Bobcat’s making changes

Coming off two successful years, Bobcat isn’t resting on those recent wins.

Over the next eight months, the company will launch 21 different models in five product categories and has increased its focus on integrating new technologies into its equipment.

“In my 21 years here, this is the most ambitious we’ve ever been,” said Mike Ballweber, president of Doosan Bobcat North America, during the company’s Next is Now media event in September at Bobcat’s new training center in Denver.

Scott Park, CEO, entered the role in 2013, and at that time, the company was coming out of the recession.

But now, coming off its two best years financially in 2017 and 2018, Parker is pushing change at the company through new products, a new training center and working with new technologies like remote control loaders.

“Let’s keep it going, but we need change,” Parker said. “We needed to do something to ensure we had growth and sustainability.”

One change is Bobcat’s re-entering of the compact tractor market, which it left in 2013 after about six years of involvement. Parker said Bobcat needs to be in the market if it wants to be a global leader in compact equipment. Bobcat has an OEM relationship to manufacture its current models, which are available now, and will begin to manufacture its own in 2023.

Unlike the prior dip into the compact tractor market, the company plans to stay a lot longer this time.

“Bobcat is here to stay in this business,” Ballweber said. “We want to be one of the names that is recognized in the compact tractor market. We know that will take time.”

Ballweber said the company is still considering more changes, one of which could include entering the lawn mower market.

The tractor offering will also allow dealers to develop relationships with large-acre owners who want to use the tractors at home, along with further developing their already established landscaper relationships as a one-stop-shop for all compact equipment, Ballweber said.

Below are the new products Bobcat is rolling out. For more on this event, visit bit.ly/llbobcat.

The National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP) has named Britt Wood to the position of chief executive officer.

Wood brings more than 24 years of experience to the role in which he will oversee an association that represents a million landscape, lawn care, irrigation and tree care professionals across the country. He assumed his new role on Oct. 7 and will attend LANDSCAPES 2019 in Louisville from Oct. 15-18.

“Britt’s depth of leadership experience and proven track record of delivering results across various industries throughout his career will be huge assets as he focuses on building on NALP’s many successes and guiding our association into new areas of opportunity and growth,” said Jeff Buhler, NALP president.

Andrew Ziehler, NALP’s incoming president, agreed, noting, “Britt’s extensive association background and industry relations experience will be invaluable in growing our membership, strengthening relationships with associations at the state and national levels and delivering innovative programs to landscape contractors and their business partners to help them grow. We are fortunate we will have him at the helm.”

Prior to joining NALP, Wood spent more than two decades in trade association executive leadership roles, most recently as senior vice president of business development and industry relations for the Consumer Healthcare Products Association. Previously, Wood held positions with the International Foodservice Distributors Association, American Society of Civil Engineers, Loss Prevention Foundation and the Retail Industry Leaders Association.

“I look forward to working closely with our dedicated board and staff to continue to grow our membership by further enhancing NALP’s value to the lawn and landscape community,” Wood said. “We will work diligently to continue to enhance the good work that has been done in advocacy, education, standard setting and workforce development in an effort to make NALP even more valuable to our members.”

Wood succeeds Carol Keeling, who served as interim CEO of NALP since February, following the departure of Sabeena Hickman, who led the organization for 11 years.

Kansas City – Sterling Investment Partners, a Westport, Connecticut-based private equity firm, has acquired HeartLand, a Kansas City-based commercial landscape management firm from Great Range Capital.

HeartLand ranked 30th on Lawn & Landscape’s 2019 Top 100 list with almost $54 million in revenue.

GRC leadership and HeartLand’s CEO, Edward Schatz Jr., formed HeartLand in 2016, and HeartLand’s first acquisition was Signature Landscape in Kansas City.

Since then, eight other companies have been acquired including its operating brands Keesen Landscape in Denver; Columbia Landcare in Columbia, Missouri; Hillenmeyer Landscape Services in Lexington, Kentucky; and JML Landscape Management in Pittsburgh.

“It has been a rewarding experience to help launch the HeartLand platform,” said Mark Robinson, principal, Great Range Capital.

“Partnering with the leadership teams, owners and employees of the nine completed acquisitions has been an honor. We’re proud that HeartLand has become a prominent player in the commercial landscape industry and are confident in their continued success,”

“Great Range Capital has been a true partner in establishing and growing our HeartLand organization into what it is today,” Schatz, Jr. said. “They have worked collaboratively with us to build a scalable foundation, in a way that truly embodies Midwestern values and upholds the legacies of our operating companies. Our future is bright”

HeartLand was jointly represented by CCG Advisors, an Atlanta-based investment banking firm, and Piper Jaffray.

BLUE BELL, Pa. – BrightView Holdings announced the acquisition of Pro Scapes, a commercial landscaping company headquartered in Jamesville, New York. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Pro Scapes began as a one-man operation in the mid-1970s. Under the leadership of founder Rick Kier and his wife, Karen L. Kier, the company grew to become a leading grounds care provider in central New York. The company and its approximately 150 employees are committed to providing grounds maintenance, snow removal and irrigation services to their customers across commercial and industrial properties and upscale condominium complexes in Onondaga County.

“We are excited to welcome Pro Scapes, its employees and their customers to BrightView,” said Andrew Masterman, BrightView president and CEO. “Over the years they have invested in developing operational processes, customized technological solutions and employee training programs that fueled their steady historical growth. In addition to bringing our best practices to bear in the strategically attractive market of Central New York, I am certain that BrightView’s existing operation will learn many of Pro Scapes’ secrets for success, especially in their snow removal business.”

Kier said he is proud of Pro Scapes’ history and believes that BrightView’s strategic approach to intense customer focus fits well with his company’s established customer service philosophy.

“BrightView’s national presence and formidable resources open the door to exciting long-term opportunities for our team members and our customers alike,” Kier said. “I look forward to seeing the teams leverage our shared, customer-centric strategy, use of cutting edge tools and techniques and commitment to employee development to drive future growth.”

STAMFORD, Conn. – Bartlett Tree Experts has acquired Urban Forestry Services, a horticulture, arboriculture and urban forestry consulting company operating out of Mount Vernon, Washington since 1990.

The new operation will be known as Urban Forestry Services | Bartlett Consulting. This acquisition furthers the expansion of the company’s consulting division, which also includes HortScience | Bartlett Consulting, the United Kingdom and Ireland Consultancy team, and Bartlett Inventory Solutions.

“This acquisition is helping us meet our strategic goals for the growth of our consulting division,” said Nick Martin, director of Bartlett Consulting. “Urban Forestry Services has an amazing reputation, and their experience and professionalism will help take the consulting division to the next level. I believe their focus on proper tree selection, which is rooted in survivability, will help strengthen our overall approach to establishing and growing our urban forests.”

Jim and Annie Barborinas, former owners of Urban Forestry Services, will be continuing in their roles as consultants and managers with Urban Forestry Services | Bartlett Consulting. The pair first opened Urban Forestry Services in 1990 to provide tree inventories, tree risk assessments, horticultural consultation and landscape appraisals to the Puget Sound Region. Just a few years later, they opened a second business called Urban Forest Nursery to grow and sell wholesale trees meant for urban streets and landscapes, which they will retain.

In addition to certifications and close affiliations with a variety of professional organizations, the Barobrinases have been actively involved for many years with the TREE Fund, a non-profit organization dedicated to raising money for urban tree research and education.

Bartlett’s consulting division was established in 2018 with the acquisition of HortScience in Pleasanton, California. “Our evolution since the formation of Bartlett Consulting has not stopped, and the Urban Forestry Services | Bartlett Consulting team has added tremendous strength to our foundation,” Martin said. “This development will enable us to continue to grow and better serve all of our clients and the industry overall.”

MARANA, Ariz. – RISE (Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment) welcomed new governing board members and recognized dedicated volunteers during its 29th annual meeting at the end of August.

Leaders at the meeting focused on heightening engagement and advocacy at the local, state and federal levels. Nearly 185 manufacturers, formulators, distributors and other industry leaders attended the meeting.

“Our members and partners, including our extensive grassroots network, have risen to address growing advocacy needs over the past few years,” said Gilles Galliou, RISE governing board chair and head of Region, Americas, at Bayer Environmental Science. “Looking ahead, we foresee a need for even more engagement to share the benefits of our industry’s products.”

The RISE governing board met August 26, and elected new members: Stephanie Jensen, BASF, holding a manufacturer seat; Karen Larson, Clarke, holding a formulator seat; and Scott Todd, Central Life Sciences, holding a manufacturer seat. The board also elected a new executive committee:

• Gilles Galliou, Chair, Bayer Environmental Science
• Sean Casey, Vice Chair, Nufarm Americas
• Karen Larson, Treasurer, Clarke

Outgoing Board members completing their terms are Darren Horst, chair, Central Garden & Pet; Abizar “Zack” Zaki, treasurer, FMC Corporation; and Jeff Alvis, AMVAC Environmental Products. Others continuing their terms on the board include:

• Daryl Allen, Corteva Agriscience
• Kathy Bishop, Lebanon Seaboard Corp. 
• Bill Culpepper, SePRO Corp.
• Todd Ferguson, Primera, Inc.
• Michael Maravich, Sipcam Agro USA
• Neil Cleveland, PBI-Gordon Corp.
• Scott Reasons, Syngenta
• John Smith, WinField United
• SiteOne Landscape Supply

FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. – Nikki Haley, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations since 2017, will serve as keynote speaker at The Work Truck Show 2020.

Her moderated conversation will take place the morning of Thursday, March 5, as part of the NTEA Annual Meeting (formerly President’s Breakfast & NTEA Annual Meeting). The 20th annual Work Truck Show runs March 3-6 at Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, Indiana. Educational sessions, the Green Truck Summit, and the Manufacturer and Distributor Innovation Conference begin March 3. The exhibit hall is open March 4-6. Registration opens this month.

In 2010, Haley was elected as the first female and first minority governor of South Carolina. She was reelected in 2014 and served as governor until becoming U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and joining President Donald Trump’s Cabinet and National Security Council in January 2017.

“We’re honored to welcome Ambassador Haley and look forward to learning about her experiences as she traveled the world to defend America’s interests and keep our country safe,” said Peter Miller, first vice chairman of NTEA’s Board of Directors. “During her tenure, she tackled difficult issues like national security, education, human rights and unemployment. Her strong and passionate leadership serves as an example of how even the most challenging obstacles can be overcome.”

Lawn & Landscape magazine named Zach Jones the winner of the annual Richard Foster award through GIE Media’s Horticultural Scholarship Program. The award recognizes outstanding students planning careers in the landscape, lawn care or horticulture business. Jones will graduate in the spring of 2020 with a degree in plant science and a specialization in landscape management.

“With his work ethic and leadership skills, Zach is the type of person who will continue to represent the green industry in a positive way for years to come,” said Brian Horn, editor of Lawn & Landscape. “Zach’s passion for the industry is very clear through his course load at the University of Maryland, and his experiences outside of school.”

Last year, Jones was elected as the director of planning for Green Roots, a hydroponics club on campus. In this role, Jones communicates with more than 150 group members about meeting times and upcoming events. He was also elected vice president of philanthropy for his fraternity, Alpha Gamma Rho, a dual professional and social fraternity with a focus on agriculture.

“My goal is to work for a residential landscape company in a managerial position,” Jones says.

“In that role, I can perfect the art of working with clients, managing crews efficiently and making horticulturally correct decisions. However, my ultimate goal is to own a full-service landscape company. Prior to owning a business, I also plan to become a Certified Maryland Tree Expert and an ICPI Certified hardscape installer.”

The scholarship funds will help him start his business, he says.

“I can’t begin to express how humbled I am that I was chosen to receive the Richard Foster award,” Jones says. “Not only will it help with my college costs, but it will ultimately help me to start my own business by reducing my post-graduation debt.”

To be eligible for the $2,500 scholarship through GIE Media, Lawn & Landscape’s parent company, students must be enrolled at a recognized two-or four-year college or university working toward a degree in horticulture, environmental science or other field related to a segment of the green industry.

Payments solutions provider Clearent has acquired controlling interest in Service Autopilot, a field service management, software as a service business serving green-industry customers.

Clearent Software Holdings, a wholly owned subsidiary of St. Louis-based Clearent, announced the move as the latest example of its effort toward broadening its stable.

Service Autopilot will continue to operate out of its Richardson, Texas, headquarters. Its founders, CEO Jonathan Pototschnik and chief technology officer John Caldwell, will stay on as shareholders and continue to lead the company in their current roles. All 90 Service Autopilot employees will stay on following the completion of the acquisition.

Service Autopilot’s end-to-end solution allows customers to schedule, route and dispatch employees; job-cost, invoice and bill customers; and generate, capture and nurture leads, among other features. The program was launched in 2009 as a scheduling system for green-industry companies. Service enhancements include the addition of mobile functionality, a client portal, two-way QuickBooks sync and marketing and business automation.

This latest purchase broadens Clearent Software Holdings’ portfolio of independent software vendors in the field-services industry to reach green-industry customers that include lawn care, pool cleaning and snow removal companies. Service Autopilot will operate alongside FieldEdge, which traditionally supports mechanical contractors such as HVAC, electrical, plumbing and equipment repair companies.