By Turf Editors
From the August 2024 Issue
A Timeline Of Accomplishments
1. When, why, and how did you start your business?
In 1998, during my senior year of college, I worked for an accounting software consulting firm whose primary clientele were landscaping companies. While onsite implementing a software upgrade at Brookwood Landscape, I was asked if I knew anyone who might be interested in filling an A/R clerk position. I raised my hand and said, “I’m interested!”
I had spent quite a bit of time in their office and really liked the people and the environment. My first set of responsibilities was limited to billing and collections for their construction division – which I did for about four weeks before expressing interest in learning more because I was bored. My responsibilities grew to include billing for the maintenance division, construction submittals, and payroll processing.
LandCare, Fredrick, MD
2. Please describe your position now.
I am the Chief People Officer (CPO) of LandCare with a focus on creating a positive experience for team members from recruitment to role advancement. I lead all people-related functions of our business including talent acquisition, earning and development, employee services and benefits. I have a lot of passion around early-career recruiting and development including our college internship and Management Training programs.
I am on the board of LandCare’s Foundation that includes LandCare’s Education Assistance Foundation (LEAF) and Tangerine Employee Relief Fund (TERF) which were both established to aid team members seeking financial assistance, whether they are experiencing hardship or are looking to help their children pursue a higher education.
I am one of the founding members of our employee resource group, Womens’ Initiative Network (WIN), with a mission to provide training and education to all female team members to support them in achieving their personal and professional goals to improve gender diversity in leadership roles at LandCare.
I am a member of the National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP) and serve on the leadership team for the (Women in Landscape Network (WILN), as well as the education committee for ELEVATE, which is NALP’s annual national conference.
(All photos courtesy of LandCare)
3. What is your educational background or skill set? Is there a degree, continuing education class, or skill you would recommend for success?
I have a bachelor’s degree in accounting from San Diego State University and a 2019 Training Design and Delivery Certificate from the Association for Talent Development (ATD). I also earned an Executive Leadership Certificate from Cornell University in 2018.
But one of the best educational resources for learning throughout my career has been reading books. Some of the most impactful books have been The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey, Good to Great by Jim Collins, Radical Candor by Kim Scott, and The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz.
I believe that it is important to have a mindset of continuous learning and to simply be curious. I am fortunate to have been surrounded by successful professionals throughout my entire career who have taken an interest in my professional development. I have taken advantage of learning everything I can from them.
4. What other jobs did you have along the way??
I had my first job at the age of 15, scooping ice cream. Then, I waited tables throughout high school and college. These early experiences in the hospitality industry, especially in customer-facing roles, were crucial to my career development. The desire to serve is deeply ingrained in me, and working in high-pressure, fast-paced environments honed my ability to prioritize both customer needs and business objectives simultaneously which is a skill set that has been invaluable at every stage of my career.
In 2000, while working at Brookwood Landscape, the company was acquired—along with another local landscape company, Wrisley Landscape— by The Brickman Group. Becoming part of a national company that grew quickly provided tremendous career opportunities. I ascended through several roles over my 17-year tenure at The Brickman Group from Assistant Regional Controller through Director of Accounting and Administration, where I was providing financial leadership to about 17 Branches.
In 2015, I joined LandCare as the Director of Finance. I worked with CEO Mike Bogan for several years at The Brickman Group, and we developed a synergistic working relationship. When he became CEO of LandCare, I joined two months later, and we’ve since expanded to 65 branches across 25 states, with 4,000 employees.
As Director of Finance at LandCare, I spearheaded the development of the company’s regional controller team, established streamlined branch administration procedures, and led a comprehensive Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) implementation. This upgrade modernized our accounting, personnel management, and production management systems.
5. What was your best business or career decision?
The best decision of my career was joining LandCare with Mike Bogan. Leaving a stable role for a company with an uncertain future was a risk, but I was confident in my choice because I shared Mike’s vision for the company’s potential. The prospect of merely watching that transformation unfold, rather than actively contributing to it, was enough for me to say, “I’m in!” I am so happy to be on “Team Tangerine” and to be part of building one of the strongest companies in the industry.
6. What was your worst business or career decision?
My natural inclination is to get things done quickly, so I have to remind myself to slow down and think things through before acting. One of the worst mistakes I’ve made happened early in my career when I tried to make a small correction to an invoice in the system.
Instead of following the standard process of voiding and recreating the invoice, I decided to take a shortcut. I moved too fast and didn’t double-check my work, which led to inadvertently changing the invoice date on about 200 invoices. To fix that, I had to void and reenter all 200 invoices!
This taught me a valuable lesson: go slow to go fast. While this mistake only caused extra work for myself at the time, as my career has progressed, the impact of my decisions on others has become much more significant. Now, I always strive to be thoughtful and deliberate with each decision I make.
7. What was your funniest business experience?
My funniest business experience happened during a trip from San Diego to Seattle for budget meetings. Just as we were boarding the plane, I managed to spill a yogurt parfait all over my shirt and pants. Since I typically pack light—sometimes too light—I didn’t have an extra outfit. I ended up sitting through a whole day of meetings in yogurt-smeared clothing and even had to catch another flight to Oakland before I could change.
We met with six different teams that day, and the story was retold each time a new team entered the room. Although I’ve tried to avoid similar mishaps since then, I love making people laugh, even if it’s at my own expense.
8. What’s your favorite piece of equipment/landscaper tool?
In the workplace, I usually only get to do landscape activities when I’m volunteering, so my experience with landscape tools is pretty limited. Turns out, the most useful tool is me! I’m quite adept at hauling 50-pound bags of mulch or soil around.
9. What is your advice to others? What do you wish you had known?
The best advice I’ve ever received is to get comfortable being uncomfortable. Comfort and complacency halt growth. The most significant decisions of my career came when I realized I was too comfortable and no longer challenged. Embracing new responsibilities and pushing my boundaries forced me to learn and grow, leading me to where I am today—a place I am incredibly proud of.
10. What is your personal or business goal for the future?
I’ve only been in my current role for a few months, so my immediate focus is on staffing and developing my teams. Looking ahead, my goal is to create a best-in-class employee experience that not only other organizations aspire to replicate, but also attracts top talent from universities and the broader marketplace.
