SEASONAL COLOR, CONTAINER GARDEN, OR PERENNIAL GARDENS 11. Bremec Garden Centers & Bremec Group Chesterland, OH Project: Highland Hts., Residence Container Garden Merit Award

THEME GARDENS, SHOW GARDENS OR EDUCATIONAL GARDENS 12. Bremec Garden Centers & Bremec Group Chesterland, OH Project: Pepper Pike Residence Merit Award 13. Bremec Garden Centers & Bremec Group Chesterland, OH Project: Moreland Hills Residence Zen Garden Grand Award

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THE BUCKEYE | March/April 2022 | 23

Growing the nursery industry with women-led teams SUBMITTED BY Natalie Carmolli with Spring Meadow Nursery

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ichigan’s Spring Meadow Nursery is known for being a leader in wholesale plant production, producing millions of liner shrubs yearly, primarily for the Proven Winners® ColorChoice® brand.

When you head to Spring Meadow’s website, you’ll find over half of their full-time employees are women. Similarly, in their growing department, five of the eight staff members are women.

Increasingly, women are moving into male-dominated industry roles, changing how our nurseries look and perform. We asked these five growers what attracted them to plant production, what challenges they face, and how women are an asset to nurseries.

Denise Sikkema has been with Spring Meadow for nearly 22 years.

She wears many hats, but her primary role is managing space and product flow. Each week she scouts propagules, deciding which crops are rooted enough to transfer out of the propagation houses and into the growing ranges. She organizes product based on size, pest 24| onla.org

pressures, and cultural requirements and consolidates bays to make space for new product. She also manages the inventory and sets up new introductions as a super-user in their inventory management system.

When asked if she has seen any gender changes in her department over the years, Sikkema recalled that the department has always been pretty balanced. “Hiring is something Spring Meadow does well.”

Sikkema said, “Dale (Deppe, Spring Meadow owner) doesn’t think about whether someone is male or female. His concern is can they do the job, and how well.”

Attracting these skilled applicants shows in the nursery’s newest hires.

Kristin Spicer started at Spring Meadow in late-2021 but has worked in the industry for three years. Her interest in horticulture started in the family garden with her mother. Nurturing plants is something she brings to the five acres of shrubs under her care.

PHOTO FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Kristin Spicer, Grace Fricano Freedom Shelley, Jessica Gulczynski Denise Sikkema

Does the fact that she’s a woman give her a leg up when it comes to quality? It could be argued yes, it does. Historically women have been taught that caring for living things and bringing them to a healthy, well-developed state is something in which they can excel.

This excellence is evidenced in Spring Meadow’s product.

Women bring energy and innovation to horticulture. Freedom Shelly, who started at Spring Meadow about two years ago, sees the industry as the perfect place for women to innovate and implement new ideas. “For example,” she says, “…our female growers implemented a whole biological control program!”

Jessica Gulczynski, seven years at Spring Meadow, further described the program.

“Our team has been able to breed certain biologicals in-house using banker carts and containers. Native plants provide food and habitat for our beneficial insects and the banker containers attract outside beneficial predators native to Michigan into our greenhouses, adding another crucial element to our successful biological control program.”

that I get to work beside them.”

Gulczynski enjoys working with a team of women who are focused on working cohesively with nature and their surroundings, implementing non-traditional industry standards to solve problems.

Fricano thinks so. She thinks women make great managers. “We are flexible, excel at multitasking, and can come together as a team without egos and get the job done.” At the end of the day, Fricano says women look out for each other, “…and I think that brings us together.”

But that doesn’t mean there still aren’t hurdles to overcome. The age-old struggle to be seen as equals still exists. Women’s opinions might be weighed differently. To that, Spicer says “In my experience, sometimes new ideas are taken less seriously when you’re a woman.”

That’s why being on a team with other women is so important.

Sikkema also feels that women have some ground to make up in sciences and manufacturing. “I think the biggest challenge is for our communication style to be heard with the weight and credibility it deserves to gain more leadership seats.”

Grace Fricano, assistant growing manager for seven years, feels there is some stereotyping to address. She says, “Although we are seeing more and more women in the field, it is still pretty male-dominated.”

Across the industry, she doesn’t see as many female role models as she’d like but at Spring Meadow, she says, “…we have had some amazing women role models and I feel lucky

Shelley sees herself as a role model, and her inclusion in the workforce allows her to be the next example for young women, showing them they have a place in agriculture.

Could this cognizance of how they are perceived by women who are considering entering the industry, make them the next great leader?

An instinct to lead by example adds perspective to the field. That kind of teamwork makes a positive impact on the bottom line. Spicer sees this clearly, “Since women are the bulk of our customer base, our input during production is highly valuable.”

Finally, we asked Sikkema what she would recommend nurseries do to retain workers, especially women? “My answer isn’t specific to Spring Meadow, but the industry as a whole,” she said, “Younger generations, millennials, and Gen-Z, are forcing the business landscape to address work-life balance. If we want to recruit and retain quality people, we have to lean into modern organizational structures.”

The nursery industry is experiencing unprecedented growth. These five make it clear that to be able to keep the pace of expansion and innovation, the future is – must be, in fact – female.

THE BUCKEYE | March/April 2022 |25

HUMAN RESOURCE SPOTLIGHT Top 10 Strategies for Recruiting and Retaining Seasonal Employees

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BOB BETHEL, SPHR

VP of HR & Learning Services

lthough David Letterman retired from the Late Show almost seven years ago, many people still remember his nightly Top 10 lists. Today I offer you our own Top 10 List; in this case, the Top 10 Strategies for Recruiting Seasonal Employees. I can’t guarantee these will all work, but I hope you’ll find something helpful.

10) Referrals from current employees - This isn’t necessarily new, but it’s still a good strategy. Ask your current employees, especially the really good ones, for referrals and be willing to pay them a bonus for referrals that last at least three months.

9) Pay aggressively – Even if your instinct tells you that you can’t afford to pay high wages, think about the amount you spend on overtime if you can’t hire employees. How much business do you turn down because you don’t have enough employees? How many dissatisfied customers leave because you don’t have staff to get the work done. Maybe you can’t afford not to pay aggressively!

8) Flexible shifts – Not everyone may be able to start at 6:00 or 7:00 a.m. – hire them anyway!

7) Think long term – Some people who start on a seasonal basis may decide they like the job and want to make it a career. Advertise the long-term opportunities in the industry.

6) Recruit past employees - Even if they’ve moved on to something else, maybe they would be willing to work a couple shifts on the weekend. You’ll save on training costs!

5) Hire for Character, not just for Skills – Even if a candidate doesn’t know a lawn mower from a snow thrower, you can always train the ones who have good character.

4) Train your Supervisors to show appreciation – A simple “Thank you” can be the difference between staying or taking a job down the road for 50 cents more. Make sure they learn the names of new employees and find something out about them. People leave because they don’t have a good relationship with their supervisor and they’ll stay if they are appreciated.

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3) Train and onboard new employees – Train them using a method I learned long ago when I first started working in a green industry – Tell, Show, Do, and Review. Don’t assume any new hire knows anything about your business or standards, but still treat them with respect.

2) Hire people even if they can only work part-time – Some people aren’t available or aren’t interested in working 40 – 60 hours per week – hire them anyway! Working one shift is better than none.

And finally, the number one strategy for hiring seasonal employees . . .

1) Consider recruiting non-traditional candidates –Stay at home moms, retirees, graduating college seniors who don’t know what they want to do yet, professionals looking for part-time work, previously incarcerated individuals, people with disabilities, may all be a great source of employees for you.

I hope one or more of these strategies will be helpful. Please feel free to contact The Employers’ Association with any HR related questions. Our phone number is (419) 893-3000. Just identify yourself as an OGIA member and you will be transferred to an HR professional who will answer or will do the research necessary to answer your questions.

Your success brightens our day... and night.

ADVERTISER INDEX

Cascade Lighting, Inc.

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Contree Sprayer & Equipment

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D a v i s Tr e e Fa r m & N u r s e r y

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Ernst Seed

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We’ll partner with you to provide expert advice on the best lighting solution to fit your project and budget. Our team also offers design and technical support at no additional cost. And to ensure the job gets done on time, our warehouse stocks a huge inventory of products ready for same day shipment.

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Evergreen Seed Supply

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Fa i r v i e w E v e r g r e e n

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G r e e n Ve l v e t S o d Fa r m s

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M i l l c r e e k G a r d e n s L LC

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North Branch Nursery

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Premier Plant Solutions

Spring Meadow

Providing over 40 lines of outdoor and landscape lighting products including:

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A D R AT E S & I N F O Contact Sara Cantees sara@onla.org

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THE BUCKEYE | March/April 2022 | 27

Ohio Green Industry Association P.O. Box 518 Dublin, Ohio 43017-9998 Address Service Requested

DIAGNOSTIC WALKABOUTS Discuss how to find, diagnose, and control landscape pests during early mornings walks in a variety of public parks and green spaces.

These interactive, hands-on, in-themoment experiences provide a unique alternative to traditional classes or passive reading. Attendees are invited to ask questions and take pictures for future reference. It’s an informal and comfortable learning experience.

Discussions are tailored to the audience, weather and time of year, and characteristics of the location—no two walkabouts are ever the same.

For more information, visit onla.com/walkabouts