PLANET | PLANET Trailblazers

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	PLANET Trailblazers

PLANET’s Trailblazers represent an elite group of dedicated professionals who were nominated by their peers for making significant and long-term contributions to the green industry in the areas of Design/Build/Installation, Interior Plantscaping, Landscape Management, and Lawn Care. Direct influences in the green industry, these individuals are committed to helping their peers and the green industry. Each Trailblazer sets aside a full day each year to provide on-site mentoring to another PLANET green industry service provider member. This in-depth, personalized networking and mentoring program is a unique way for emerging and established companies to gain insight and advice on developing and growing their businesses.

Trailblazer Requirements

A nominee must be a PLANET member at the time of the company’s Trailblazer approval.
A nominee should have a minimum of five (5) years in the green industry.

Nomination and Approval Process

Trailblazer nominations are solicited from the members through the PLANET News and PLANET’s Web site.
PLANET contacts nominees to assess their areas of expertise, level of interest, and confirm qualifications to participate.
PLANET contacts previous years’ Trailblazers to reconfirm their interest in participating and update needed information. Once they are selected as Trailblazers, they do not need to meet additional on-going requirements to continue in the program.
Staff submits a dossier on proposed Trailblazers for the coming year for review by the Specialty Groups and the Membership Committee, and subsequent presentation to the Board for approval.

Expectations of the Trailblazer

Agree to be matched with a PLANET member for a day of mentoring.
Agree to travel to the member’s facility at the cost of the member. The Trailblazer meeting may also take place at the Trailblazer’s place of business, if agreed upon.
Agree to provide picture and bio for Trailblazer brochure.
Understand that they may opt out when contacted each year.
Understand that they will be matched with someone outside of his/her region.
Agree to provide a report of the experience to PLANET.

Requirements of Hosting Member

Apply for the program in January and list the top three (3) choices from the participating Trailblazers.
Agree to reimburse the Trailblazer’s travel expenses for the visit.
Understand that when a match is made, the hosting member communicates with the Trailblazer and sets up the most convenient time and place for the day of mentoring.
Understand that this is a random drawing, nothing guaranteed. Demand exceeds supply.
Agree to provide report of the experience to PLANET.

Trailblazer Categories

Design/Build/Installation
Interior Plantscaping
Landscape Management
Lawn Care

If participating in this program interests you, please contact PLANET for more details.

Application

Nominate A Trailblazer

Current Brochure

Design/Build/Installation Trailblazers

Edward Bayer Land Escapes, Inc. Silver Spring, MD Pittsburgh, PA Years in the Industry 24 years Specialty Area Design/Build — design/sales	Charles W. Bowers Garden Gate Landscaping, Inc. Silver Spring, MD Years in the Industry More than 35 years Specialty Area Design/Build — operating systems, goal setting, tracking
Scott Byron Scott Byron & Company, Inc. Lake Bluff, IL Years in the Industry More than 30 years Specialty Area Design/Build — residential design, overseeing construction	Jason Cupp, CLP Highland Outdoor Olathe, KS Years in the Industry 21 years Specialty Area High-end design/build; sales; marketing; HR – hiring, leadership, and team building; customer relations
Nicholas DiBenedetto, CLP N.D. Landscaping, Inc. Georgetown, MA Years in the Industry More than 25 years Specialty Area Design/Build —systems and sales	Rick Doesburg, CCLP Thornton Landscape, Inc. Maineville, OH Years in the Industry More than 30 years Specialty Area Design/Build —emphasis on sales and marketing
Paul Fields Lambert Landscape Co. Dallas, TX Years in the Industry 18 years Specialty Area Design/Build —landscape design with focus on the high-end residential	Judson E. Griggs, CLP WCI Communities Bradenton, FL Years in the Industry More than 25 years Specialty Area Design/Build —residential projects—emphasis on sales and business development
Glenn H. Jacobsen, CLP Jacobsen Landscape Design & Construction, Inc. Midland Park, NJ Years in the Industry 29 years Specialty Area Design/Build —landscape management	Allen L. Keesen, CLP (retired) Littleton, CO Years in the Industry More than 50 years Specialty Area Design/Build —customer relations, growing the client base
Gary W. Kinman, CLP Kinman Associates, Inc. Dublin, OH Years in the Industry More than 30 years Specialty Area Design/Build —comprehensiveapproach to business, running a successful company, consulting,training, and education	Jeff Korhan, CLP Treemendous Landscape Company Plainfield, IL Years in the Industry 20 years Specialty Area Design/Build — residential sales, marketing, and customer service
Ron Lester Architerra, Inc. Indian Creek, IL Years in the Industry 25 years Specialty Area Design/Build — residential and commercial landscape maintenance, commercial snow removal, and highend boutique build work	Tom Lied, CCLP Lied’s Sussex, WI Years in the Industry 60 years Specialty Area Design/Build — the entire process of designing to meet the client’s needs
Frank Mariani Mariani Landscape Lake Bluff, IL Years in the Industry More than 20 years Specialty Area Design/Build — sharing and communicating our company culture with vendors and clients, generating sales via networking	James P. Martin, CLP James Martin Associates, Inc. Vernon Hills, IL Years in the Industry More than 30 years Specialty Area Design/Build & Maintenance — full service, blending services, systems
Jim McCutcheon, CLP HighGrove Partners, LLC Austell, GA Years in the Industry More than 20 years Specialty Area Design/Build & Maintenance— leadership development, sales	Michael McShane Plantique, Inc. Allentown, PA Years in the Industry More than 30 years Specialty Area Design/Build — Finance and marketing, growing a successful design/build and maintenance company
Steve R. Pattie, CLP The Pattie Group, Inc. Novelty, OH Years in the Industry More than 30 years Specialty Area Design/Build —people skills, finding the right person for the job, team building, motivation, and sales	J. Landon Reeve IV, CCLP Chapel Valley Landscape Company Woodbine, MD Years in the Industry More than 30 years Specialty Area Design/Build —best at implementing projects, solving problems, and team building
Joe Skelton Joe Skelton & Company Roswell, GA Years in the Industry More than 30 years Specialty Area Design/Build —all aspects of design/build, particularly business management: organizational development, financial management, Total Quality Management, and team building	John & Barbara Stropko New Desert Gallery, Inc. Tucson, AZ Years in the Industry More than 30 years Specialty Area Design/Build — High-end residential; hardscapes; swimming pools and custom amenites

Interior Plantscaping Trailblazers

McRae Anderson, CLP McCaren Designs, Inc. Saint Paul, MN Years in the Industry 30 years Specialty Area Interior — sales, marketing, presentations	Terry Anderson, CLP BRICKMAN - Chicago Divisional Operations Mundelein, IL Years in the Industry More than 25 years Specialty Area Interior — focus on sales
William Braid, CLP Plant Designs, Ltd. Herefordshire, England Years in the Industry 28 years Specialty Area Interior Plantscaping — emphasis on interior maintenance	Joe Cialone, Jr. Tropical Computers Boynton Beach, FL Years in the Industry More than 33 years Specialty Area Interior Supplier — computer imaging, training techicians
Jim Engledow Engledow Group Carmel, IN Years in the Industry 25 years Specialty Area Interior and Exterior — finance and operations	Barbara Helfman, CLP TOPsiders, Inc. Cincinnati, OH Years in the Industry More than 25 years Specialty Area Interior — pricing, selling, and holiday decorating
Connie Hom, CLP Buckingham Greenery, Inc. Buckingham, VA Years in the Industry 25 years Specialty Area Interior Plantscaping — marketing the company and team building	Carole Horowitz, CCLP Plantscape, Inc. Pittsburgh, PA Years in the Industry More than 30 years Specialty Area Interior — focus on diversified services and training — offering both interior and exterior services
David A. Korstad Sedgefield Interior Landscapes Marietta, GA Years in the Industry More than 30 years Specialty Area Interior — organization, pricing, wearing many hats Interior Plantscaping	Gerry Leider, CCLP Initial Tropical Plants, Inc. Riverwoods, IL Years in the Industry More than 35 years Specialty Area Interior — financial management emphasis
Paul R. Levy Rolling Greens, Inc. Clinton, MD Years in the Industry 30 years Specialty Area Interior Plantscaping — the language of architects and designers and creating an interior space from design concepts, through budgets and construction, to move in	Michael K. Lewis, CLP Foliage Design Systems Orlando, FL Years in the Industry More than 25 years Specialty Area Interior — sales and marketing
Bill Lyden Farm Life Tropical Foliage Homestead, FL Years in the Industry More than 25 years Specialty Area Interior/Exterior — business, financial management, administration	Gary Mangum, CLP Premier Plantscapes, Inc. Burtonsville, MD Years in the Industry More than 25 years Specialty Area Interior — sales, marketing, positioning
John Mini, CCLP John Mini Distinctive Landscapes, Ltd. Congers, NY Years in the Industry More than 30 years Specialty Area Interior — focus on large projects, new challenges, and state-of-the-art systems	Dick Ott, CCLP National Interiorscape Network Knoxville, TN Years in the Industry 35 years Specialty Area Interior — sales, sales management, service management, business practices
Joel Pesapane, CCLP Theresa Pesapane Growing Green, Inc. St. Louis, MO Years in the Industry More than 30 years Specialty Area Interior — pricing and technical expertise, communication, sales and marketing	Cynthia Peterson, CCLP McCaren Designs, Inc. Saint Paul, MN Years in the Industry 25 years Specialty Area Interior — sales and marketing, producing proposals
Michael Senneff, CLP Karin Senneff Plant Interscapes, Inc. San Antonio, TX Years in the Industry More than 21 years Specialty Area Interior Plantscaping — holiday design, product acquisition, assembly, sales, installation; all areas of human resources

Landscape Management Trailblazers

Rodney L. Bailey, CCLP Alder Springs Enterprises, LLC Duvall, WA Years in the Industry 35 years Specialty Area Maintenance — focus on financial management and long-range and strategic planning	Michael Bellantoni Sr., CLT New York State Turf & Landscape Association White Plains, NY Years in the Industry 50 years Specialty Area Landscape Management — design/build/installation/ maintenance, blending services to provide complete landscape solutions
Eric P. Cross, CLP, CLT Duke’s Landscape Management, Inc. Hackettstown, NJ Years in the Industry 20 years Specialty Area Landscape Management —fullservice exterior maintenance of large commercial, multifamily, and industrial properties	Ronald R. Damgaard Lakewood Landscape Partners Kaneville, IL Years in the Industry 55 years Specialty Area Maintenance —finance, business growth, and diversification
Maurice Dowell, CLP Dowco Enterprises, Inc. Chesterfield, MO Years in the Industry More than 20 years Specialty Area Maintenance —emphasis on full service and systems development	Eldon Dyk, CCLP Valley Crest Landscape Maintenance Parker, CO Years in the Industry 25 years Specialty Area Maintenance —operations and procedures, account management
Dale Elkins, CLP Davey Commercial Landscape Services, a Division of the Davey Tree Expert company Windermere, FL Years in the Industry More than 20 years Specialty Area Maintenance —sales, training, operations	Dan Foley, CLP D. Foley Landscape, Inc. South Walpole, MA Years in the Industry 20 years Specialty Area Maintenance —financial stability, open book management
John P. Gachina, CCLP, CLT Gachina Landscape Management Menlo Park, CA Years in the Industry More than 25 years Specialty Area Landscape Management —landscape construction, irrigation management and analysis, environmental considerations	George M. Gaumer, CLP Davey Commercial Grounds Management, a Division of The Davey Tree Expert Company Kent, OH Years in the Industry 30 years Specialty Area Landscape Management —tree care
Steven C. Glover, CLP The Symbiot Business Group Draper, UT Years in the Industry More than 25 years Specialty Area Maintenance —emphasis on building strong team	William Gordon, CLP Signature Landscape, Inc. Olathe, KS Years in the Industry More than 25 years Specialty Area Maintenance — Commercial Landscape Maintenance
Bob Grover, CLP, CLT Pacific Landscape Management Hillsboro, OR Years in the Industry More than 25 years Specialty Area Maintenance — commercial maintenance, operations	Tom Heaviland, CLP, CLT Heaviland Enterprises, Inc. Vista, CA Years in the Industry 20 years Specialty Area Maintenance — developing corporate culture, leadership development, strategic planning
Bill Horn, CLP, CLT American Civil Constructors, Inc. Martinez, CA Years in the Industry More than 25 years Specialty Area Landscape Management	Kurt Kluznik, CCLP Yardmaster, Inc. Painesville, OH Years in the Industry 35 years Specialty Area Landscape Management —commercial landscape management, residential design/build, and snow removal
Chris Kujawa, CCLP Kujawa Enterprises, Inc. Oak Creek, WI Years in the Industry 30 years Specialty Area Landscape Management	Ronald Kujawa, CCLP Kujawa Enterprises, Inc. Oak Creek, WI Years in the Industry More than 30 years Specialty Area Maintenance —emphasis on visioning and how to realize the vision
William Leidecker, CLP Five Seasons Landscape Management, Inc. Reynoldsburg, OH Years in the Industry 18 years Specialty Area Landscape Management	David Minor Texas Christian University Fort Worth, TX Years in the Industry More than 20 years in landscape contracting Specialty Area Maintenance —emphasis on landscape management
Bruce T. Moore, Sr., CCLP Eastern Land Management, Inc. Stamford, CT Years in the Industry More than 30 years Specialty Area Landscape Management —commercial landscape and site management	Michael Pezza, CLP Ground Pros, Inc. Itasca, IL Years in the Industry More than 20 years Specialty Area Landscape Management —maintenance and operations
Wayne Richards, CCLP Cagwin & Dorward Novato, CA Years in the Industry More than 25 years Specialty Area Maintenance —operations	Michael Rorie GroundMasters, Inc. Cincinnati, OH Years in the Industry 27 years Specialty Area Maintenance —all aspects of commercial maintenance, landscape installation
Matthew Triplett, CLP, CLT Willamette Landscape Services, Inc. Tualatin, OR Years in the Industry 18 years Specialty Area Maintenance —landscape maintenance	Bruce Wilson Wilson-Oyler Group Thousand Oaks, CA Years in the Industry More than 30 years Specialty Area Maintenance — emphasis on how to build a business

Lawn Care Trailblazers

Gary Clayton, CTP Community Lawn Care Kennesaw, GA Years in the Industry 37 years Specialty Area Lawn Care — technical training, agronomic programming, field operations, regulatory compliance standards, and business metrics	Jon Cundiff Weed Man/Kansas City Lee's Summit, MO Years in the Industry 28 years Specialty Area Lawn Care
Harold Enger, COLP, CTP Spring-Green Lawn Care Corporation Plainfield, IL Years in the Industry 35 years Specialty Area Lawn Care — turf management, customer service, management development, training	Phil Fogarty Weed Man/Lake County Cleveland, OH Years in the Industry 27 years Specialty Area Lawn Care — Residential and commercial lawn care
John Gibson, CLT Swingle Lawn, Tree & Landscape Care Denver, CO Years in the Industry 18 years Specialty Area Lawn Care — Management structure, strategic planning,company and personal growth, as well as technology selection and improvement	Fred Haskett, CTP U. S. Lawns/West St. Louis Defiance, MO Years in the Industry 34 years Specialty Area Lawn Care —landscape management; certified arborist
Louis Kobus, CLP Village Turf, Inc. Mount Vernon, VA Years in the Industry 15 years Specialty Area Lawn Care — landscaping design, installation, and maintenance	Michael Kravitsky IV, CTP-CSL Grasshopper Lawns, Inc. Larksville, PA Years in the Industry More than 25 years Specialty Area Lawn Care — technology
Terry Kurth Weed Man/Madison Middleton, WI Years in the Industry 29 years Specialty Area Lawn care	Bill Leuenberger Chalet Landscape Company Wilmette, IL Years in the Industry 30 years Specialty Area Lawn care — customer relations
Robert Ottley Weed Man/One Step Tree & Lawn Care North Chili, NY Years in the Industry More than 30 years Specialty Area Lawn Care — all phases of green industry service; lawn care, tree/shrub care, arboriculture, landscape maintenance, and landscape installation	Thomas G. Shotzbarger, CLP, CLT, COLP, CTP-CSL Tomlinson Bomberger Lawn Care & Landscape, Inc. Lancaster, PA Years in the Industry 34 years Specialty Area Lawn Care —all phases of green industry service; lawn care, tree/shrub care, arboriculture, landscape maintenance, and landscape installation
Tom Tolkacz Swingle Lawn, Tree & Landscape Care Denver, CO Years in the Industry More than 25 years Specialty Area Lawn Care —Lawn/tree care; Working ON your business – not IN your business