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December 2018

CONTENTS Excellence In Landscape Awards Project

FOCUS: Looking Back — Looking Ahead 2018 Annual Party and Member Meeting A night to meet, greet, and honor friends Second Impact Conference Hits a Homerun Highly focused content draws great reviews Discover Your Element with Education iLandscape classes span the imagination Oldtimers’ Group Holds Annual Event The 12th time for this fun event ILCA Previews Public Awareness Campaign A bold new step for ILCA membership

8 10 18 24 30 32

New Committee Chair Profile 40 Jim Slattery — Golf Committee Chair

There’s a Turf App for That A quick review of specialized turf apps

Three Key Principles to Create a Better Business Working smarter, not harder

Integration of Recruitment, Retention, Renewal Serious business tips for your HR

Member Profile 56 Dutch Valley, Inc.

Before You Go... Emerging Technolgies to Change How We Live and Work

EN ESPAÑOL

Descubra su elemento — con educación Discover Your Element with Education

On the cover... Part of an 2010 Awards submission from Rocco Fiore & Sons, Inc. The Landscape Contractor December 2018

32 3

CONTENTS

DEPARTMENTS ILCA Calendar From Where I Stand President’s Message New Members Classified Ads Advertisers Index

Calendar

4 5 7 54 59 61

JANUARY January 30 - February 1 iLandscape 2019 Renaissance Convention Center Hotel Schaumburg

FEBRUARY

Photo Credits ILCA Awards Program Rick Reuland ILCA Scott Mehaffey

1, 8-9 10-16, 18-23, 30-31 40, 42 32-35 62

The official publication of the Illinois Landscape Contractors Association (ILCA), The Landscape Contractor is dedicated to educating, advising and informing members of this industry and furthering the goals of the Association. The Landscape Contractor carries news and features relating to landscape contracting, maintenance, design and allied interests. Publisher is not responsible for unsolicited material and reserves the right to edit any article or advertisement submitted for publication. Publication reserves right to refuse advertising not in keeping with goals of Association. WWW.ilca.net Volume 59, Number 12. The Landscape Contractor (ISSN # 0194-7257, USPS # 476-490) is published monthly for $75.00 per year by the Illinois Landscape Contractors Association, 2625 Butterfield Road, Ste. 104S, Oak Brook, IL 60523. Periodicals postage paid at Oak Brook, IL and additional mailing offices. Printed in USA. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Landscape Contractor, 2625 Butterfield Road, Ste 104S, Oak Brook, IL 60523. DISPLAY ADVERTISING SALES: Association Publishing Partners, Inc., Ph. (630) 637-8632 Fax (630) 637-8629 email: rmgi@comcast.net CLASSIFIED ADS, CIRCULATION AND SUBSCRIPTION: ILCA (630) 472-2851 Fax (630) 472-3150 PUBLISHER/EDITORIAL OFFICE: Rick Reuland, rmgi@comcast.net, Naperville, IL 60540 Ph. (630)637-8632

February 28 & March 1, 2019 Foremanship Training Fox Run Golf Links Elk Grove Village

MARCH March 14-15, 2019 Field Staff Skills Training NIU Naperville

PRODUCT DISCLAIMER: The Illinois Landscape Contractors Association, its Board of Directors, the Magazine Committee, ILCA Staff, The Landscape Contractor and its staff, neither endorse any products nor attest to the validity of any statements made about products

iLandscape

ILCA Staff

Magazine Staff

Executive Director Scott Grams (630) 472-2851 sgrams@ilca.net

Rick Reuland Publisher/Advertising Sales (630) 637-8632 rmgi@comcast.net

Education Manager AnneMarie Drufke adrufke@ilca.net

Debbie Rauen Advertising Sales (817-501-2403) debbie.landscapecontractor@ yahoo.com

Events Manager Terre Houte thoute@ilca.net Office Manager Alycia O’Connor aoconnor@ilca.net Membership & Marketing Manager Marissa Stubler mstubler@ilca.net

v ILCA 2625 Butterfield Road Ste. 104S Oak Brook, IL 60523

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Patrice Peltier

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Meta Levin

Feature Writer

dotynurseries.com

Nina Koziol

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n.koziol@att.net Heather Prince Feature Writer

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From Where I Stand — If Hollywood movies are any indicator, robotic lawn mowers got off to an auspicious start. I, and about 11 other people, remember the 1986 cult horror movie Maximum Overdrive. The movie tells the story of how a mysterious comet causes all of earth’s machines, from cars to blenders to pop machines to come to life with sinister intent. This was the first movie both written and directed by Stephen King. This was also the last movie written and directed by Stephen King so that should explain the critical reception to the film. The movie is probably most famous for a killer soundtrack by my favorite band AC/DC, who likely had no idea they were recording songs for a movie about a killer blender. I am sure Stephen King was attempting to offer some lesson on man’s addiction to technology and remind us that the more we become dependent on machines the greater our risk of being harmed by them. Shockingly, Maximum Overdrive failed to curtail man’s endless pursuit for technology. The movie has a famous scene of a young boy riding his bike through an empty town filled with eviscerated bodies of its residents who were caught by surprise by demonic sprinklers and ice cream trucks. A sentient lawnmower chases our hero down the street, but he eventually gets away with all his fingers and toes. Landscape equipment always seems to get a bum rap in horror movies. The lesson to be learned with these early attempts to show the dark underbelly of robotic lawn equipment was that a lawn mower will turn on his master at the first opportunity. These are dangerous machines that we cannot allow to think for themselves. Only ill-intentioned comets would ever attempt to breathe life into them. For the first three-quarters of my life, society always kept a watchful eye on the expansion of technology. We weren’t Luddites, but many of us were raised during a time when technology had to be invited in our homes like a vampire. Radios gave way to television sets which then ushered in computers. Now we have computerized assistants with human names and talking doorbells. Technology is the one inviting us into our homes now. At this point, we are quickly moving past any of our deepseeded science fiction fears of technology taking over our lives. After all, dystopian visions of the future never quite work out the way we think. I am sure 20 years ago, some movie could’ve scared the geewillikers out of us by showing a world where everyone had a supercomputer in their pocket that could access all the data, everywhere and be used to root out liars and charlatans. Flash forward to 20 years later and we are using our smart phones to turn our faces into panting dogs. In October, I ventured down to the GIE Conference in Louisville, Kentucky. I had not been down to GIE in quite some time so I was curious to walk the show floor and see what was on the distant horizon. GIE has a heavy focus on machines and equipment so there are always a lot of neat toys and gadgets to try. Battery operated equipment dominated most of the massive pavilions and displays, but those were not the true stars of the show. No, this year it was all about the robots. Many of the top equipment manufacturers brought their fleets

of robotic mowers to demo and promote. Stihl, Husqvarna, Honda, and others had their products front and center. Robotic mowers are a thing of beauty. They have sleek lines and shiny black plastic exteriors. They look like Transformers or armor plated cockroaches from the future (dibs on that movie idea, call AC/DC). There was also tremendous interest in these products. Golf-shirted sales reps handed our flier after flier to a hungry base of landscape professionals. GIE attracts everyone from the owner down to the Carhart crowd and all craned their necks to see these little robots zip around astroturfed enclosures. Now, these are not thousand pound zero turns. These are not going to be able to maintain dozens of commercial properties on a Spring day. These are small units that still require a lot of unseen supplemental technology to effectively mow a residential or small commercial property. The idea that these could replace thousands of human beings, even in the next ten years, seems like a pipe dream. Successful technology isn’t about building a better mousetrap. Successful technology fulfills a need. The need in the commercial marketplace is not to find a machine that can cut grass. There are dozens and dozens of machines that can cut grass better, faster, and for far less money than a robotic mower. No, the reason robotic mowers will catch on will be twofold; the landscape industry will continue to be at the short end of a crushing labor market and two, consumers will change their perspective on what professional lawn maintenance means. First, let’s examine the labor situation. Many of these units retail for between $2,000 and $5,000. There are consumer models that retail for much less, but would never be able to withstand the rigors of a frequent and expansive landscape maintenance schedule. The interest that landscape companies have in these robotic mowers is how they can be sprinkled into a business model to reduce labor costs. Labor costs the landscape industry around 42¢ of every dollar. If those labor costs can be absorbed by a reliable machine or, more realistically, spread out across more client’s properties, a profit model begins to emerge. GIE played host to a few free thinkers who discussed how these mowers could be used to augment an existing crew. If a business is using a three- or two-man maintenance crew where one will mow and the other will work on bed and site maintenance, that crew can be split if the mow guy becomes the mowbot. It is not that far-fetched of an idea. Crews with robotic mowers would operate more like gardeners or lawn care technicians. They would be able to use smaller vehicles and visit twice as many properties if the lawn mower was already on site when the technician arrived. If the client does not invest in an onsite mower, the crew member would simply bring a rental unit to any property with buried perimeter fencing. The tech would activate the mower upon arrival, it would do what it does, while the human pruned, deadheaded, edged, blew, and did general maintenance. The tech would then deactivate the mower prior to leaving, do quality control, and leave the site in the exact same amount of time as with a two- or three-man crew. The second factor, and possibly even more important, is convincing consumers to fall in love with robots. The best day landscape clients have is when they return home from work the day the maintenance crew was there. They pull into their driveways to find cut

Rise of the Machines

The Landscape Contractor December 2018

From Where I Stand —

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grass, gorgeous edging, and pristine beds. A smile creeps across their face and, in that moment, they realize those monthly checks have been worth it. Green, weed free grass with immaculate mow lines are how we have defined quality turf for over 60 years. Can we sell maintenance without the mow lines? After all, what’s a tiger without his stripes? As we all know, mow lines have nothing to do with the act of mowing grass. A spinning circular blade decapitates, or more accurately, rips the head off a piece of tall grass. Mow lines are simply the result of a small flap of rubber we affix to the back of a mower. It’s all for show and it’s all for dough. Vanity is why we have mow lines so vanity is what needs to be addressed if we are to enact change. With robots, it’s not the mowed lawn that will be the selling point it’s the lawn mower itself. Instead of burying that robotic lawn mower port on the north side of the house, it should be displayed tastefully but prominently. Vanity will be about having a robotic mower puttering about the lawn more than it will be about the mowed lawn itself. Technology in this case isn’t about building the better mousetrap, it’s about having a mousetrap you leave out in the open when company comes over. Trying to sell the end product of a robotically mowed lawn is zero sum. A client won’t care what machine was used to mow the lawn just like they don’t care now. Contractors get excited about seeing the new mowers at iLandscape or demo-ing them at Summer Field Day, but a client just appreciates the end product. They don’t care a whit if you are using a state of the art zero turn or a 15-year old walk behind. The trick is making the robotic lawnmower the centerpiece of the maintenance process. The mowers should be programmed to complete their cycles during times they can have maximum visibility. Consumers will want their neighbors to see these little machines scuttling about the yard. They will be new and cool enough to captivate the public’s attention for just enough time before they take off and become commonplace. Ten years from now, no one will be impressed by robotic mowers. That doesn’t matter. By that time, robotic mowers will be ubiquitous and the image of them zipping around suburban lawns will be as common a sight as a smoky Weber grill or basketball hoop on the driveway. Robotic mowers may have had auspicious beginnings, but they pose a tremendous opportunity for an industry in the depths of a labor crisis. Demand for professional landscape services is only beginning to peak and more dual-income households will drive more consumers to the maintenance market. Technology is the fulcrum that human civilization rests upon. We endlessly teeter back and forth between a desire to improve and a fear of change. Technology is always viewed with a healthy degree of skepticism, until it isn’t. We hold off for as long as we can until we learn that resistance is futile. Right now, the entire landscape industry seems to have two choices; keep calm and embrace change or panic as you wait for the tortoise of technology to eventually catch up to the hare of demand.

Scott Grams November 19, 2018

The Landscape Contractor December 2018

President’s Message — December is always an interesting month for a landscape contractor;

President

Tom Lupfer Lupfer Landscaping (708) 352-2765 tom@lupferlandscaping.com

we’re done with the season, but the work never stops. It’s a reflective time: what went wrong and what went right. It’s an optimistic time: what will we do differently next year. And it’s a joyous time: the lights are still on (for now at least). It’s also a time for family: strengthening the bonds of those close to you and reaching out to those you have lost touch with. Finally, it’s a difficult time: without the adrenaline of the season there is a naturel let-down. I always compare our season to the baseball season (only ours is longer). There is no champagne, no gilded rings, but we usually buy the crews a few beers and a hot meal. The juxtaposition of the victorious locker room and our back room is depressing to say the least. But I digress… It’s also a time to let your hair down (Sorry Scott) and have some fun. So here are a few anecdotes from the season: — My employees came to me and asked for more money. I said earn it. They said pay us more and we’ll earn it. So I gave everybody a $5 an hour raise. Guess what? They earned it. I had 25% growth without adding any additional labor. Treat them like professionals and they will be professional. — A customer emails: “You haven’t been here in FOREVER and I’m having a party TOMORROW. I will tell all my guests that you: stink, lie, cheat and are a horrible human being if you don’t get here by the end of today! Oh, and I’ll trash your name all over the internet as well!!!!” Being an old man, I had to ask my millennial employees what was going on with this person. I had never seen such bad grammar. And the manners, who speaks like that? So, they got on their devices and put it into the universal translator for the ‘how people used to speak to each other’ language and came up with this: “Hey Tom, I’m having a party this weekend and was wondering if you could send the guys over for a fresh cut on Friday? I’ll give them a tip and tell everybody you do my yard when they ask. I’d really appreciate it buddy. Thanks.” And it was a phone call on Tuesday instead of an email on Friday. — A customer wanted us to make their backyard into a luxurious pig pen for their three-legged pig. I said: “Wow, that must be some special pig”. They responded with this long tale about how it had saved each of the family members lives at some point. “Amazing!” I said. “Is that how it lost its leg?” “No” they said, “you just don’t eat a pig that special all at once.” And for the plant geek community: — If you jump off a bridge in Paris, you are in Seine. — I thought I spotted an eye doctor on an Alaskan Island. Not so. It was just an optical Aleutian. — Two silk worms ran a race, but they ended up in a tie. This is a tough business we are in and we have to remember to breathe every once in a while. Enjoy what you do but remember to enjoy those around you as well for it is in our personal relationships that we truly live. Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all! You’ve earned it.

Vice-President

Jose Garcia Natural Creations Landscaping, Inc. (815) 724-0991 info@naturalcreationslandscaping.com

Secretary-Treasurer

Donna Vignocchi Zych ILT Vignocchi, Inc. (847) 487-5200 dvignocchi@iltvignocchi.com

Immediate Past President Lisa Fiore Don Fiore Company, Inc. (847) 234-0020 lfiore@donfiore.com

Directors

Eric Adams Russo Power Equipment (847) 233-7811 eadams@russopower.com Jennifer Fick Wilson Nurseries and Landscape Supply (847) 683-3700 jennf@wilsonnurseries.com Allan Jeziorski Hartman Landscape (708) 403-8433 allan@hartmanlandscape.net

Jeff Kramer Kramer Tree Specialists, Inc, (630) 403-8433 jwkramer@kramertree.com

Kevin Manning K & D Enterprise Landscape Management, Inc. (815) 725-0758 kmanning@kdlandscapeinc.com Scott McAdam, Jr. McAdam Landscaping, Inc. (708) 771-2299 Scottjr@mcadamlandscape.com Dean MacMorris Night Light, Inc. (630) 627-1111 dean@nightlightinc.net Mark Utendorf Emerald Lawn Care, Inc. (847) 392-7097 marku@emeraldlawncare.com

Thank you, Tom Lupfer

November 19, 2018

The Landscape Contractor December 2018

Scott Byron & Co., Inc. â&#x20AC;˘ Lake Bluff Highland Park Haven

By thoughtful design

and meticulous installation, a private residence in Highland Park has been completely transformed into a welcoming outdoor oasis for the homeowners and guests. The home sits in the center of a lot that contains both a bluff overlooking Lake Michigan to the east and a wooded ravine to the south. Visitors enter the property on a long, narrow drive, planted with layers of shrubs and perennials interspersed between shade trees. The drive slopes gently downward toward the courtyard, a transition marked by an opening in the overhead canopy and change in paving details flowing into the drive court. The front entry is sophisticatedly punctuated with upright ornamental trees and softened with low shrubs and perennials, which are appropriate for the surrounding landscape. The home and courtyard are embraced by a combination of existing overhead canopy and newly planted arborvitae and Norway spruce that provide privacy and habitat.

A winding path leads visitors around the southern side of the home, where natural groupings of boulders set amidst an abundance of colorful plantings peak through the forested canopy along the slope. The path diverges as one journey continues along a forested path to the beach and the other winds around the home, transitioning from a garden path to an expansive bluestone pool terrace with a beautiful lake view. Soothing sounds of nature fill the air and sweeps of flowering shrubs and perennials embrace the outdoor entertaining area. The pool and spa echo the colors and tranquility of the lake. Visitors can choose to take a dip in the pool, soak in the spa, relax in chaise lounge chairs, or dine together for an evening of enjoyment with friends and family. Together, the landscape team of the Landscape Architect, project manager, and landscape crews worked together in harmony to create a soothing environment that ensures the owners and their guests feel right at home.

The Landscape Contractor December 2018

Fall’s Favorite Event

2018 Annual Party & Membership Meeting

by Meta L. Levin

Every year ILCA members

gather to meet, greet, honor those who have contributed to the industry, network and down some beer. The 2018 ILCA Annual Party was no different. “Networking,” Alan Watkins of Clarence Davids & Co. when asked why he was there. “It’s great to see everyone.” ILCA Executive Director Scott Grams agrees. “It’s always great when ILCA members gather in the same room,” he said. “Magic happens.” On November 8, 2018, 335 green industry professionals celebrated the end of the season at Two Brothers Roadhouse in Aurora, where among other things, they were treated to a sneak preview of the ILCA Public Awareness Campaign, one year in the making. “Our goal is to elevate public awareness and raise the level of esteem in how the public perceives our industry,” Grams said. Developed in conjunction with Bing Bang, a West Des Moines based video production and marketing firm, the full campaign will premier during the 2019 iLandscape show and debut to the public soon after. “This gave us a glimpse of where the association is going,” said Eric Garcia of Natural Creations Landscaping, Inc. “It reaffirmed that I picked the right industry to be a part of.” Feeling good from the campaign, the group went on to recognize long-time ILCA members. Membership Committee Chair Ashley Marrin presented plaques to 25-year members: •

A-1 Landscaping & Maintenance, Inc.

•

Apex Landscaping, Inc.

• • • • • • • • • • •

Scott Grams, ILCA Executive Director

Tom Lupfer, ILCA President

Ashley Marrin, Membership Chair

George Weyland

Bud Vancina

Wally Clauss

American Gardens, Inc. Aquascape Inc.

Fox Ridge Nursery

Kuhn’s Lawn & Snow Service, Inc. Landworks Ltd.

Lawnscape Maintenance Co. Lightscape, Inc.

Perricone Bros. Landscaping, Inc. R.A. Adams Enterprises, Inc.

Village of Mount Prospect Public Works Wolfe Landscaping, Inc.

(continued on page 12)

The Landscape Contractor December 2018

Honorary Lifetime Members 2018

Wally Clauss

Bud Vancina

2018 Committee of the Year â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Turf

The Turf Committee was honored as the Committee of the Year. l to r: Tom Fritz, Jordan Orwig, Brian Hissem, Mark Utendorf, Scott Roberts and Harold Enger. Not pictured: Shane Griffith and Jim Scott.

The Landscape Contractor December 2018

Fall’s Favorite Event (continued from page 10) The 50-year members were: BrightView Landscapes (formerly Brickman) and Weyland’s Landscape Maintenance. As George Weyland retreated to his table, clutching his 50-year plaque, ILCA President Tom Lupfer called him back. “George (Weyland) has been a fixture in this industry. He has served as ILCA historian and for his entire career he has kept his head down and earned a decent living for his family,” Lupfer said. Lupfer continued, describing Weyland’s loyalty to ILCA and his work establishing an Old Timers gathering that has grown to 30 members and now welcomes landscape professionals regardless of age. “They never let us forget where we came from,” said Lupfer. Proceeds from their gatherings are donated each year to the ILCA PAC Fund. “It’s open to those who have served on the board and have done something for the industry,” Weyland said. “We learn from each other.” Honorary Lifetime Memberships went to Simon “Bud” Vancina and Wally Clauss. “They have given selflessly and tirelessly to the industry, making ILCA and the industry a better place to be,” said Lupfer. Both Vancina and Clauss have previously been honored with ILCA’s “Man of the Year” awards. Clauss joined ILCA 58 years ago. Since then he has been a board member, founder of the education committee, helped put on the winter seminars, chaired the scholarship committee and served on the immigration and nominating committees. Summer Field Day was his longest commitment – 30 years. Along the way he made friends that he still has. Vancina viewed ILCA as an important source of education. He joined the industry right out of the Marine Corps, admittedly knowing very little. The people he met through ILCA helped him and eventually he began giving back to the association. He served in various board positions and on committees, including Summer Field Day, certification efforts, design programs, the trade show and various seminars. (continued on page 14) 12

George Weyland delivering the net proceeds from the Old Timers’ event to be used for the ILCA PAC fund

50 Year Members

Fifty year membership plaques were awarded to Bright View Landscapes and Weyland’s Landscape Maintenance.

The Landscape Contractor December 2018

25 Year Members

Twenty-five year membership plaques were awarded to: A-1 Landscaping & Maintenance, Inc.; American Gardens, Inc.; Apex Landscaping, Inc.; Aquascape Inc.; Fox Ridge Nursery; Kuhnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Lawn & Snow Service Inc.; Landworks Ltd.; Lawnscape Maintenance Co.; Lightscape, Inc.; Perricone Bros. Landscaping, Inc.; R.A. Adams Enterprises, Inc.; Village of Mount Prospect Public Works; Wolfe Landscaping, Inc.

Wally Clauss was presented with an Honorary Lifetime Membership

Bud Vancina was presented with an Honorary Lifetime Membership

The Landscape Contractor December 2018

Fall’s Favorite Event (continued from page 12) Weyland, Vancina and Clauss aren’t the only people who have contributed to ILCA. “It takes hundreds of active volunteers,” Grams told the assembled members. “This is a bottom up organization.” He pointed to the 18 standing committees, as well as others who contribute in other ways. Each year ILCA honors a standing committee that has contributed to ILCA and the industry in extraordinary ways. This year the Board narrowed the field to three: Awards, Sustainable & Ecological Landscape and Turf. The Turf Committee, chaired by Scott Roberts, was named the 2018 ILCA Committee of the Year. Its members include Harold Enger, Tom Fritz, Shane Griffith, Brian Hissem, Jordan Orwig, Jim Scott and Mark Utendorf. “This is a big honor for our committee,” said Roberts. “We have a great group of hardworking people. It’s great to be recognized.” Lupfer returned to the podium to pay tribute to his predecessor, Lisa Fiore, outgoing ILCA president. “She is her own person,” he said. “She was raised in the industry, has a young heart, but an old soul and doesn’t believe that anyone should be marginalized or ignored, because of age.” She is, said Lupfer, “the epitome of someone who takes the past and brings it into the present.” Lupfer also pointed to Fiore’s integrity, efficiency (“She ran the board meetings with East German efficiency”) and optimism that there isn’t a problem that can’t be solved. Fiore noted that “Knowing that all of us sitting here in this room work long days and endless hours after the day is over, yet still find time to be a part of ILCA, shows just how important this organization is to us and our industry. I would like to thank all of you for that.” Her goal, early in her career serving on ILCA committees, as well as her time on the Board and as ILCA president, and now is to “see our profession viewed in a more colorful light and emphasis on what we do to create a better environment and place and spaces for people to live and enjoy.” She acknowledged the many friends she has made and thanked the Board and committee members, as well as her family for their support. Lifting her beer, she ended with a quote from Dale Evans, “Happy trails to you, until we meet again. Some trails are happy ones, others are blue. It’s the way you ride the trail that counts, here’s a happy one for you.” Lupfer ended the meeting with drawing the winners of the PAC Fund reverse raffle, designed to raise money for the ILCA PAC. Last year ILCA 14

The Landscape Contractor December 2018

In her final comment to ILCA members, Lisa Fiore famously quoted Roy Rogers and Dale Evans —

“Happy trails to you, until we meet again. Some trails are happy ones, others are blue. It’s the way you ride the trail that counts, here’s a happy one for you.”

raised $20,000 through various channels, allowing representatives to meet with legislators and get to know them, as well as to work to get the landscape industry excluded from a bill that would have added taxes to contractors’ work. Winners were: $150 - Tom Kusmerz, The Barn Nursery & Landscape Center $150 - Acres Group $200 - Kuhn’s Lawn & Snow Service $500 - Jim Bilinski, Crum-Halsted $2,500 - Ryan Manning, K&R Landscaping, Inc. “Fundraising is important,” said ILCA Vice President Jose Garcia. “We are trying to make people understand how important.” ILCA’s history was palpable in the room. “Tonight was a bridge between those who came before and those who will come after us,” said Grams.

Tom Lupfer and Scott Grams pull winners of the PAC Reverse Raffle.

The Landscape Contractor December 2018

Fallâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Favorite Event

Happy Birthday Tom Lupfer, Happy Birthday to you.

The Landscape Contractor December 2018

L O N G S H A D OW

. COM

Owner: Atlanta History Center, Atlanta, Georgia. Photography: Tiffany Jones.

Hand Crafted in Southern Illinois by Classic Garden Ornaments, Ltd.®

Acanthus Half Planter, LS 9522

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Impact Conference 2018

Second Impact Conference Hits a Home Run By Nina Koziol

If you were at the Chicago Botanic Garden on

October 16th, you heard the buzz. It was the excited conversations between landscape contractors, designers, landscape architects, public garden managers, park district staff, nursery owners, and horticulturists—from four states—as they gathered for this year’s Impact Conference: Building Sustainable Landscapes. The event drew more attendees and more exhibitors than the first one—an indication of the shape of sustainable things to come. It was standing room only when keynote speaker Thomas Rainer kicked off the conference with his talk, “Plants are the Best Mulch: Designing Plant Communities for Resilient Landscapes.” Industrialization and urban sprawl have driven nature from our neighborhoods and cities, Rainer explained. His firm, Phyto Studio is a niche landscape architecture firm dedicated to crafting artistic and technical solutions for the next green revolution: the creation of the plant-covered city. “We can invite nature back by designing landscapes that

look and function more like they do in the wild—robust, diverse, and visually harmonious,” Rainer said. “More than ever, we need planting solutions that are resilient, ecologically functional and beautiful.” Attendees were wowed by beforeand-after images of urban sites that Rainer transformed into lush, lowermaintenance, layered plant communities that nurture biodiversity in beautiful ways. These landscapes, often in the most unlikely places, provide people with a chance to immerse themselves in nature. Many of the examples can be found in his book, “Planting in a Post Wild World,” which takes on issues, such as the loss of native plants, and offers sustainable solutions that can fit spaces as small as the average back yard. First-time attendee Laura Ekasetya, director and head horticulturist at Chicago’s Lurie Garden, brought her staff. “The overall theme of the conference—building sustainable landscapes—was very relevant for us as a highly visited sustainable garden,” Ekasetya said. “We all really love the book, “Planting in a Post Wild World,” so Thomas Rainer

The Landscape Contractor December 2018

What is sustainable landscaping? Search the Internet for ‘sustainable landscaping’ and you’ll find 51 million entries, but there’s no “official” definition. At a minimum, sustainable landscaping conserves energy and water, reduces waste, decreases runoff, improves soils, supports wildlife and saves money. The purpose is to maintain soil integrity, create plant and animal diversity, and contribute to human wellbeing.

was a big draw for us. His talks were outstanding—he really brought good insight into designing legible plantings that serve an ecological purpose.”

Damage to leaves is usually minimal and goes unnoticed. And, what clients don’t like to see songbirds in their garden? Lathin was quick to point out that native landscapes have their problems, too. “They can be weedy and messy looking. Planting The Big Picture in masses and drifts can solve that This year’s conference featured problem. And, it’s easier for an sessions on maintaining healthy soils, insect to find its host plant when it’s site preparation, installation and mainmassed together.” tenance, water management, and how Landscape designer Cari Dale to create vigorous, low-maintenance of R&S Landscaping Services in landscapes that endure. Drew Lathin, Bolingbrook also found the educaowner of Creating Sustainable tional programs and exhibitors useLandscapes in Novi, Michigan, ful. “I attended last year,” Dale said. pressed attendees to use more native “The more info we have to pass on plants in their projects. “When you to the consumer and getting to netdon’t have native plants in your work with like-minded people—it’s landscapes, it cascades up the food great. The sessions were so interestchain. Nine out of 10 of all our native ing and I appreciate that our indusinsects need native plants.” try is moving in this direction.” Although some landscapers might This was Kim Hartmann’s first cringe at the thought of caterpillars time attending. “I was intrigued munching on clients’ plants, Lathin Yaritza Guillen and Thomas Rainer enough to sign up by the fact that said, “It’s the caterpillars’ biomass Thomas Rainer was presenting two sessions,” that’s so important as food for neotropical migrating birds.” (continued on page 20)

The Landscape Contractor December 2018

Impact Conference 2018 When it comes to using native plants, de la Fleur says that landscape companies would save time and money in the long run if their designers and crews were taught how the plants work and how to maintain them. Properly sited and designed, native plant gardens need not look weedy and they can be used in formal settings. “I keep running into a bias to using native plants, but if a more gardenesque design is desired, it’s not a problem,” he said. “But, finding a crew and the expertise is one of the hardest problems I face with every job.” “Marcus de la Fleur’s talk about using the landscape for stormwater management was thought-provoking,” Ekasetya said. “I really liked the way he used graphics to show water volume in his presentation. He’s a fantastic communicator.” Bill Peregrine, from Earthdance Organics, spoke about “Low Maintenance Landscapes – A New Partnership with Nature.” He focused on replicating nature, starting with the soil. “It takes 500 years to build two centimeters of living soil and only a few seconds to destroy it,” he said. “There are four billion microbes in a teaspoon of soil, all doing the work for us.” His firm does not take on a property until doing a soil test. “How do you know what’s there, what’s missing?”

(continued from page 19) said Hartmann, a landscape designer with Countryside Flower Shop and Nursery in Crystal Lake. “My goal was to gain more knowledge about how to manage and maintain sustainable landscapes once they have been designed and installed. The Phyto Studio case studies presented by Thomas Rainer were on a large scale, but they illustrated very creative solutions that could be used on a smaller scale.” (Phyto Studio is the name of Rainer’s design firm. https://phytostudio.com) Hartmann appreciated Rainer’s approach to working with the soil and conditions of the site rather than trying to amend the site. “I also found Marcus de la Fleur’s session valuable, especially stormwater management solutions. His focus on residential work was particularly relevant and actionable.”

Water Water Everywhere

De la Fleur’s presentation, “Blue and Green—Water and the Benjamins,” addressed the necessity of designing with and maintaining native plants, green roofs, rain barrels, permeable walks and pavement systems, and native and engineered soils—all as they relate to stormwater management. His talk was especially timely given the ongoing flash-flood warnings and damage throughout the Midwest this year. Although rain gardens can be true workhorses, they are notoriously difficult to design, de la Fleur said. “They can be a little too dry or too wet and plants don’t want to grow.” Then, there are increasingly popular rain barrels, which can create problems, too. “It comes down to thinking it through,” de la Fleur said. “You need Marcus de la Fleur to have an overflow. The water has to go somewhere. If the rain barrels aren’t used or drained they do absolutely nothing for stormwater management.” 20

Nurseryman and plant breeder Brent Horvath of Intrinsic Perennials Gardens in Hebron was one of several exhibitors and sponsors. “I attended last year, but I was not as familiar with this year’s speakers,” Horvath said. “I always learn something, meet someone new, and catch up with friends and customers. The venue is also a great draw as a place to see and learn more about plants.” (continued on page 22)

The Landscape Contractor December 2018

Impact Conference 2018

Things to Come

Sustainability—buzzword or not—is here to stay. And, it’s a market that has the attention of many homeowners and municipalities. Rainwater harvesting, ecological design, using low-impact materials and working with, instead of against, nature, can help communities become more resilient and come back stronger after disruptive natural events, such as floods or drought. “The venue at the Chicago Botanic Garden was great and the day was well-planned,” Ekasetya said. Thomas Rainer’s quote, “Parks where ecological plantings take center stage are the most visited per acre in the world,” rang true with Ekasetya. “This really shines a light on the theme of the conference and the reason I was there with my team. We connected with great people during the lunch, the trade show and the reception. It was so encouraging to see some younger attendees.”

Additional Reading

Thomas Rainer’s projects: https://phytostudio.com Drew Lathin’s projects:

https://www.creatingsustainablelandscapes.com

Marcus de la Fleur’s projects: http://www.delafleur.com Sandy Syburg, Purple Cow Organics: https://www.purplecoworganics.com

Bill Peregrine, Earthdance Organics: http://www.earthdanceorganics.com

Sustainable Sites Initiative: http://www.sustainablesites.org

Illinois Department of Natural Resources—Native Habitat Descriptions, Requirements and Plant Lists: https://www.dnr.illinois.gov/education/Pages/PlantLists.aspx

U.S. General Services Administration: Sustainable Landscape Design (local governments) https://www.gsa.gov/node/82754

The Landscape Contractor December 2018

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Preview — iLandscape Education 2019

iLandscape

the illinois + wisconsin Landscape Show January 30 — February 1, 2019 iLANDSCAPESHOW.COM

The four elements Earth, Wind, Fire and Water

The Landscape Contractor December 2018

Discover Your Element —

with Education by Meta Levin

Plant porn. History. Business. Trees.

For the History Minded

No Keynote = More Experts

A Hort State of the Union

Color. Conservation. The 2019 iLandscape Education offerings will contain all of that and more. Planners expect more than 2,000 attendees at the education sessions alone, scheduled for January 30-February 1, 2019 at the Schaumburg Convention Center. It will be colorful, historical, perhaps at times a little hysterical, but always, says ILCA Education Chair Kim Hartmann, full of the kind of information that you can take back and use the next day. “This was put together with an eye toward the practical,” she says. And that includes packing in as much information as possible, in a more comfortable way. Sessions will begin earlier – 8 a.m. Each session will last 75 minutes, instead of the previous 90 minutes. In fact, some sessions will be just 45 minutes. There will be five choices per time frame. “The challenge is to keep it fresh,” says Hartmann. And appeal to a broad base. And, oh, yes, give credit where credit is due: there will be plenty of CEUs for Landscape Architects and Arborists. Although there is no keynote speaker this year, that doesn’t mean that there are no experts who are well known and at the top of their fields. Hartmann is excited by many of the presentations and presenters, but particularly Tony Avent of Plant Delights Nursery, Inc., who will focus on “increasing botanical diversity by paying closer attention to colors, textures, sizes and forms.” His session is called “A Celebration of Eccentricities: The Plants and Their People.” If you’re looking for fresh ways to include botanical diversity in the gardens you design, Avent plans to cover it. “He’ll talk about using underused plants, some that may have more resilience and more four seasons interest,” says Hartmann. For the yum factor, join Lisa Hilgenberg from the Chicago Botanic Garden to learn about one of the hottest crazes around: “The Incredible Edible Landscape.” She’ll bring with her gorgeous photography, as well as design, planning and plant choice tips.

If it’s stars you want, you can’t get much higher in the landscape industry than Frederick Law Olmsted. And, yes, we know that he is long gone, but Kirk Brown will bring him to life in a dramatic presentation, “Frederick Law Olmsted: Environmental Visionary!” “Quite a few of our sessions have a historical perspective,” says Hartmann. In addition to looking forward, the industry also is looking back to find out what we can learn from how things were done years ago. Olmsted is best known for drawing the template for the Columbian Exposition of 1893 in Chicago, not to mention designing the grounds of New York City’s Central Park, the US Capitol in Washington DC and the Biltmore Estate in North Carolina. An American landscape architect, journalist, social critic and public administrator, he is considered the founder of American landscape architecture, as well as the creator of a conservation movement still alive in today’s world. For an overview of the current state of the industry and how outside influences are affecting it, try “State of the Union” with Craig Regelbrugge, AmericanHort’s Senior Vice President, whose presentation will cover how politics, legislative initiatives, public policy efforts and government regulation affect those in every aspect of the industry. “No one,” he says. “Can afford to be in the dark or not know how that evolving political landscape may affect our industry as we move forward.” Education Committee members pay close attention to comments from attendees at previous iLandscape Shows. “The big thing that came out of last year was trees – diseases, damage, roots,” says Hartmann. “Climate change is real and we are seeing it with our trees.” (continued on page 26)

The Landscape Contractor December 2018

Preview — iLandscape Education 2019 (continued from page 25)

Bring on the plants!

Alright, let’s talk trees...

So, there will be a number of tree related sessions, including, “The Hows, Whats and Whys of Tree and Shrub Growth Regulation” with Patrick Anderson, Rainbow Treecare Scientific Advancements; “Diseases of Trees and Shrubs” with Brian Hudelson, University of Wisconsin-Madison Plant Disease Diagnostic Clinic; “New Elms for American Cities and How to Train them for a Productive Future,” with Kris Bachtell, The Morton Arboretum; “The Practical Science Supporting Tree Planting Best Practices” with Gary Watson, The Morton Arboretum; “Proper Pruning for Better Blooms and Plant Health” with Richard Hentschel of the University of Illinois Extension Services; “Structural Pruning at Planting; Crucial for Upping Your Game” with Ed Gilman of the University of Florida, and “Woody Plants Worthy of Small Spaces,” with Jo Ellen Meyer, The Hoosier Gardener. Climate change has brought with it more problems. Hartmann points to cool, wet Springs, flooding and severe thunderstorms. As a result, “In the last three to five years, we have had more disease issues,” she says. Growers are asking what trees landscape contractors will need in the next five to 10 years, because that is how long it takes to raise healthy, larger trees, says Hartmann. With the changes in climate, landscape contractors and growers alike are working to figure it out.

Bringing the business

Attendees also have asked for more business-related sessions. “One of our biggest challenges is labor,” says Hartmann. “Our people are trying to attract, retain and engage employees. So, we will have more sessions about how to keep good people.” Such sessions as, “Employee Compensation for the Lawn and Landscape Industry” with Fred Haskett of The Harvest Group; “IM4U: Managing Landscape Labor in the Digital Age” with Kirk Brown of John Bartram Lives, Olmsted Lives; “Creating a Company Culture that is Distinctive and Remarkable” with Lee Fredericks of Rainbow Treecare Scientific Advancements; “Employee Incentives and Motivation” with Paul Kimicata of Kimicata Brothers, Inc.; and “Give Your Employees C.R.A.P. and 7 Other Secrets to Employee Retention” with Jeff Kortes of Human Asset Management LLC.

You’re waiting for plants, flowers and the like, aren’t you? You’re panting for plant porn as the first sentence of this article promised. The iLandscape Education committee does not disappoint. “People want color and unique interest,” says Hartmann. “Plant Porn: We’ll Make You Want to Try It!” will feature a panel of professionals, moderated by Kevin McGowen of Kaknes Landscape Supply, and will leave you panting, with their discussion of the plants that “blow their hair back.” Everything from annuals to trees will be covered in ways that will get your blood pressure up. They warn that you may need a cold shower afterwards.

Familiar favorites

Gregory Pierceall, professor emeritus at Purdue University, Department of Landscape Architecture and a name well known to ILCA members and The Landscape Contractor magazine readers, will take attendees through “Landscape Design, Site Design Critiques.” He’ll cover the elements of good landscape and site design, with an emphasis on the structure, forms and components that make a good landscape design functional and beautiful. Design, he says, is “invisible until it does not work.” And the popular and well-known Roy Diblik of Northwind Perennial Farm will be back, joining Gerould Wilhelm, Director of Research at Conservation Research Institute, to present “Sharing Thoughts about Existing and Designed Plant Communities.” Wilhelm will follow that with another presentation, “Consilience, Concinnity and the Way.” Dr. Wilhelm uses native prairie, woodland, and riverbank landscapes to illustrate the importance of following “The Way.” Our survival depends upon creating a healthy relationship with the natural world, rather than viewing it as a backdrop or “playground” for our own existence.

Plants from another mother

If you still want more, check out these: “Annuals that Deliver” with C.L. Fornari, speaker, writer, radio host; “Landscaping in Drifts of One: A Focus on Plant Combinations” with Tony Avent of Plant Delights Nursery, Inc.; “Fantastic Foliage Annuals” with Mark Dwyer of Rotary Botanical Gardens, Janesville, WI; “Deep Rooted Wisdom” with Jenks Farmer offers skills and stories from generations of gardeners; (continued on page 28)

Discover Your Element —

with Education 26

The Landscape Contractor December 2018

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Preview — iLandscape Education 2019

Discover Your Element —

with Education (continued from page 26) “Sabbatical to Plant Freedom” with Austin Eischeid of Austin Eischeid Garden Design; “The New Perennial Garden: Design and Maintenance” with Bobbie Schwarz of Bobbie’s Green Thumb; “Plants for Problem Areas” with Melinda Myers, nationally known gardening expert, TV/radio host, author and columnist; “The Artful Garden” with Bobbie Schwarz of Bobbie’s Green Thumb; “Carmen Miranda in the Midwest” with Irvin Etienne of the Indianapolis Museum of Modern Art; and “Migrating North: Inspiration from a Southerly Plant Palette” with Jared Barnes of Stephen F. Austin State University.

And the final category is potpourri

Sustainability, conservation and ecology all have a place in an industry that bills itself as green. That includes the beauty and practical aspect of attracting butterflies and other pollinators. Jane Grillo from Midwest Groundcovers and Butterflyjane.com will take attendees through “Your Role in Monarch and Pollinator Conservation.” Or check out Bryce Lane from North Carolina State University, as he talks about “What’s It Worth: Promoting the Green in the Green Industry.” He’ll focus on appealing to a new generation of customers who are concerned about the environment, as well as the health advantages of a “green” landscape. ILCA’s own Jack Pizzo of The Pizzo Group will cover “Landscaping with Wildflowers” and Roch Gaussoin from the University of Nebraska will take attendees through “Ecology and Control of Yellow Nutsedge, a difficult weed to control.

And the final

The committee has not forgotten that we also use hardscapes in our landscapes. Take a look: “Market Proven Travertine and Why You Should be Installing It,” with Randy Weldishofer of TruStone Distributors and Jeff Werner of Werner Hardscapes, will emphasize installation practices and design options, highlighting the benefits of Turkish Travertine.

Continuing in the hardscape realm, Pete Baloglou of Techo-Bloc Midwest Corporation and popularly known as “Paver Pete,” will lead attendees through a practical session covering permeable pavers, including all the bells and whistles. “Hardscaping Sales 101 for the Residential Contractor” with Bill Gardocki of Interstate Landscape Co., will focus on bidding and selling residential projects. If you are going to design and you want to use some of these ideas, you must pay attention to the day to day tasks of keeping the business going. Here, again, the Education Committee is paying attention in a way that will keep you laughing and informed. Merit Gest of Merit-Based Sales Development will warn you about what to evade in “Myth to Money: 5 Myths Top Salespeople Avoid.” She promises that not only will you take away tools to improve your sales techniques, but you will laugh your way through the session. Mark Bradley of Landscape Management Network also will give you some insights to “Supercharge your Sales Process.” Bradley will give you some practice information about how to use technology to identify where you need to make changes, focus your sales energies, identify your best opportunities and avoid pitfalls to stay focused on company success. Be smart about your business. Susan Martin of Gardener Sue’s News will cover, “From Surviving to Thriving, Building Revenue in Today’s Marketplace” and ILCA’s own Dean MacMorris from Night Light, Inc., will teach you “How Networking & Connecting Can Grow Your Business,” giving you eight rules of networking, as well as strategies and conversation starters. “We’re going to show our attendees how to use the tools we are giving them,” says Hartmann.

Landscape Contractor January 30 –The February 1, 2019 December 2018

Registration Open Now! DISCOVER YOUR ELEMENT

January 30 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; February 1, 2019

Annual Old Timers’ Event

Old Timers’ Group Holds Annual Event The 12th

Annual ILCA Old Timers’ Gathering was held at the La Villa Restaurant in Chicago, October 20, 2018. Long-time members, past and present, enjoyed the afternoon of ILCA fellowship and memories. Over the past 12 years, this event has donated more than $4,000 to the ILCECO scholarship fund. A check was presented to ILCA President Tom Lupfer at the Annual Membership Meeting on November 8, 2018. This year’s donation was designated to support of the ILCA PAC Fund. The Old Timers’ event was the idea of, and single-handedly organized by ILCA historian George Weyland. Congratulations George! Thanks for keeping ILCA’s memories alive.

The Landscape Contractor December 2018

Special Preview

ILCA to Launch Public Aware

The campaign will elevate the public’s perception by Marissa Stubler

The Illinois Landscape

Contractors Association is excited to announce the launch of a public awareness campaign. This campaign owes its origins to the 3-year strategic plan developed in 2016 and launched by the ILCA Board. Work on the campaign officially began in 2017 when ILCA reached out to marketing firms for proposals. At the beginning of 2018, the Board fell in love with Bing Bang, a firm out of West Des Moines, Iowa, to lead the campaign. They, working with a subcommittee of our Board, Executive Director Scott Grams, and Marketing Manager Marissa Stubler, have developed a series of creative elements to tell our story. The campaign was created with the members of ILCA in mind. The goal of the campaign is to elevate the public’s perception of landscape professionals so that it matches the pride our members have – in themselves, their companies, their

employees, and their craft. The purpose of the campaign is to raise the level of professional esteem and to equip the public with information on how to hire, work with, and most of all, treat, talented landscape professionals. ILCA recognizes our members are landscape professionals and they have a story to tell. Those that attended the Annual Party and Member Meeting on November 8th already got a sneak peek. We debuted our brand video to rave reviews from ILCA members in attendance. The brand video is the longest of the creative content, but also the most inspiring. For those of you who were unable to attend, here is your sneak peek. The campaign consists of a brand video and three key messages: how to hire a reputable contractor, how to deal with a bad landscaper, and the real cost of DIY. These messages will be told through videos, infographics, photos, and digital ads.

The Landscape Contractor December 2018

eness Campaign in 2019

n of landscape professionals and ILCA members Brand Video

The brand video focuses on ILCA members discussing their passions, what drives them forward, and the joys of creating landscaping as art every day. We wanted to create something that excites, brings goosebumps, and even a tear to the eye of our members. We wanted something that members can proudly display on their websites and social media sites. According to Membership Committee Chair Ashley Marrin, the brand video does just that. “The brand video truly captures the passion we have for our landscape industry and why it is important to work with a professional,” Ashley said. “I am thrilled that this video will help inform the public of the professionalism, knowledge, and dedication the ILCA members have. We are so blessed to be a part of such a wonderful association and industry.”

The Landscape Contractor December 2018

Special Preview How to Hire a Reputable Contractor

Many consumers have the sense that they want to hire someone they can trust, but struggle with how to find that person. To help tell this message, we hired Steve. Who is Steve you ask? Steve is the average, everyday Illinois husband and dad living life in a neighborhood just like many of your customers. He is currently working with a reputable, ILCA contractor, and has nothing but great things to say about his experience. His neighbors on the other hand, are not so lucky. See, they hired Chuck because they wanted to save a few bucks. This scripted content shows the experience many landscape customers have when hiring an unprofessional service provider. They eventually grow frustrated and annoyed, but as Chuck says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;You get what you get.â&#x20AC;?

How to Deal with a Bad Landscaper

This video focuses on ILCA members talking about the importance of hiring a contractor that has insurance and is qualified. It also mentions other things to look for when hiring a contractor: ILCA membership, awards, licenses, testi-

monials, pride, professionalism, and more. In addition to the video, we have created an infographic that outlines the steps a consumer should take if they have hired a bad landscaper.

We are ILCA and we are 34

The Landscape Contractor December 2018

The Real Cost of DIY

Many homeowners think that doing it themselves will save tons of money. This video shows the hassle of doing it yourself and that leaving it to the professionals is not as expensive as one would think. The purpose of this scripted video is to flip consumers who are on the fence about hiring a landscape professional. We know that if we make them customers once, we will make them customers for life.

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Next?

Discover the entire public awareness campaign at ILCAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s booth at iLandscape 2019. The campaign will debut shortly after iLandscape using a multi-pronged distribution strategy. The face of professional landscape companies will be everywhere in 2019.

excited to tell our story. The Landscape Contractor December 2018

Enfoque: Sección en Español

iLandscape

The illinois + wisconsin Landscape Show

Descubra su elemento —

con educación Quatro elemento Earth, Wind, Fire and Water Por Meta Levin

Plantas exuberantes. Historia.

Negocios. Árboles. Color. Conservación. Las ofertas de iLandscape Education 2019 incluirán todo eso y más. Los planificadores esperan que asistan más de 2,000 personas solo a las sesiones educativas, programadas del 30 de enero al 1 de febrero de 2019 en el Schaumberg Convention Center. Según Kim Hartman, Presidenta de Educación de ILCA, será colorida, histórica, quizá algunas veces un poco histérica, pero siempre llena del tipo de información que usted puede llevar consigo y utilizar al día siguiente. “Los eventos se planificaron con un ojo en lo práctico”, afirma. Y eso incluye introducir la mayor cantidad de información posible, de una forma más cómoda. Las sesiones comenzarán más temprano – a las 8 a.m. Cada sesión durará 75 minutos, en lugar de los 90 minutos de años anteriores. Habrá cinco opciones por marco temporal. “El desafío es mantenerla fresca”, afirma Hartmann. Y atraer una amplia base. Y, por supuesto, dar crédito a quien corresponda: habrá

muchos CEU para arquitectos paisajistas y arboricultores.

No habrá conferencista inaugural = Más expertos

Si bien este año no habrá conferencista inaugural, esto no significa que no habrá expertos reconocidos y a la vanguardia en sus respectivos campos. Hartmann se siente animada por muchas de las presentaciones y los presentadores, pero especialmente por Tony Avent de Plant Delights Nursery, Inc., quien se concentrará en “cómo incrementar la diversidad botánica prestando más atención a los colores, las texturas, los tamaños y las formas”. Si está buscando formas frescas para incluir la diversidad botánica en los jardines que usted diseña, Avent planea cubrir este tema. “Hablará sobre cómo utilizar plantas subutilizadas, algunas que puedan tener más elasticidad y más interés las cuatro estaciones”, afirma Hartmann.

The Landscape Contractor December 2018

old faces, representing different parts of the industry. “We want to attract new people,” she says. That means new attendees and new people on the committee. “We feel that the committee should be made up of all ages and that we should get fresh blood on it regularly.” Committee members listen to feedback from show attendees, adjusting offerings based on what they hear. She points to improvements in parking and food especially. “We want to know what we can do to get better,” she says. Over the years, as technology has changed the way people do business, Turner sees fewer sales and more networking done at iLandscape, but vendors do not consider that detrimental. In fact, it might have turned out to be better for them. They have an opportunity to talk with current and potential customers in person, to develop relationships. “If people leave the show with good feelings, and like the vendors they have met, then they are more likely to buy from them in the future,” she says. The committee is working to tweak the mix of vendors, based on what attendees have said that they want to see. “They have said that they want more than plants, bricks and equipment,” she says. Turner traces her love of the industry back to her childhood, when she helped her father in the garden. He was an ardent gardener, caring for houseplants, as well. Their home backed up to a forest preserve, which served as a playground. There, she learned to appreciate nature, including insects, reptiles and assorted woodland creatures. By the time Turner headed for college, she knew that she was going to study horticulture. She might have pre-

ferred landscape architecture, but women were discouraged from that major. “Landscape architecture classes were 98 percent men,” she says. Over the years, she has returned to school, taking landscape design and construction classes. For the last 17 years she has worked in both design and sales, putting her horticulture knowledge to good use. She works for Infinity Lawn and Landscape in Frankfort, IL. She has passed her love of the outdoors on to her two children, who have gardens of their own. In whatever spare time she has, Turner loves to travel, take photographs, volunteer and cook. She comes from a large, extended family, and cooking for them on holidays is her way of unwinding, she says. Right now, however, she is focused on the 2019 iLandscape Show. “We want people to have a good time and to come away with a good feeling,” she says.

Está bien, hablemos de los árboles...

Habrá varias sesiones relacionadas con árboles, incluyendo “El cómo, el qué y los porqués del crecimiento y los reglamentos arbóreos” con Patrick Anderson, Rainbow Treecare Scientific Advancements; “Enfermedades de árboles y arbustos” con Brian Hudelson, Clínica de Diagnóstico de las Enfermedades de las Plantas de la Universidad de Wisconsin-Madison; “Nuevos olmos para las ciudades estadounidenses y cómo entrenarlos para un futuro productivo” con Kris Bachtell, The Morton Arboretum; “La Ciencia Práctica apoya las mejores prácticas de

plantación de árboles” con Gary Watson, The Morton Arboretum; “Poda adecuada para una mejor floración y salud de las plantas” con Richard Hentschel de los Servicios de Extensión de la Universidad de Illinois; “Poda y Plantación estructurales; cruciales para mejorar su juego” con Ed Gillman de la Universidad de la Florida, y “Plantas leñosas, dignas de espacios pequeños” con Jo Ellen Meyer, The Hoosier Gardiner. El cambio climático ha generado más problemas. Hartmann señala primaveras frías y húmedas, inundaciones y tormentas eléctricas. Como resultado, “En el último lapso de tres a cinco años, hemos tenido más problemas de enfermedades”, dice. Los cultivadores se preguntan qué árboles necesitarán los contratistas de servicios de paisajismo en el próximo período de cinco a 10 años, porque eso tomará cultivar árboles grandes y sanos, afirma Hartmann. Con los cambios climáticos, los contratistas de servicios de paisajismo y los cultivadores están trabajando para averiguarlo.

Trayendo negocios

Los asistentes también han pedido más sesiones relacionadas con los negocios. “Uno de nuestros mayores desafíos es la mano de obra”, asegura Hartmann. “Nuestra gente está tratando de atraer, conservar y contratar empleados. Por lo que tendremos más sesiones sobre cómo conservar a la gente valiosa”. Sesiones como, “Remuneración de los empleados en la industria de céspedes y paisajismo” con Fred Haskett del Harvest Group; “IM4U: Cómo gestionar la mano de obra paisajista en la era digital” con Kirk Brown de

The Landscape Contractor December 2018

Enfoque: Sección en Español

Descubra su elemento — con

John Bartram Lives, Olmsted Lives; “Cómo crear una cultura empresarial distintiva y excepcional” con Lee Fredericks de Rainbow Treecare Science Advancements; “Incentivos y motivación de los empleados” con Paul Kimicata de Kimicata Brothers, Inc.; y “Dé a sus empleados C.R.A.P. y otros 7 secretos para conservar a los empleados” con Jeff Kortes de Human Asset Management LLC, todos tratarán sobre ese tema.

¡Traigan las plantas!

Usted está esperando plantas, flores y similares, ¿no? Usted suspira por las plantas exuberantes (Plant-Porn), como lo promete la primera frase de este artículo. El comité de iLandscape Education no decepciona. “La gente quiere colores y algo excepcionalmente interesante”, asegura Hartmann. “Plantas exuberantes (Plant-Porn): ¡Haremos que desee probarlas!” presentará un panel de profesionales, moderado por Kevin McGowen de Kaknes Landscape Supply, y lo dejará suspirando con su discusión sobre las plantas que “soplan sus cabellos hacia atrás”. Los panelistas hablarán sobre todo tipo de plantas, desde anuales hasta árboles, de una forma que aumentará su presión arterial. Le advierten que podría necesitar una ducha fría después de la conferencia.

Favoritos familiares

Gregory Pierceall, profesor emérito del Departamento de Arquitectura Paisajista de la Purdue University y nombre muy conocido para los miem38

educación bros de ILCA y los lectores de la revista The Landscape Contractor, guiará a los asistentes a través de las “Críticas al diseño paisajista, diseño de sitios”. Tratará sobre los elementos de los buenos diseños paisajistas y de sitios, con énfasis en la estructura, las formas y los componentes que hacen un buen diseño paisajista funcional y bello. El diseño, dice, es “invisible hasta que deja de ser funcional”. Y regresará el popular y bien conocido Roy Diblik, de Northwind Perennial Farm, para presentar junto con Gerould Wilhelm, Director de Investigaciones del Conservation Research Institute, “Compartiendo ideas sobre comunidades de plantas existentes y diseñadas”. Wilhelm seguirá esa presentación con otra: “Consiliencia, armonía y el camino”. Con respecto a la consiliencia y la armonía, son palabras relacionadas entre sí que significan concordancia y adecuación entre las partes de algo.

Plantas de otra madre

Si desea más, verifique éstas opciones: “Anuales que dan resultados” con C.L. Fornari, orador, escritor, presentador radial; “Paisajismo en conjuntos de uno: Enfoque en combinaciones de plantas” con Tony Avent de Plant Delights Nursery, Inc.; “Anuales con follajes fantásticos” con Mark Dwyer de Rotary Botanical Gardens, Janesville, WI; “Sabiduría con raíces profundas” con Jenks Farmer de JenksFarmer.com Plantsman Nursery; “Período sabático para la libertad de las plantas” con Austin Eischeid de Austin Eischeid The Landscape Contractor December 2018

Garden Design; “El nuevo jardín de plantas perennes: Diseño y mantenimiento” con Bobbie Schwartz de Bobbie’s Green Thumb; “Plantas para áreas problemáticas” con Melinda Myers, experta en jardinería de renombre nacional, presentadora de radio y televisión, escritora y columnista; “El jardín ingenioso” con Bobbie Schwartz de Bobbie’s Green Thumb; “Carmen Miranda en el MedioOeste” con Irvin Etienne del Museo de Arte Moderno de Indianapolis; y “Migrando hacia el Norte: Inspiración de una paleta de plantas sureñas” con Jared Barnes de la Universidad Estatal Stephen F. Austin.

Y la categoría final es un popurrí

Sostenibilidad ambiental, conservación y ecología, tienen todas un lugar en una industria que se autodefine como verde. Eso incluye la belleza y los aspectos prácticos de cómo atraer mariposas y otros polinizadores. Jane Grillo de Midwest Groundcovers and Butterflyjane.com guiará a los asistentes a través de “Su papel en la conservación de mariposas monarcas y polinizadores.” O escuche a Bryce Lane de la Universidad de North Carolina hablar sobre “Lo que vale: Promover lo verde en la industria verde”. Se concentrará en cómo atraer una nueva generación de clientes preocupados por el entorno, así como de las ventajas para la salud de un paisaje “verde”. El miembro de ILCA, Jack Pizzo, de The Pizzo Group hablará sobre “Paisajismo con flores silvestres” y Roch

Gaussoin de la Universidad de Nebraska guiará a los asistentes a través de “Ecología y control del coquillo amarillo, una mala hierba difícil de controlar”.

Y el final

El comité no ha olvidado que también usamos elementos sólidos en nuestros jardines. Echemos un vistazo: “El travertino probado en el mercado y por qué debe instalarlo”, con Randy Weldshofer de TruStone Distributors y Jeff Werner de Werner Hardscapes, enfatizará las prácticas de instalación y las opciones de diseño, destacando los beneficios del travertino turco. Continuado en el campo de los elementos sólidos en jardinería, Pete Baloglou de Techo-Bloc Midwest Corporation y popularmente conocido como “Pete el adoquín” dirigirá a los asistentes durante una sesión práctica sobre adoquines permeables, incluyendo toda la parafernalia de accesorios. “Ventas de elementos de concreto

101 para el contratista residencial” con Bill Gardocki de Interstate Landscape Co., se concentrará en la licitación y venta de proyectos residenciales. Si va a diseñar y desea utilizar algunas de estas ideas, debe prestar atención a las tareas diarias de mantener el negocio próspero. Aquí de nuevo el Comité de Educación está prestando atención de una forma que lo mantendrá sonriente e informado. Merit Gest de Merit-Based Sales Development le advertirá sobre lo que tiene que evitar en “Del mito al dinero: 5 mitos que los mejores vendedores evitan”. Promete que además de llevarse herramientas para mejorar sus técnicas de venta, reirá durante toda la sesión. Mark Bradley de Landscape Management Network también le dará algunos consejos para “Sobrecargar sus proceso de ventas”. Bradley le proporcionará información práctica sobre cómo utilizar la tecnología para identificar dónde debe hacer cambios, concentrar sus energías de ventas, identificar sus

mejores oportunidades y evitar dificultades para permanecer enfocado en el éxito de la compañía. Sea inteligente con respecto a su negocio. Susan Martin de Gardener Sue’s News cubrirá, “De sobrevivir a prosperar, cómo generar ingresos de los actuales consumidores” y el miembro de ILCA, Dean MacMorris, de Night Light, Inc., le enseñará “Cómo las redes de contactos y las conexiones pueden estimular el crecimiento de su negocio”, dándole las ocho reglas de las conexiones en redes, así como estrategias y técnicas para iniciar conversaciones. “Le enseñaremos a nuestros asistentes cómo usar las herramientas que les estamos proporcionando”, afirma Hartmann.

Descubra su elemento — January 30 — February 1, 2019 iLANDSCAPESHOW.COM

The Landscape Contractor December 2018

Committee Chair Profile

Golf Committee Chair — Jim Slattery by Meta Levin

Don’t tell

the ILCA Golf Committee that interest in the sport has waned. In 2018 the event was sold out - golfers and sponsors. Jim Slattery, the new committee chair, plans to keep it that way. Slattery, a veteran of six years on the Golf Committee, is an avid golfer - the reason he ended up on the committee in the first place. Looking to become active in ILCA, he asked if any committees needed help. When ILCA events manager Terre Houte mentioned the Golf Committee, Slattery knew he had found his home. Over the years, he has watched the Golf Outing evolve. “Now, it has turned into a destination event,” he says. Formerly, vendors bought one or more foursomes, taking their best clients to play golf. Now, however, the landscape contractors – the vendors’ clients – are buying foursomes and treating their customers to a round of golf and a pleasant day. “This year (2018) we had a waiting list of golfers and we had to turn away sponsors.” One fairly new vendor member was told that the Golf Outing was a “can’t miss” event, so they had to hurry up and secure a place. They did. In 2016 the event was expanded from 18 holes to 27 holes and it still was sold out. It took some leg work, though. Immediate past chair, Jim Bilinski and Slattery, walked around iLandscape and talked with vendors. Committee members personally contacted potential sponsors. There were phone calls, faceto-face visits and a flurry of emails. It all worked. 40

Slattery knows what it takes and plans to do it again in 2019. A veteran of more than 25 years in the industry, Slattery was working for Tandy Corporation when a friend started a masonry business and invited him to join. “Somehow he convinced me to leave my desk job and come work out in the field as a mason,” says Slattery. For more than 18 years he worked with two long-time friends. He enjoyed it, but, as he puts it, at some point “my body said stop and I listened.” He went to work at Illinois Brick selling the materials he used to install. A few years later, he moved to a similar position at Lafarge/Holcim, where he has been the last five years. “Being in this industry, I got to know a lot of people,” he says. “I talk the language.” He often goes out on job sites, using his knowledge to help his customers, who also know that he is a golfer.

The Landscape Contractor December 2018

This makes them more receptive when he talks about the golf outing. Slattery’s interests also range to classic cars. He often watches TV shows that feature the cars, but doesn’t own any himself. A family man, Slattery is married with three children. His wife, Lisa, is a manager at the Crate & Barrel call center. “She is calm and is in charge of 30 to 40 employees,” he says. Their oldest child, Colin, is a PGA professional golfer in Rochester, New York, where he is a pro and competes in local tournaments. Four years ago, before becoming a professional, but after finishing college, he won $10,000 by getting a hole-in-one at the ILCA Golf Outing. Middle child, Emma, is a senior at Augustana College in Rock Island, IL and their youngest, Brian, is a senior at Oswego East High School. He, also, plays golf. Slattery’s work on the ILCA Golf Committee is a labor of love. He points to his fellow committee members, as well as the ILCA staff, who, he says, “are extremely organized and make everything happen.” The work resulted in happiness all around in 2018, which Slattery is hoping will be the result in 2019, as well.

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41 11/7/18 7:50 AM

Turf Update —

by Meta Levin

“Everybody has different

learning styles,” Aaron J. Patton, PhD, Associate Professor of Agronomy at Purdue University. “We all communicate in different ways.” Smartphones have allowed us to access and share information across any number of platforms, customizing it for whatever works for us and for our colleagues and customers. Apps are a crucial part of that. And, as Patton demonstrated to a roomful of attendees at Turf Education Day (TED), there’s an app or a website for nearly everything. Turf MD: $.99 Version 1.0 (March 2016) Published by the American Phytopathological Society Interactive. Identifies and provides information so that turf professionals can identify and manage turfgrass diseases. It was designed for golf course superintendents, sports turf managers, turf scientists, extension professionals and anyone else responsible for turfgrass health. It includes images, diagnostic keys, decision support tools and recommendations.

Turf MD

Turfpath: Free Allows users to track, identify and manage turfgrass pests from an app on a smartphone. Database of diseases, insects and weeds. Users can share information and it is integrated with social media. ID Weeds: Free Version 3.02 University of Missouri Extension Created by a weed scientist, it features different crops and will contain a lot of non-relevant information for turfgrass professionals. Allows users to search for weeds by their common and Latin names, view lists of weeds and identify them based on several different characteristics. Includes photographs.

The Landscape Contractor December 2018

Turf Update — Turfgrass Management Calculator: University of Georgia This app can help calculate fuel, mowing area and a number of other calculations specific to the agriculture industry. This includes fertilizer, irrigation, pesticides and calibration. For instance, it will help determine spray volume or the mixture amounts of various fertilizers. Patton warns that it has not been updated recently.

$8.49

Plant Sample Submission: Free Mccullouch Consulting LLC This is a sample submission app that allows farmers, gardeners, landscapers, arborists, agricultural specialists and others to submit digital photo samples to a university plant diagnostic lab for identification or diagnosis. Some of these labs may charge a fee, so it is important to check before submitting.

Version 2.12

•

Purdue Turf Tips – Weed of the Month Series https://turf.purdue.edu/weedofthemonth.html

•

Michigan State University – http://www.msuturfweeds.net/

•

Growing Degree Day tracker – http://www.gddtrcker.net/

•

Soil Temperature Maps – http://www.greencastonline. com/tools/soil-temperature

•

Mobile Weed Manual – http://www.mobileweedmanual.com/default.html

Patton also suggested some textbooks:

Purdue Turf Doctor: $1.99 Version 1.01 Purdue University Developed by Patton and other experts from Purdue University, it is designed to help homeowners and land managers diagnose and address turfgrass problems caused by weeds, insects, diseases, nuisance animals and abiotic stress, among other things. Turfgrass management professionals and garden center personnel also can use this app to improve communication with customers. The information in this app is targeted to those in the Midwestern and Eastern United States. Patton notes that it hasn’t been updated in a year, because of the cost of doing so.

There also are a number of websites that Patton believes are useful for turf management professionals. They include:

•

Fundamentals of Turfgrass Management, ISBN 9781119204633 ($100)

•

Turfgrass Weed Control for Professionals, ISBN 9781593980207 ($20) Also available at https://mdc.itap.purdue.edu?

•

Weeds of the Midwestern United States and Central Canada, ISBN 080335061 ($29)

•

Weeds of the Northeast, ISBN 0801483344 ($26)

•

Color Atlas of Turfgrass Weeds, 2nd edition, ISBN 0470189517 ($90), Used – 1st or 2nd edition good

•

Weed Control in Turf and Ornamentals, ISBN 0131591223 ($82), used, out of print

•

Weeds of Arkansas Lawns, Turf, roadsides, Recreational Areas, A Guide to Identification

•

For sale at http://pubs.uaex.edu/pubsWebUser.asp (search for MP169 in the keyword)

•

Wild Flowers and Ferns of Indiana Forests, ISBN 9780253223258 ($17)

•

Wild Urban Plants of the Northeast: A Field Guide, ISBN 9780801474583 ($18)

•

What’s That Flower? ISBN 9781465405920 ($9)

The Landscape Contractor December 2018

We look forward to serving you in 2019!

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P: 847-742-1790 F: 847-742-2655 MGSALES@MIDWESTGROUNDCOVERS.COM WWW.MIDWESTGROUNDCOVERS.COM

The Landscape Contractor December 2018

Groundcovers & vines native Plants Perennials ornamental Grasses deciduous shrubs roses conifers & broadleaf everGreens

Special Feature —

Three Key Principles to Create a More Profit — More Free Time — and Organically Grow a Great Company by Meta L. Levin

Domenic Chiarella

began his 2018 iLandscape presentation by showing a photograph of three smiling little girls with Minnie Mouse, clearly taken during a visit to Disney World. This isn’t just a proud father showing off his children, although he is that, too; this is a key part of his message and where his journey to changing his life and how he ran his business began. “My major message is how they can make their businesses more profitable, while creating more time for themselves,” and, he says, by extension, their families. Chiarella spoke to an enthusiastic crowd on “Three Key Principles to Create More Profit, More Free Time and Organically Grow a Great Company.” ILCA: Chiarella’s story starts at Disney

World. A successful landscape contractor, he decided to take his family, including his triplet daughters, then about three years old, on a special vacation to Disney World. He may have left town on vacation, but his business didn’t leave him. “I was still in command and control mode,” he says. “I picked up my phone whenever it rang. Every single question came to me.” That meant that he was facilitating every detail for his eight crews and two staff members.” He was taking phone calls all day long, until one daughter yanked his hand and said, “Daddy, look where we are. Please get off the phone.” Another grabbed his pant leg. When he said, “Just one more call,” his third daughter,

“stopped me in my tracks.” “No, Daddy,” she said. “You’re on the phone all the time.” His daughters, he realized, wanted his attention, focus and time. “And I wasn’t giving it to them.” It was a wake-up call. “I didn’t have a clue of what to do, but I knew I had to change my business,” he says. “It took me a while, but I found a new way.” During that time, he read books about leadership and business, took courses and talked with others in the industry and business. “In 1996, I was working 24/7, and sales were less than $1 million, but 10 years later, my business was making $15 million and I was only working 10 hours a week,” he says. Three key principles helped him suc-

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ceed and get more time with his family. They are employee development, leadership development and system development. “They are simple to understand, but take hard work to implement,” he says. Employee Development Employee development is people development, says Chiarella. This starts in the hiring phase. “Hire for values first and skills second.” Look for the right culture you want in your company and hire people who fit. “Most people are good people. But not all of them share my values.” Have a robust employee orientation in place and use it for everyone. Stress the things that are important to you and your company, such as client service.

Continue to invest in your employees. Career development and continuing education are crucial to your company’s growth. Leadership Development Leadership development has three components: worker to coach and mentor; create a strategic objective – vision and direction; and establish and record your values – the right fit. If you think that Chiarella focuses heavily on values, you are correct. They are crucial to making everything work. He ticks off core values: family and community oriented (first and foremost); serve the client, educate and develop the employees, and everything is about the image (spotless trucks, uniforms and

The Landscape Contractor December 2018

Special Feature — everything done right down to clean bathrooms). “The first step in growing a business is to start thinking in a new way,” says Chiarella. For instance, the old way meant that if there was a problem, you, as the business owner, solved it. For Chiarella thinking in the new way meant becoming a coach and mentor to his employees. “Give them the tools and mentor your people so that they learn to solve the problems themselves.” He set up the “Ultimate University” for everyone with whom he does business, including the clients and subcontractors. The key is that you teach employees to solve the problems in ways consistent with your values. Thus, the people you hire must have values harmonious with yours. When you become a coach and mentor, you all are on the same page.

“The next time they encounter a similar problem, they will have the tools to solve it,” he says. Have a clear strategic objective. This does not have to be a complex business plan pages and pages long. It can be a single page that spells out the company’s future. Then share it with your employees, your clients, your vendors and everyone who connects with your customers. In it, you should make clear: 1. Who are your clients and employees 2. What services you do and don’t offer 3. When you will get where you want to be with sales and profit margin 4. Where is your client service area? 5. Why - your values He believes that this one-page document helps give everyone direction, as well as the reason why.

System Development Chiarella divides “system development” into three sections: departmental systems; inter-departmental systems; and flows and templates. Not only do you have to hire people who reflect your values, but he believes that the systems run the company and people run the systems. As part of his systems, Chiarella divided his company into departments, each of which had a systems and flows designed to run it: sales, production, accounting and human resources. The interdepartmental systems acted as the connective tissue between the departments. “Everyone knows what everyone else is doing,” he says. So, for instance, those involved in client management are connected to sales, production and accounting in such a way that all communicate and

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understand what the other is doing, making it easy to work together. Flows show how the systems flow through the company. For example, great invoicing in accounting comes from concise work orders in production, comes from clear contracts in sales. “It is connected and must work and flow as one,” he says. Templates are designed to ensure that the work has consistency and that everyone has the same outcomes. “Systems run the company and the employees run the systems,” says Chiarella. Chiarella put these systems in place, so that his employees had a way to run the company and because he wanted to be a part of his children’s lives. He wanted to be a husband and father who was engaged. In the process, he did not forget that his employees have families, too. He saw

how easy it was to forget his family to his business and he did not want his employees to fall victim to that fate, too. Chiarella sold his company in 2010 to become not only the father to his daughters, but also a workshop leader, speaker and business developer. In 2017 he became a partner to Diaz Group, LLC, where he is helping to create a “community minded company, education with a university and a vendor consortium where employees, vendors and clients can achieve success,” he says. True to his goals, he ended his presentation with pictures of his three young daughters at Disney World and at their college graduation. “One of my proudest moments,” he says.

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An Integrated View of Recruitment, Retention, and Removal

by Meta Levin

Smart business

owners are always on the lookout for potential employees, Steven Cesare, Ph.D., Human Resources Expert for The Harvest Group, told about 325 people during the 2018 iLandscape Show. “Employee triage dictates that owners must stop thinking about recruitment as an independent topic,” says Cesare. “Rather, recruitment must be considered simultaneously with employee retention and replacement. All three must work together as a single staffing solution for the company to succeed.” Cesare’s presentation, “Employee Triage: An Integrated View of Recruitment, Retention, and Removal,” addressed the current competitive labor market and strategies to find and keep the best employees. He based his presentation on lessons learned from 35 years in the human resources field, working for everyone from large corporations to landscape contractors. Cesare recognizes that human resources is complex and often intimidating for small business owners. “Most of the people in that room probably saw themselves as too busy to do human resources themselves,” he says. “But if you don’t have a strong human resources foundation, your house could come tumbling down.” So, he says, if you don’t do it yourself, “have a qualified consultant do it for you.” Cesare commended those who attended the program. “It’s important to go to an event like this once every year,” he says. “Professional development is important.” Most people in the green industry complain about employee recruitment, he says, but when Cesare asked his audience 50

if they could get enough people if they paid $20 an hour, everyone said yes. Then, “you are not working hard enough to get them,” he says. The drivers of organizational success include achievement, accountability and alignment. All are integrated, says Cesare. So, for instance, alignment includes having a strategy or business plan; building a structure with that in mind; establishing processes to ensure that work is done; rewarding employees and hiring and retaining the right people. Recruiting, Cesare emphasized, is a cohesive process. This means looking at your entire workforce. To do this, Cesare presented a Performance Planning Matrix. “You have to classify the work performances of your employees,” he says. The matrix has four major classifications: Deadwood, Problem Employees, Work Horses and Stars. Deadwood is comprised of those employees who are not performing well and who are unlikely to be coachable. “Get rid of them,” says Cesare. Pinpoint problem employees – those who are coachable and could become good workers – and then work with them to improve their performance. You also need the “work horses.” These are the reliable ones, those who show up every day, do their jobs, but who are unlikely to be promoted or rise beyond their current levels. And then there are your stars. These are the employees who most likely will earn promotions, who you can count on to go above and beyond the minimum expected, to think outside of the box and who are eager to learn something new. The Landscape Contractor December 2018

Once you have identified those worth keeping, set up a plan to keep them - an employee retention plan. “It is a competitive labor market,” he says. “With 4 percent unemployment, just about everyone has a job. We need to find the best employees and get them to come to work for us.” In the current climate, many people are too slow to replace under-performing employees. That’s not only a result of a tight job market. Such things as the fear of inadvertently hiring someone without the right or with no documentation, other legal fears, lack of employment practices liability insurance, lack of a proactive recruitment plan, managers unskilled in performance management and the attitude that the devil we know is better than one we don’t know. Once you’ve found good employees, you must do everything possible to keep them. Retention fundamentals include: • Pay equity •

Competitive benefits

•

Public recognition

• Status • Meritocracy •

Sincere and timely appreciation

So, you need to pay more, get rid of those who aren’t cutting it and keep the good ones. That’s why you must be constantly recruiting. How to do that? Cesare has some suggestions: (continued on page 52)

Special Feature — (continued from page 50) 1. Have a job open house. Invite prospective and current employees. 2. Use video online or send it to prospective employees. “It’s not just putting an ad in the newspaper anymore,” Cesare says. 3. Pay your employees for referrals. “You are paying them to be your headhunters,” he says. “Make the program company-wide.” 4. Offer competitive wages. “It’s time to overpay,” he says. “The economy is booming.” Whether or not you need new employees right now, roll out a company referral program with lots of fanfare. “Here are the terms of the program,” Cesare says as if he is presenting to a group of employees. “You get so much if the person is hired and shows up for work the first day. You get another payment if, after 30 days, he is still working for the company and you get

those who you want to put on your list of prospective employees. In the same vein, have a job application ready. You never know when you’re going to find someone who looks like a winner. Take some time to put together a job description, including what a career with your company could look like for the right person. Outline the job compensation and benefits. Have a plan ready to go before you hire someone new. This should include job and company orientation, on-boarding – a mechanism through which new employees are given the necessary knowledge, tools and other information to allow them to get a good start on the job, and, especially, programs to provide crucial training. As part of your constant recruitment, once a week, give over a few hours to have staff interviews. Do this even if you do not need anyone new. Keep a list of those who you think would be good employees. These interviews will serve not only to give you a list of prospective

a third installment after 90 days.” You can bet that the referring employee will become an extra-curricular coach and quasi-mentor to the new hire. “He’ll whisper in his ear to help keep him,” he says. So, reach deep into your pocket to make the dollar amount worth it. Remind the employees of the program regularly. You can use a quarterly payroll stuffer – a flier included in the paycheck envelope. If you are having a job open house, or even an employee referral program, it’s best to be prepared with recruitment tools. Invest in some company marketing materials that can be used to introduce anyone to your business, not just prospective employees. Use your business cards. Give them to prospective employees. Let your own employees distribute them to people they think would make good workers. Prepare some screening questions to weed out those who you don’t want to talk with any further, as well as to identify

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The Landscape Contractor December 2018

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New Member Profile Snapshot

Dutch Valley, Inc. Beecher, IL 60401 (708) 946-2449 www.dutchvalleyinc.net

by Meta Levin

When Jason Musch bought Dutch Valley,

Inc. from his father, the business was focused on roadside restoration, with a small amount of commercial maintenance. My how things have changed in the last five years. Dutch Valley, Inc. does commercial property maintenance for South Chicago and North West Indiana, as well as commercial landscape services and snow and ice removal. It all began about 30 years ago when Musch’s father and uncle, Jim and Bob Musch started a business in South Holland, IL, eventually moving it to Monee, IL where they began a mulch manufacturing company called Rainbow Farms. By the time Jason Musch became involved, the company had 15 employees and was known for its IDOT road restoration work. When they moved out of the road work, the number of employees dropped to its current 10, plenty to handle the varied work that they have, he says. One of these employees has been with the company since before Musch bought it from his father. “It’s all about relationships,” he says. “He stuck with me and I’m glad that he did.” With all the commercial work that Dutch Valley handles, Musch has had a ring side seat to many of the trends in the industry, including increasing requests from property managers to incorporate green or sustainable practices into its landscape management. Musch has responded one step at a time, evaluating each to assess its success. For instance, both employees and customers were pleased when Dutch Valley introduced battery powered trimmers. “The guys like them, because they are light weight and don’t blow exhaust in their faces,” he says. The customers are happy, because they perceive them as more energy efficient, do a good job and because there is no exhaust, as well. Dutch Valley also has started an organic fertilizer program. 56

The results, says Musch, are similar, if not better than using the chemicals that they previously employed. Musch grew up in the business, learning by working with his father and uncle. Originally, he thought that he would study business in college, but realized that he would be happier in horticulture. He now holds an associate degree in horticulture, turf and landscape construction from Joliet Junior College. Even with the good education, Musch admits that the transition from the owner’s son to the owner was challenging. “It’s difficult to prepare yourself,” he says. “When you are the owner, it all stops with you and you have to wear many hats. I had to learn how to manage.” His education process brought him to ILCA. “I have to be constantly learning,” he says. Pointing to The Landscape Contractor magazine, he believes that it is “a benefit to read the articles.” He has also taken advantage of training and education opportunities throughout the year and particularly at iLandscape. Best of all, he believes that the level of professionalism that ILCA has, “embraces everything that I stand for,” he says. Every Saturday Musch’s two sons, ages eight and five, come to work with him. They help clean up equipment and with other age appropriate tasks. He and his wife, Lorrie, a junior high school math teacher, also enjoy taking the boys to Michigan, an hour’s drive away, where they can play along the Lake Michigan shoreline. All in all, he is pleased with the decision to go into the family business. “I enjoy what I’m doing,” he says.

The Landscape Contractor December 2018

Classified Ads HELP WANTED

HELP WANTED

Entry Level Landscape Professional

Landscape_Company_) profiles to view examples of our work.

Account Manager

Woodlawns Landscape Company is seeking a professional with entry-level experience in the landscape industry who is interested in taking the next step in his or her career. We are in need of an individual who would like to join our innovative, out-of-the-box, fast paced team, as our company has tripled in growth in the last 5 years. Woodlawns is a fun place to work that provides room for growth and career advancement. With over 100 high profile sites, including retail, industrial, and commercial properties alike in both the city of Chicago and surrounding suburbs, we are looking for a unique professional to imagine, design, and install the most creative seasonal color in the industry. We take pride in our designs, enjoy our work family, and challenge ourselves to be ahead of the curve, setting the tone for seasonal color in Chicagoland. This position will work closely with the Seasonal Color Manager, ensuring the best installations all year round. The ideal candidate will be organized, creative, works well as part of the team, and is not afraid to get dirty. Jobs will be viewed start to finish, from conceptualizing and designing all the way through to installation and clean up, for all the seasons of color. A flexible schedule is a must as this person will be part of overseeing yard inventory, loading, management of materials, and daily on-site installations. The ability to take direction and also provide direction is part of the balance required for this position.

Kinnucan Tree is a 45+ year old, full service landscape design/build, maintenance, tree removal, pest prevention and plant healthcare company currently seeking candidates for a position in our Landscape Maintenance Division as an Account Manager. The position will report to the Landscape Division Manager and focus on client relations and maintain direct control over the Maintenance Foreman responsible for servicing the Account Manager’s clients. A well suited candidate will:

Candidates, please submit your resume to Katrina Kindle at Katrina.kindle@woodlawnslandscape.com

Midwest – Chicagoland Certified Sales Arborist Assist owner in daily operations, sales and client contact for an established territory. Applicant must possess skills in identification of plants, insects and disease. Motivated candidate would be responsible for providing daily work and scheduling for 6 crew members. Qualified leads will be issued. Equipment will include 2 aerial towers, 3 chipper trucks and various size stump machines.

Possess a strong horticultural background. A degree in a related field is a plus. Develop and maintain a strong positive relationship with customer base. Proactively manage properties by identifying and correcting issues before the customer brings them to our attention. Propose corrective course of action to client. Monitor and direct activity of crews, adjusting scheduling to efficiently complete weekly routes. Be personable, outgoing, detailed-oriented, goaloriented and sales driven. Increase company revenue by continuing to find new clients and selling enhancements to existing clients. Be responsible for meeting sales goals monthly and annually.

Full benefits include company vehicle, medical, dental, life insurance and retirement plan. This is a salary plus commission position (6 figures). Submit resume to: Vince Winkler Winkler’s Tree & Landscaping, Inc., P.O. Box 1154 LaGrange Park, IL 60526 708-544-1219 or email to i nfo@winklerstreeservice.com Discretion assured

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The Landscape Contractor December 2018

Classified Ads HELP WANTED

Now is the Time to Join ILCA!

CLASSIFIED ADS CLOSING DATES & RATES January 2019 issue ads: December 15, 2018 February 2019 issue ads: January 8, 2019 PLEASE NOTE: “HELP WANTED” AD SALES ARE LIMITED TO ILCA MEMBER COMPANIES Magazine Cost is $5 per line Minimum charge $50 Website Cost is $12 per line Minimum charge $120 (about 6 words/line) Submit you ads online at ilca.net or call Alycia O’Connor (630) 472-2851

Add an ILCA membership to your iLandscape registration and receive the following: 4 $100 off your first year of membership* 4 Member discounts to iLandscape and other educational programs 4 Invite to ILCA’s new member mixer at iLandscape and be eligible for the new member raffle

Go to ilandscapeshow.com *For Contractors (Class A members) only.

January 30 — February 1, 2019 58

The Landscape Contractor December 2018

Reach more buyers and MAKE MORE SALES! iLandscape 2019: It’s Showtime! The 6th edition of the iLandscape show is right around the corner — Jan. 30 - Feb. 1, 2019! • Plan now to advertise in the February SHOW GUIDE issue of The Landscape Contractor magazine • The SHOW GUIDE is carried within the February issue and is given to EVERY attendee at the event. It is also mailed in advance of the show to every ILCA member and magazine subscriber • The SHOW GUIDE issue is the perfect compliment to your

iLandscape promotion

• Directory advertisers qualify for special advantages in the SHOW GUIDE issue.

Contact Debbie for all the details 817-501-2403 or email — debbie.landscapecontractor@yahoo.com

Successful suppliers know— industry leaders read this magazine. The Landscape Contractor is the Midwest’s premier monthly magazine for the landscape, nursery and green industry as a whole.

• Sales and marketing statistics show that the single best way to reach buyers is through highly-targeted specialty magazines. • This award-winning magazine is frequently hailed as the best magazine of its kind. Put your message in this flattering environment. • The Landscape Contractor has an affordable advertising program for every company that wants to grow.

Make the most of the 2019 sales season! For immediate attention CALL Debbie at 817-501-2403 or email — debbie.landscapecontractor@yahoo.com

The Landscape Contractor December 2018

January 2019 — Pre-Show Issue February 2019 — Show Guide Issue

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The Landscape Contractor December 2018

Before You Go...

Emerging Technologies

That will change how we live and work By Scott Mehaffey

At the end of each season, we typically start evalu-

ating our progress and profitability – at least once the weather makes it too hard to get any work done other than plowing snow. Most landscape contractors embrace technology at all levels of the business, from marketing to sales, design to construction, maintenance to repeat sales. For many, tablets have replaced clipboards and Bluetooth earpieces have replaced handheld mobile devices. Integrated software allows foremen and crew leaders to access documents without making a trip back to the office or waiting for someone to send an email attachment. The “landscape” of the landscape industry continues to look increasingly high-tech. So what are some of the emerging technologies that may impact the way we work in the next few years? Here are some thoughts about three in particular: Data Analytics: Irrigation and more recently, landscape lighting companies, have increased the use of sensors for realtime data acquisition – to monitor performance and consumption and to anticipate maintenance issues. Manufacturers and installers can contract with third-party data analytics service providers when warranted and BIM (Building Information Modeling) systems are becoming increasingly commonplace for corporate, public and multiunit residential buildings. For landscape contractors, data analytics can help us monitor fleet and machinery locations, construction and maintenance operations as well as the efficacy of specific crews or employees. The future lies in gathering the right data at the right time, understanding it well enough to draw useful insights and then optimizing our business activities as a result. This is commonly referred to as the “industrial internet of things” – where the integration of machinery and labor using networked sensors and related software allows us to constantly monitor and improve performance.

Improved Batteries: Vehicle manufacturers are responding to the constant demand of customers who want fewer emissions and improved fuel efficiency. Next-generation battery technology, such as rechargeable lithium-sulphur units, are expected to be widely available by 2025. Coupled with reduced vehicle weight and improved engine efficiency, hybrid and electric vehicles will offer greater fuel economy, reduced emissions and longer run times between charges. Significant reductions in fossil fuel use may however, bring about a new tax structure to supplant the reduction in motor fuel tax revenues. Recent studies by BP suggest that hybrid and battery/electric vehicle sales will account for at least 10% of global vehicle sales by 2023, and that the cost of running a battery/electric vehicle will fall to half of the current cost by 2050. Automation: Automated and semiautomated industries are anticipated to reduce costs and jobs – and the landscape industry will continue to be impacted. Applications may include fully-automated design and job-costing, fully-digital client interface (including sales and billing) and deploying robots to handle hard labor such as excavation, grading and hardscape (presumably with human oversight). Drones are already being used to document site conditions before, during and after construction – but what about crew supervision or selecting plant material in the nursery from your desktop? Automation is likely to become a staple of everyday life. Selfdriving or autonomous vehicles are just one example of the transformative impacts we can expect in the coming years. Editor’s Note: Scott Mehaffey is a landscape architect and Executive Director of the Farnsworth House National Historic Site in Plano, IL. Scott is an ILCA member, a past speaker and instructor, and has held many public- and private-sector positions across the Chicagoland area. This column is meant to challenge, inspire and entertain.

The Landscape Contractor December 2018

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