Want to keep up with the latest news in lawn care and landscaping? Check back every Thursday for a quick recap of recent happenings in the green industry.
Tree Care Industry Association Announces New President & CEO
The Board of Directors of the Tree Care Industry Association (TCIA) has announced that David White, CAE, will join the association as its new president and CEO. The change of leadership follows the recently announced retirement of current president & CEO, Mark Garvin. White is currently the executive director of the Northeast Public Power Association, a non-profit trade association that represents consumer-owned utilities in New England. He previously served as the director of external affairs and strategy for the Massachusetts Dental Society. White has a bachelor’s degree in political science from Northeastern University, as well as an MBA and Juris Doctor degree from Suffolk University. White will be joining TCIA on March 19. He will be attending the association’s Winter Management Conference in February to meet with members. Garvin plans to retire in April after 21 years at TCIA and 11 years as President and CEO. He joined TCIA in 1996 as the editor of Tree Care Industry Magazine.
NALP Launches 10-Hour OSHA Construction Course For The Landscape Industry
The National Association of Landscape Professionals announced that, through its partnership with the OSHA Alliance, they are launching the new 10-Hour OSHA Construction Course for the Landscape Industry. The course provides basic training on the recognition, avoidance, abatement and prevention of workplace hazards in addition to information regarding workers’ rights, employer responsibilities, and filing a complaint. The courses are taught by OSHA authorized trainers and attendees will receive a wallet card and certificate upon completion.
Yamaha Motor Finance Corp., USA Promotes Jeff Young to President
Yamaha Motor Finance Corp., USA, has named Mr. Jeff Young President effective January 1, 2018. Young joined YMFUS in 2014 as Chief Operating Officer, responsible for building out Yamaha’s new captive finance company. In the company’s first few years Young has led the growth of the company launching several key business lines: a non-prime retail installment program, a retail credit card business, and the current transition of the wholesale finance business to an in-house program launching in late 2018. As part of YMFUS’s continued growth, Brian Hinchman has been hired to fill the newly created role of Vice President, Wholesale Finance. Hinchman has extensive management experience in financial services, formerly serving as Vice President, Operations of TCF Inventory Finance, and various management roles with both GE Capital, and Transamerica Distribution Finance. In his new role, Hinchman will lead the wholesale finance business transition to an in-house program later in 2018.
OPEI Board Chair Dan Ariens and Kris Kiser Inspect New Building
Recently, OPEI Board Chairman and Ariens Company President and CEO Dan Ariens and OPEI President Kris Kiser performed final inspections at OPEI’s new headquarters in Old Town Alexandria. Due to the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute’s continued growth and high rates of member engagement, the Board of Directors purchased a new headquarters building to accommodate members, staff, and a new state-of-the-art conference center. The new building opens in February.
Arborjet Announces Updates to PHOSPHO-jet Label
Arborjet Inc. has announced new updates to the PHOSPHO-jet label, expanding the versatility of this systemic fungicide and plant resistance activator for the suppression of various plant diseases. The PHOSPHO-jet label has been updated to allow for additional application methods such as bark sprays, foliar sprays, drenches, root dips and new instructions for use in hydroponic systems. The formulation of the product remains the same.
ASV Adds New York Dealer to Network
ASV Holdings Inc. has added Jim Reed’s Truck Sales to its dealer network. The Cortlandt Manor, New York-based dealer will offer all ASV Posi-Track compact track loaders, featuring best-in-class rated operating capacity, cooling systems and hydraulic efficiency, from the RT-30, the industry’s smallest sit-on CTL, to the new VT-70, ASV’s first mid-frame, vertical lift model, and all the way up to the RT-120 Forestry unit, the industry’s most powerful CTL. The company will also carry ASV’s full line of skid-steer loaders.
EquipmentWatch Announces Winners of 3rd Annual Highest Retained Value Awards
EquipmentWatch has announced the winners of the 2018 Highest Retained Value Awards. Awards in each category were given to the model/series projected to retain the highest percentage of its original value after a five-year period based on the comprehensive EquipmentWatch market activity database. Thirty awards were presented in total and announced in Las Vegas alongside the first-day kickoff of World of Concrete. The awards program, in its 3rd consecutive year, recognizes winners in construction, agricultural and lift/access equipment categories. Two new categories were introduced in 2018 – corn headers in the agricultural sector and tandem compactors in the construction sector.
Ditch Witch Announces Updated Parts Lookup Online Tool
The Ditch Witch organization has released an advanced version of their, web-based tool that helps customers reduce downtime by finding the service parts they need. The Ditch Witch Parts Lookup gives customers easy access to detailed parts information, and a direct line of communication to dealerships for part verification and pick-list creation. Customers can use Parts Lookup to find service parts by serial number, part name, equipment model or keywords. They can also add all equipment in their fleet by serial number for easy reference to manuals, parts diagrams and future service parts needs. And, the design provides graphical views of each equipment model’s parts to visually verify all service parts before developing a final pick-list with dealers for order requests.
Ewing Opens Two New Locations In Florida
Ewing Irrigation & Landscape Supply recently opened two new Florida locations: St. Petersburg and Naples. The St. Petersburg store’s product selection includes lawn and ornamental, irrigation, hardscapes, sports fields, golf course, landscape and tree supplies and safety products. It’s one of 13 full-service Ewing locations in Florida. The Naples location, is about 160 miles south of the new St. Petersburg store, and will service contractors and homeowners in southern Florida with irrigation, turf management, hardscape, pest control, landscape lighting and golf- or sports-field-related jobs.
Excel Industries Appoints New President and CEO After Retirement Announcement
Excel Industries, a manufacturer of commercial and residential turf equipment sold under the Hustler and BigDog Mower Co. brand names, announced President and CEO Paul Mullet will retire. Joseph C. Wright will join Excel Industries as CEO on February 12, 2018. Mullet’s decision to retire comes after 45 years with Excel Industries, serving as president and CEO since 1991. He will remain actively engaged through March, assisting with Wright’s transition. Mullet also will continue to serve on the company’s Board of Directors, a role he has held since 1983. The Board of Directors selected Wright as CEO after an exhaustive search. Wright comes to Excel Industries from Concept Metal Group, a provider of metal processing, metal finishing, powder coating, assemblies, and supply chain management, where he served as president. Prior to that, he spent 21 years with Briggs & Stratton Corporation, the world’s largest producer of gasoline engines for outdoor power equipment.
John Deere at World of Concrete
John Deere Construction & Forestry with three new announcements made at World of Concrete:
- John Deere is introducing its new 344L compact wheel loader, combining speed, precision and exceptional lift capacity for year-round productivity.
- Rounding out the full line of G-Series skid steers/compact track loaders from John Deere, the new G-Series mid-frame machines deliver increased performance and higher pushing power.
- Today, John Deere is launching its second annual Small Machines. Big Impact. contest, where entrants are encouraged to share how they would make a positive difference in their communities if they were to win a new John Deere G-Series machine.
Ruppert Landscape Announces Company Promotions
Ruppert Landscape has announced the promotion of Mike Monde to the newly created position of director of culture and procedures within our landscape management division and the promotion of Tim Schofield to the position of branch manager in our King of Prussia, Pennsylvania landscape management branch. Also, Paul Pestun has been promoted to the position of director of business development in the company’s landscape construction division.
From the showroom floor at World of Concrete, Kubota Tractor Corporation introduces the new KX033-4 with extendable dipper arm. The new KX033-4 weighs in as a three-ton class machine yet boasts the reach and dig depth of a heavier weight class. Ideal for those hard to reach areas, the KX033-4’s optional extendable dipper arm can be quickly and easily extended up to 31 inches, boosting productivity as well as efficiency. Its impressive capabilities include a digging depth of 12 feet 2 inches and a digging reach of and a digging reach of 18 feet 3 inches. The new KX033-4 with extendable dipper arm is now available at Kubota dealerships.
TCIA Announces 2018 Partners Advancing Commercial Tree Care
The Tree Care Industry Association (TCIA) has announced the 2018 Partners Advancing Commercial Tree Care (PACT) partners, including four new supporters. PACT is a strategic partnership between TCIA and industry companies who are invested in the future of the tree care industry. The full list of PACT Partners can be found on the TCIA website.
Bartlett Tree Experts Announces Two Arborist Promotions
Bartlett Tree Experts recently promoted Local Managers Jeffery Kish and Erik Johnson to the role of Assistant Division Manager. Kish and Johnson will now be providing oversight of regional operations in the Company’s Southeast and Metropolitan East Divisions respectively. Jeffery Kish previously served as the Local Manager of Bartlett’s office in Raleigh, North Carolina. He will now assist Vice President and Division Manager Stephen Johnston in management of eleven offices in the Southeast, including two newly opened locations in southern Florida. In the Metropolitan East Division, Erik Johnson has relocated to Connecticut where he will be working closely with Vice President and Division Manager David McMaster to manage eight offices.