The Edge September/October 2025

The official magazine of the National Association of Landscape Professionals September/October 2025

The

For Lawn Care, Landscape Maintenance, Design-Build, Tree Care, Nursery, and Irrigation Professionals

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PLUS: Who’s Next in Line? The Importance of Building a Succession Pipeline Predictable Profits: The Case for Flat Monthly Billing Rates Chuy Medrano Named 2025 Lifetime Leader

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Chair Pam Dooley , Plants Creative Landscapes Vice Chair Roscoe Klausing , LIC, Klausing Group BOARD OF DIRECTORS OFFICERS DIRECTORS-AT-LARGE

Landscape Technician Bootcamp Your complete guide to classroom and hands-on training for your crews. landscapeprofessionals.org/bootcamp

Beth Berry, Advanced Turf Solutions Nick Brummel, LIC Brummel Lawn & Landscape, LLC Jennifer Burnett, LandCare Dan Carrothers, SiteOne Landscape Supply Ivan Giraldo,

Upcoming Events ELEVATE PHOENIX, ARIZONA | NOVEMBER 2-5, 2025

Clean Scapes LP Claire Goldman, R&R Landscaping Warren Gorowitz, Hunter Industries John Guth , LIC, Green Lawn Fertilizing, LLC Angela Hieronimus,

Don’t miss NALP’s annual conference and expo, ELEVATE, at the Phoenix Convention Center in Phoenix, Arizona. With education touching on all facets of industry business and the best networking and peer-learning in the industry, this is the one event you and your team members really don’t want to miss. Powered by Caterpillar. nalpelevate.org

Blades of Green Jennifer Jorge ,

King Green Chris Lee ,

NALP EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP PROGRAM CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA | JANUARY 12-15, 2026

Earthworks, Inc. Doug McDuff, Landscape America Will Pereira

Immerse yourself in a transformative experience at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business. Through compelling case studies, dynamic discussions, and insights from world renowned faculty, hone your strategic vision and sharpen leadership skills fit for the industry’s elite. landscapeprofessionals.org/Executive-Leadership-Program LEADERS FORUM SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA | FEBRUARY 4-7, 2026 Network with the industry’s most inspiring CEOs and senior executives at Leaders Forum, our annual executive-level conference. It’s a mix of leadership education, and a deep dive into industry challenges and legislative and regulatory issues, with plenty of time to build and strengthen relationships. Powered by Aspire. landscapeprofessionals.org/leadersforum NATIONAL COLLEGIATE LANDSCAPE COMPETITION EAST LANSING, MICHIGAN | MARCH 18-21, 2026 The National Collegiate Landscape Competition is the top recruiting event of the year. Where else can you go to meet 600 of the nation’s top college landscape and horticulture students? Get a booth at the career fair, network with industry, faculty and suppliers, support students and watch them showcase their skills in more than two dozen events. Powered by STIHL. landscapeprofessionals.org/NCLC

Tim Portland , LIC, Yellowstone Landscape J.T. Price , Landscape Workshop Teddy Russell, Russell Landsape Group Brandon Sheppard, Weedman Chris Senske , Senske Services

National Association of Landscape Professionals landscapeprofessionals.org NALP is the national trade association representing the landscape and lawn care industry that continuously strives for the highest level of professionalism through education, best practices

and certification. Jill Odom, Editor Lisa Stryker, Managing Editor Shane Boyle, Advertising Rob Ghosh, Design 12500 Fair Lakes Circle, Suite 200 Fairfax, VA 22033 800-395-2522 | 703-736-9666 Fax 703-736-9668 © 2025 The Edge is published bimonthly by the National Association of Landscape Professionals expressly as a member service.

National Association of Landscape Professionals 3

The

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26

DEPARTMENTS 6

From the CEO: Leaders Should Always Be Learning The Agronomist: How Advocacy Protects The Pesticides In Your Toolbox

The

8

Why You Can’t Afford To Miss

10 Faces of the Industry: Javier Suarez

BUSINESS SMARTS 18 Protecting Your Business: Who’s Next in Line? The Importance of Building a Succession Pipeline 22 How I Do It: Solutions, Tools and Innovation from First Editions® Shrubs & Trees 24 Boosting Your Business: Predictable Profits: The Case for Flat Monthly Billing Rates 32 Building Your Team: Committing to a Cause: The Power of Community Service THE NALP EXPERIENCE 12 A Labor of Love: Volunteers Beautify National Green Spaces at Renewal & Remembrance 14 NALP Foundations Sparks Student Interest in Landscape Careers at SkillsUSA 16 Secure Your Spot in NALP’s Executive Leadership Program 16 Navigate the Future with Exclusive Insights and Connections at Leaders Forum 30 Conquering Challenges: Converting a Wooded Lot Into a Private Backyard Oasis 42 New Members NALP Production Rate Publication................................................39 NALP & Rancho Mesa Insurance Services.................................19 NALP R&R Thank You..............................................................................15 Proven Winners ColorChoice...............................................................5 Steel Green Manufacturing...............................................................25 STIHL ................................................................................................................ 11 University of Georgia.............................................................................37

38

Meet Jennifer Jorge, the 2025 Woman Leader of the Year

The

sional of the Year 40

4 The Edge // Septembe/October 2025 Advertiser Index Bartlett Tree Experts................................................................................20 Baton Market..............................................................................................21 Billy Goat...........................................................................................................7 Caterpillar..................................................................Inside Front Cover Colorblends................................................................................................. 34 Envu ..........................................................................................................9, 31 Exmark.........................................................................................Back Cover Chuy Medrano Named 2025 Lifetime Leader of the Year 36

Meet Macey Robinson, 2025’s Young Profes

First Editions.........................................................................................22-23 Greenworks Commercial.....................................................................17 Nufarm............................................................................................................ 35 NALP Bootcamp..........................................................................................3 NALP ELEVATE 2025............................................Insider Back Cover NALP Business Management Series.............................................41 NALP Leaders Forum.............................................................................41

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LETTER FROM THE CEO

Leaders Should Always Be Learning

IT’S BEEN SAID THAT ONCE YOU STOP LEARNING, YOU START dying. If, as a leader, you decide one day you’ve got it all figured out, this is when you cease to improve, and your business can suffer as a result. Thankfully, you have an abundance of learning opportunities via NALP.

to take home. We also provide you with plenty of unstructured networking time so you can craft new bonds and strengthen existing ones. FOND FAREWELL Speaking of leaders, I’d be remiss if I didn’t give a sincere thank you to Chris Senske and John Guth, whose time on the NALP board has come to a close. Chris joined the board at the same time I joined NALP as CEO. He has been a great leader and supporter of the association during the past six years. He has been an active member of the board and has lent his wisdom to the industry for years. We look forward to Chris continuing to be a leader in the lawn care indus try and a great advocate for the industry as a whole, even after his time on the board ends in October. John was in the first cohort of leaders who joined the board the year after I arrived at NALP, so I have had the good fortune of getting to know John in that time. John has been very thoughtful in his time on the board and has been a solid contributor to the many topics the board has tackled in that time. Also, John is a shining example of a leader who is con tinuing to learn as he is currently pursuing an executive master’s degree at Harvard. So, take a leaf from his book and continue to invest in your own learning! Thanks again, Chris and John. Your service to this association and industry will be remembered fondly.

ELEVATE First up is our annual meeting ELEVATE on Nov. 2-5, which will be held in Phoenix, Arizona. If you’ve not been out to this part of the country before, it’s a tremendous opportunity. Our sessions focus on real issues in real time, but also look to the future. You can expect to see topics covering everything from new ways to retain your people to how to take advantage of the latest technology. This year, we brought back the call for proposals and received almost 200 submissions. The ELEVATE program committee was very deliberate about selecting the proposals that pushed the envelope. Not only will there be great education at ELEVATE, but you’ll also have meaningful conversa tions with your peers before and after sessions. The day before ELEVATE, we’ll be hosting the NALP Women’s Forum, a ticketed event that provides women in the indus try a time to enhance their leadership skills and find inspiration from other

top-rated event is designed for both seasoned veterans and rising leaders. This three-day experience features world-class business education and thought-provoking conversations with peers in your cohort. Darden’s top-ranked facul ty will lead you through interactive case studies and dig into essential business concepts and leadership strategies. You’ll want to secure your space for this one quickly, as we only have a limited number of spots left. My advice is, if you decide to attend this one, don’t skip reading the coursework before the event. Doing the prep work and being willing to share will greatly impact how much you’re able to learn. Open up and ask questions! LEADERS FORUM Last but certainly not least, of our upcoming educational events is Leaders Forum. Hosted in Santa Barbara, California, on Feb. 4-7, 2026, this powerful conference is designed specifically for executives looking to gain a competitive edge. With sessions that will delve into how the government and economy will impact your busi ness in the near future, you don’t want to miss the insights Leaders Forum has to offer. Gabe Adams, with UVA Darden School of Business, will also lead a couple of sessions related to how leaders can motivate their teams and ensure group productivity. Additionally, our crowd-favorite hot topic roundtable discussions will return allowing you to have intimate conversations with your peers and gain actionable steps

industry leaders. This is a gathering we intro duced last year and are pleased to build on it this year. NALP EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP PROGRAM Next up is our Executive Leadership Program

Britt Wood

in partnership with UVA Darden School of Business on Jan. 12-15, 2026. This

6 The Edge // September/October 2025

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THE AGRONOMIST

The Agronomist: How Advocacy Protects The Pesticides In Your Toolbox

IT’S BEEN BUSY HERE IN GOVERNMENT RELATIONS LAND (otherwise known as our nation’s Capital) and things are looking up. No, I’m not kidding; I mean, things can go south quickly, no doubt, but the effort the association has put into advocacy is paying off.

No one in the room could resist laughing at that. A really good meeting with really good people. Federal employees are under the microscope as of late, and while I am sure we can find some who do not hold up their part of the bargain, the folks we deal with at the Office of Pesticide Programs are deeply passionate about their mission. State preemption of pesticide regulations is a tier one issue for NALP. Having a comprehensive, uniform set of regulations that are administered by the EPA in cooperation with the individual lead state agencies is smart policy. Although we have state preemption in the vast majority of states, we constantly have to grapple with attempts to roll those statutes back, and in those states where preemption does not exist, anti-pesticide activists try mightily to ban the products that we rely upon to protect the health of our customers’ landscapes. In support of language that is included in this year’s federal Farm Bill, NALP organized a fly-in event on Wednesday, July 16, targeting members of the House and Senate Agriculture Commit tees. Thirty-five NALP members took in seventy-eight individual meetings during a sultry summer day in Washington, D.C., to ed ucate elected officials and their staff on our industry and the vital importance of sound pesticide policy. These successes are made possible by you through your NALP membership and the rock-solid leadership of our board of directors. Developing the relationships necessary to advocate on behalf of the landscape industry isn’t rocket science, but you do have to show up and you do have to be persistent. Your support makes that work. TE

zone had to do with the herbi cide Atrazine. Since Atrazine can not be applied to cool-season grasses (unless you mean to kill them, that is) they were trying to refine their models to accurately estimate the amount that is used on turf. Good. That was easy. Then they asked me if I had anything that I wanted to discuss. “Of course I do!” I replied. Recently, there was a proposed label released for a new insec ticide, in fact, a new insecticide group for all you IPM geeks out there, and this label contains the first real hint of what EPA intends to do with residential turfgrass uses of pesticides under the Endangered Species Act. Without delving too deeply into the nuances of what I found on the label, let me summarize it by saying that we as an industry can certainly abide by what I found on that label. While we were kicking that in secticide around, BEAD’s big boss was sitting next to me. He picked up his phone and furiously texted someone, put the phone down, picked it up a second time and furiously texted some more. A couple of moments later, a timid knock was heard on the conference room door and in walked a young scientist whom I had never met. She had no idea why she was being yanked into the middle of a stakeholder meeting, and I am sure she took one look at me and asked herself, “What did I do?” As it turned out, she was the scientist who put the label together, and as soon as I told her that I was pleased with what I read, she replied, “Did you read the benefits document? It’s a real page turner!”

Recently, I received an email from a scientist at the EPA’s Office of Pesticide Programs asking questions about the turfgrass transition zone. It was one of those seemingly simple questions that boiled with uncertainty beneath the surface. What exactly had prompted the question? If I leave a detail out inadvertently, will that oversight come back to bite me? I reached out to say that I was going to be in D.C. and asked if they wanted to get together and kick it around. It took about five minutes to get a “Yes!” back from them. And because I knew that the Weed Man leadership group was coincidentally in town for Renewal & Remembrance, I dropped a line to Dr. Brad DeBels and asked if he would like to join in the fun. “Yes!” he said. So, I set up a meeting with them for Tues day, July 15. This meeting was with some of the folks at BEAD (the Biolog ical and Economic Analysis Divi sion), both there at the D.C. office and at Research Triangle Park in North Carolina. As it turned out, the question on the transition

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8 The Edge // September/October 2025

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National Association of Landscape Professionals 9

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT Faces of the Industry: Javier Suarez By Jill Odom UNLIKE OTHERS WHO TOOK A MORE WINDING PATH BEFORE FINDING A career in the landscape industry, Javier Suarez started his very first job in 2001 in the industry.

him that helped him move up the ladder. “I wanted to show him and myself that I would not stay where I started,” Suarez says. “After that, opportunities started coming. The company started a program so I could study more about what we were doing. I earned my CLT certification. After that, I was given the opportunity to be a supervisor, and that is when I understood that this company and the Medrano family did not want anyone to stay in the same position or place, and so I started wanting to improve my skills a little more each time.” Suarez says he feels it was the best de cision to start working in the landscape industry, as having the opportunity to build a career in this industry fills him with gratitude and personal satisfaction. “It does not matter what job you choose, as long as it creates opportuni ties for you to continue growing in it,” he says. While he hasn’t had any specific men tor guiding him, Suarez says he has taken the best from each person he knows to get where he is today. “It is good to learn from everyone you meet over time, as everyone has some thing to contribute to your experiences,” he says. Suarez says he enjoys working with his co-workers as they all strive to improve themselves. His favorite aspect of the in dustry is being able to be outdoors, meet new people and have a new challenge every day, as no day is the same. As an account manager for CoCal, Su arez serves as the bridge between their clients and the field crews. He works with a diverse range of commercial clients and ensures each property receives high-quality services and clear, respon sive communication. Suarez says he arrives at work at 6 a.m. to start checking emails and then at 7 he’ll talk with his crews to discuss client perspectives and schedules. “Around 7:20 a.m. when everybody

“The people I worked with back then taught me everything they knew and made me feel comfortable working in this industry,” he says. In 2005, he joined CoCal Landscape Services, based in Denver, Colorado. Starting from the bottom, he worked his way up through the ranks. Suarez has held various roles, including laborer, driv er, foreman, irrigation tech, maintenance and irrigation supervisor, operations manager and now an account manager. Suarez says it was his desire to im prove himself and someone challenging

is out, I go to attend meetings, check for extra work, check my crews and go back to the office around 11 a.m. to start my proposals for extra irrigation,” Suarez says. “No every day is the same but from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. I do the same (thing) every day, after that time, my schedule is changing every day.” As a completely Spanish-speaking individual, Suarez says his biggest chal lenge is the language barrier. “It`s difficult for me, but not im possible,” he says. “Sometimes I`ve felt frustrated for not being able to express myself; the frustration drives me to want to improve more and tell my people that we as Latinos can do a lot for this industry.” Suarez says he’d like to see more pro grams and classes in Spanish so every one can access them. He says while he doesn’t have any firm long-term plans, he would like to help others improve and excel so they don’t have to just cut grass for 20 years. “Landscaping is not the worst job you could have,” Suarez says. “If you study and have the industry knowledge, we can help the ecosystem, create greener spaces, save more water, and cause less damage to the soil with too many chem icals, etc.” TE

10 The Edge // September/October 2025

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THE NALP EXPERIENCE

A Labor of Love: Volunteers Beautify National Green Spaces at Renewal & Remembrance By Jill Odom

THERE IS POWER IN NUMBERS, AND APPROXIMATELY 400 VOLUNTEERS from 30 different states gathered to be of service during Renewal & Remembrance, presented by NALP and powered by Hustler and DeWalt, on July 14, 2025.

More than 250 landscape professionals participated in projects at ANC, from liming the soil to installing plants near the visitor center parking garage. Wynn says he was blown away by the scope of the projects and the number of volunteers working at ANC. “Every year, the impact you can make, it’s really wonderful to see,”Wynn says. “These are all professionals. People who have been in it for forever who have such a passion. Everyone you work with just has that passion and connection to their job, and so for people to come here and be able to physically give that back and use that as an act of service for those who gave their lives, that’s really special.” At the FDR Memorial, over 150 volun teers worked to spread mulch, trim trees, and remove tree stumps and fencing. Newman and 15 of his employees were just a handful of the volunteers attacking the steaming piles of mulch with gusto. “It’s just so rewarding and exciting from the first year that I came down here, I just wanted to share that experience with the

enjoys doing the work and networking with other companies during the event. “I just like that everyone comes together, and it’s people who aren’t necessarily phys ically doing the work normally,”Arthur says. “They all come out to do the work.” First-time attendee Thomas Wynn, senior construction production manager for Plants Creative Landscapes, based in Decatur, Georgia, says he also enjoyed the chance to work alongside familiar faces in the industry. “My favorite thing is just getting my hands dirty and doing the work,”Wynn says. “It’s hard work, and this is how we show thanks. It’s what we can give. It’s what we have at the core of our being.” This year’s event featured work at Ar lington National Cemetery (ANC) and the Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) Memorial, in partnership with the National Park Service.

Shayne Newman, president of Yard Scapes Landscape Professionals, based in New Milford, Connecticut, has been coming to the event for 20 years and says it is a chance to give back to the country and realize the strength of the industry. “Just working with other landscapers together as a team takes a lot of work,” Newman says. “To work well as a team with this big of a group, I love this, watching how efficient we’re getting things done.” Jennifer Lemcke, CEO of Weed Man, agrees on how impactful this event is and encouraged their franchisees to take part in this powerful tradition. “It is an honor to work side-by-side with others from the green industry to give back to service members who have given so much to their country,”Lemcke says. Army veteran Mike Arthur, an assistant branch manager with The Davey Tree Expert Company, headquartered in Kent, Ohio,

12 The Edge // September/October 2025

This core team also conducts prep work on the volunteer sites several days ahead to help enable individuals who aren’t as ac customed to field work to be as efficient as possible. At the FDR Memorial, this meant creating bed edges in advance. “Aaron (Engel) brought a team of four people, himself and three others, and they brought round mechanical edgers, and they edged all these beds and cleaned all these beds up,”Benoit says. “They had a lot of dead plant material, leaves, sticks. They went through every one of these beds and cleaned them out and put an edge on them for the first time.” Meanwhile at ANC, Lanier used a skid steer with an attachment to till up the planting beds. “Of course, the attachment broke, and so they had to do it by hand,”Benoit says. “It was a massive project. Those are some of the things that we had to do well in advance.” NALP is grateful to all the partners who allow Renewal & Remembrance to make a visible difference at these historic grounds. “NALP does a great job of doing way more behind the scenes to pull the strings to make these relationships happen,” Newman says. “There’s not a lot of people in their lifetime who are able to come down and volunteer at a national park or Arlington National Cemetery so I feel like that’s a gift that members should take advantage of.” TE

With the parking garage project, there was previously a hedgerow that had been there since the parking garage was built. “That was old and tired,” Gray says. “The design back then was different, and things are different now. So we’ve been working with that whole parking garage in general. So, getting rid of that barberry hedge, we’re trying to match it with what we’ve been doing with the rest of the parking garage, with a big berm in the middle. It’ll certainly add to the aesthetic down there when people first come in the cemetery.” Benoit says once the project list has been determined, they have to begin cal culating what is needed to execute them. They will conduct half-day meetings with ANC and NPS to determine the manhours, materials and tools required for the proj ects. Then, NALP begins working to secure tools and donations. “We’re spending a lot of time and social capital connecting with those people,” Benoit says. Benoit says once these are secured, they coordinate the deliveries of the equipment and materials over four to five days leading up to Renewal & Remembrance. For in stance, at ANC Benoit and Brandon Lanier had to unload a 54-foot tractor-trailer full of plants for two of the project locations. “We had to load them into a small trailer and then unload them again where the projects went,” Benoit says.

employees,”Newman says. “They really enjoy volunteering back home in our local community, so I just thought they really would enjoy this.” Newman says that respect is very important to him, and he knows his team members respect him for working along side them. “I want to make sure the guys know that I’m willing to get out there and work with them and do the hard work,”Newman says. The effort that goes into Renewal & Re membrance goes far beyond a single day. Bill Benoit, Renewal & Remembrance chair and VP of sales and marketing with The Integra Group, says they start conducting site visits in February to meet with ANC and NPS representatives to determine potential projects. Matthew Morrison, an arborist with the National Park Service, says they seek out work that they would like the volunteer landscape professionals to recreate or bolster. “This year, we chose the FDR Memorial because it’s such a fabulous site, and NALP likes to keep their team together in one location, and we knew that this site could accommodate every aspect of their profes sionalism,” Morrison says. Craig Gray, a horticulturist with Arlington National Cemetery, says they try to select projects based on the ease of getting people there as well as elements that may be difficult to cover in a contract.

National Association of Landscape Professionals 13

THE NALP EXPERIENCE

NALP Foundation Sparks Student Interest in Landscape Careers at SkillsUSA By Jill Odom

EVERY LAWN AND LANDSCAPE COMPANY WANTS ACCESS TO QUALITY employees who are going to grow their bench. The NALP Foundation is working to increase the talent pool by collaborating with industry partners at the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference.

to introduce the career path. It’s really the responsibility of all to introduce the career path to young people so that they see it as a viable and accessible pathway for themselves.” Jenn Myers, executive director of the NALP Foundation and senior director of workforce development, says as the Foundation works to establish the state- level competitions, they are looking for landscape companies that can assist in running these competitions. She says one benefit of volunteering at the state level is being able to connect with career-ready students who work in their communities. If you want to get involved in support ing the Foundation’s efforts with SkillsU SA, there are many options available. “We need lots of different types of support,” Myers says. “We have financial support. We have in-kind support with donors of different materials. We definite ly need help staffing the booth each year. We are extremely busy every year talking to all the different types of stu dents, educators, different state directors and other folks.” If you are interested in engaging with SkillsUSA at the national or state level or want more information, please con tact Jenn Myers at Jenn@landscapepro fessionals.org. TE

SkillsUSA is a workforce development program that prepares students to be come skilled professionals. The Founda tion is leading the charge to launch state and national level landscape horticulture competitions at SkillsUSA. These compe titions will encourage educators to teach landscape-related skills in the classroom. “At Plants Creative, we support SkillsUSA because it introduces students to career paths they may not have con sidered - or even known about - in the green industry,” says Pam Dooley, owner of Plants Creative Landscape, based in Decatur, Georgia. “It’s a significant way to spark early awareness and inspire the next generation.” During the event from June 23-27, multiple NALP members volunteered their skills and time to craft an inviting space for students and educators to visit and learn more about the career possibil ities of the landscape industry. “The reason why we need to collec tively come together as a community and support SkillsUSA and the initiatives that NALP has put together is because it’s really difficult to do this alone,” says Brigitte Orrick, director of talent develop ment for The Davey Tree Expert Com pany, based in Kent, Ohio. “When we’re getting together at the state level, one business can’t be the only organization

14 The Edge // September/October 2025

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THE NALP EXPERIENCE

Secure Your Spot in NALP’s Executive Leadership Program By Jill Odom

SPACE IS LIMITED FOR THE NALP Executive Leadership Program, in partnership with the University of Virginia Darden School of Business. This exclusive leadership program held in Charlottesville, Virginia, features three intensive days of interactive case studies, collaborative discussions and expert instruction on Jan. 12-15, 2026. This event includes sessions that cover how to evaluate financial performance and understand employee motivation. Participants will master core leadership principles and learn how to lead with strategic vision and purpose. Study alongside your peers as you delve beyond surface-level concepts. The instructors employ the Socratic method to help participants think through the why behind their beliefs. “They are masters at unpackaging complex information in a way that’s easy

to understand,” says Skyler Westergard, learning and development manager with LandCare, who participated in last year’s cohort. “At this event, it was not a lecture; it was interactive, so they were really good at pulling people in.” Attendees can discuss ideas with one another and test out their viability before impacting their teams. “It creates this really great sandbox and safe space for us to talk about and develop real leadership skills and abilities, but in an area where the costs actually are objectively less than trying to learn on the job in the company,” says Sean Martin, Donald and Lauren Morel Associate Professor of Business Adminis tration at UVA Darden School of Business. “There’s a tremendous value proposition.” This five-star-rated program is ideal for both industry veterans and rising stars in your organization. Register today to secure your spot! TE

ð Secure Your Spot!

Navigate the Future with Exclusive Insights and Connections at Leaders Forum

By Jill Odom

IF YOU WANT TO GO INTO NEXT YEAR’S SPRING SEASON RIGHT, YOU don’t want to miss the insights gained by attending Leaders Forum, presented by NALP and powered by Aspire, hosted in Santa Barbara, California, on Feb. 4-7, 2026.

real-world experiences, spark new ideas, and walk away with fresh perspectives. Attendees will have the opportunity to spend time networking with fellow advocates during the annual NALP-PAC event. There will also be several open after noons for impactful conversations to un fold over oceanfront cocktails, intimate dinners, and fireside discussions. Leaders Forum will be held at The Ritz-Carlton Bacara. This resort is tucked onto 78 acres overlooking the Pacific and provides an opportunity for you to escape to the tranquility of two beaches, three infinity edge pools, and a 42,000-square-foot spa. This exclusive event is for NALP members only. TE

Leaders Forum is an executive-level conference that mixes structured and unstructured networking time. Some of the education will include an update on government relations and ITR Economics’ outlook for 2026 and early 2027. The in sights provided can help you anticipate and navigate the complex economic landscape that lies ahead. With this knowledge, you can antici pate economic shifts and make informed decisions about capital expenditures and resource allocation. Additionally, Gabe Adams with UVA Darden School of Business, will present on how leaders can manage employee voice during meetings as well as how to manage team dynamics. There will also be a hot topics roundtable discussion session where attendees will exchange

ð Register Now!

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Who’s Next in Line? The Importance of Building a Succession Pipeline

By Jill Odom

LIFE IS UNPREDICTABLE, AND WHEN YOU FAIL TO ANTICIPATE SUDDEN changes, it can leave your team in a tight spot. Building out succession pipelines for the various roles in your organization not only allows you to know who will step up if someone abruptly becomes unavailable, but it also grows your team members’ leadership skills.

the opening of a new branch or winning a new contract can trigger the need for succession pipelines. “I think the faster a company tries to grow, the more talent reserve they have to have,” says Kurt Bland, president of Bland Landscaping Company, based in Apex, North Carolina. “We grew 33% last year. That’s why we needed six branch managers.” CONSEQUENCES OF FAILING TO PREPARE Byron McFarland, founding principal of The McFarland Group, which specializes in business succession, notes that many owners find themselves so caught up in fighting fires or chasing new opportunities that they struggle to focus on employee development. “I think probably the most aspiration al aspect of business is development,” McFarland says. “However, the cost of de velopment is time, and usually the people that they’re pulling out for development are the ones that are doing the most work. It’s really tough for small businesses to incorporate a development plan that would result in orderly succession in the absence of key role players.” However, failing to identify and prepare employees who can step up into higher leadership roles can have a serious impact on your business. “Leadership gaps can lead to lost pro ductivity, decreased morale, and a drop in service consistency,”Tuzzolino says. “Teams may feel uncertain, and customers may sense the disruption.” Helgoe says that promoting team members into higher roles without proper training puts your customer ties at risk. “The consequences of not having some people to step into these roles tend to be failure on the project,” McFarland says. “If it’s a construction project, and you lose somebody who is key. Then you either A) bring in somebody else from another project over to run it, or B) you’re elevating somebody that’s on the site to that role. Either way, there’s some risk.”

founder of Monarch Landscape Com panies, based in Los Angeles, California. “Their parents got really sick, and they don’t have anyone to take care of them, and they’re gone for six months. We still love the person, and they’re going to get a job when they come back, but we had to have a plan in place to take care of that. Sometimes your life is more important than your job, and you have to account for that.” Burnout, resignations or even an employee’s passing are other events that can prompt an immediate leadership change. Even more positive situations like

“By proactively developing a bench of trained, engaged future leaders, we’re able to fill key positions quickly and confi dently, maintaining our momentum and navigating challenges without disruption,” says Jim Tuzzolino, Southern division pres ident for Ruppert Landscape, headquar tered in Laytonsville, Maryland. There are a multitude of reasons a key role may unexpectedly need to be filled. A debilitating illness or a family emer gency can cause a team member to be unavailable for a period of time. “This happened to somebody recently with us,” says Brian Helgoe, CEO and

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Leadership Development Program two years ago. This program is for branch, regional, and corporate managers. The three-year curriculum is designed to build essential leadership competencies such as developing people, communicating clearly, thinking strategically, fostering collaboration, driving accountability, moti vating and inspiring others, and building high-performing teams. Tuzzolino says the program also helps their leaders form strong connections with their peers. “The impact of this investment is already evident, as participants bring fresh ideas and best practices back to their teams — keeping our succession pipeline strong, agile, and future-ready,”Tuzzolino says. Helgoe says they concentrate on devel oping key employees’ interpersonal skills as well as any specific area an up-and coming team member is struggling with. “We really want to go focus and prob lem solve on what to do,” Helgoe says. “It’s very practical coaching.” Bland says they hold sessions on intra-company communication, conflict resolution, and how to communicate effectively with boards of directors and HOAs as well as on-the-job training.

in your people and letting them know the potential you see in them. “Invest in their success and help them get the experience that they will need to get to the next level,” says Chris Psencik, partner and vice president of McFarlin Standford, which provides business coaching to landscape companies. “Some of the greatest lessons I have learned in my career came from someone who saw my potential and was willing to invest the time, effort and energy in helping me develop those skills.” With Ruppert Landscape, they created their associate branch manager (AMB) position as a way to provide a structured path for high-potential mid-level manag ers to gain the experience and training needed to succeed as a branch manager. “Today, we have 15 ABMs across the company who are not only preparing for future leadership opportunities but are also actively contributing to the success of their branches by supporting day-to day operations and easing the workload of their branch managers,”Tuzzolino says. “This dual-purpose role strengthens our leadership pipeline while reinforcing operational continuity.” They also launched their Partner

If you opt for an external hire to fill a gap, they may not fully understand your culture and end up driving away some of the people who work under them. Helgoe adds that you can also lose employees by failing to let them know where they can move up. “I think if you’re not paying attention to people and building out succession plans and telling them you want them to evolve and work towards things, I think that the best people will find other employers that will do that,” Helgoe says. Bland agrees that when owners hold on to power and authority for too long, they can lose talented leaders. “The business never achieves its poten tial because the owner doesn’t get out of their own way, meaning they become entrenched in their own success, because they work in the business all the time, versus on the business, and they can’t delegate effectively,” Bland says. “They end up a technical contractor who’s self-em ployed versus building the business that they set out to build.” DEVELOPING LEADERS FROM WITHIN Creating an intentional succession plan for your key roles requires true investment

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“When we’re working with the regional managers, we’re talking about topics that are much more leadership focused, much more big picture focused, because at their level, they’ve really got to be able to see beyond just a branch, because they’re managing four or five branches,” Bland says. If you are trying to equip field staff with the skills to move up in the company, McFarland recommends teaching them how to communi cate clearly and anticipate upcoming needs on jobsites. “How would you, as a field person, be developed to understand the scope?” McFarland says. “It would only because be because somebody told you this is what’s happening. That would mean that that person communicated with you what they see, and then they expect you to help along the way in the future.” McFarland says the most important skill a field leader can pass along to the employees they are grooming for a higher role is a shared awareness of best practices. Instead of simply ordering people around, explaining the why can help them understand the bigger picture. “When someone advances from the field into supervision, they are learning to manage,” Bland says. “At that point, it’s not so much about leading, it’s more about managing, holding people accountable, mak ing sure systems are followed, driving results and using the tools and systems that we provide people.” ADVICE FOR OTHERS Don’t wait for a crisis to take one of your key players off the board. “Leadership development isn’t a last-minute fix; it’s a long-term investment,”Tuzzolino says. “By creating a culture where managers are mentors, feedback is welcomed, and team members are empowered and given frequent opportunities to grow, your team will understand there’s a path forward and will be committed to your company’s suc cess.” McFarland recommends reviewing your bench often to see who is displaying your core values and the capacity to move up. Bland stresses you shouldn’t plan in a vacuum. Talk to the employees you want to move into key roles. “When someone plans in a bubble and they don’t hear out the other party, and they don’t have these hypothetical ‘what if’ type of conver sations that then lead to a plan, then they’re only solving for part of the puzzle, and they don’t control all the cards,” Bland says. Helgoe adds that if you want a quality team, it’s something you have to build over the years with training. “Real performance reviews have to be in place,” Helgoe says. “Real coaching has to be in place. Real open dialog has to happen. If you want to grow your business and you don’t really want to suffer from mediocrity I think succession planning is a big piece of it.” TE

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20 The Edge // September/October 2025