News

Busy Atlantic hurricane season predicted
An “active to extremely active” hurricane season is expected for the Atlantic Basin this year, according to the seasonal outlook issued by NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center – a division of the National Weather Service. Across the entire Atlantic Basin for the six-month season, which began June 1, NOAA is projecting a 70 percent probability of the following ranges:

• 14 to 23 named storms (top winds of 39 mph or higher), including
• 8 to 14 hurricanes (top winds of 74 mph or higher), of which:
• 3 to 7 could be major hurricanes (category 3, 4 or 5; winds of at least 111 mph)

“If this outlook holds true, this season could be one of the more active on record,” said Jane Lubchenco, undersecretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator. “The greater likelihood of storms brings an increased risk of a landfall. In short, we urge everyone to be prepared.”

ValleyCrest acquires Waverly Landscape Associates
BOSTON – ValleyCrest Landscape acquired Waverly Landscape Associates.
The combined landscape operation, with sales of $45 million, serves more than 300 customers in the metropolitan Boston area.

Waverly Landscape Associates was founded by Paul Tocci nearly 20 years ago in metro Boston. ValleyCrest has operated a landscape construction and maintenance location in Boston since 2001.

“This is a terrific opportunity for ValleyCrest to partner with the largest market leader who shares our vision for great landscapes, has a passion for outstanding customer service and seeks to drive value to customers through operational excellence,” says Richard Sperber, president and CEO of Calabasas, Calif.-based ValleyCrest. “The Waverly team has built an enviable reputation in the market and we are confident that the acquisition will contribute toward our goal of providing companies in Boston the highest quality of landscape maintenance, installation and design services possible.”

Two hundred members of the existing Waverly team and workforce, including Tocci, are joining ValleyCrest Landscape Maintenance. According to Tocci, now vice president and regional manager for ValleyCrest Landscape Maintenance, “We are excited to be a part of a strong organization that matches up so well with our core values and mission.”

Lawn Dawg acquires Massachusetts company
NASHUA, N.H. – Lawn Dawg, has acquired Weed & Feed Professional Services, formerly owned and operated by Robert Mann of Sandwich, Mass.

The existing operations will come under the name of Lawn Dawg.

Lawn Dawg plans to relocate its Bridgewater branch to Plymouth for a central location in its growing Massachusetts market. In addition, the merger will expand Lawn Dawg’s commercial services and customer base.

Last summer Lawn Dawg president Jim Campanella  partnered with a private investment group to grow Lawn Dawg throughout the Northeast and beyond. The company has branches in Portland, Maine; Litchfield and Nashua, N.H.; Woburn, Bridgewater and Hudson, Mass.; and Albany and Poughkeepsie, N.Y.

TruGreen settles N.Y. sales complaint
MEMPHIS, Tenn. –TruGreen, based here, reached a settlement with the New York attorney general over consumer complaints about sales and contract practices.

The settlement called for the ServiceMaster subsidiary to pay $55,000 in penalties, fees and costs and to alter customer communications and contract practices in New York.

“My office received complaints that this company was not direct and forthcoming about its contracts, forcing consumers to pay for unwanted services,” says Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo in a statement on the agency’s website.

“TruGreen has agreed to revise its contract language and change its practices so that consumers don’t get stuck in a web of misleading and deceptive statements and terms,” Cuomo adds.

TruGreen Director of Communications Susanna Weston said in a statement, “TruGreen is pleased to have forged a collaborative relationship and ongoing, positive dialogue with the office of the attorney general in the state of New York. Over the past several months, TruGreen has worked closely with the state to address its concerns and taken steps to better clarify messages to our customers.”

Lawn & Landscape unveils new site
RICHFIELD, Ohio – Lawn & Landscape unveiled some changes to its website, and they’re all designed to make it easier for you to navigate and find what you need. 

Need to find a sub, or just want to learn more about the contractors in your area? Use the member search function, which pulls from Lawn & Landscape’s vast database to give you data on other contractors.

Remember that story from a few months (or years) ago? Was it in the issue, or in one of our e-newsletters? With an expanded ability to search our archives, you can find those stories you wish you’d saved.

Other areas of the new site include: Marketplace, where you can find products, classified ads and download MSDS sheets and Multimedia, where you can access our library of podcasts, videos and webcasts. – Chuck Bowen.

NJ contractor named semifinalist
ALLENWOOD, N.J. – Green Works Environmental, based in Allenwood, NJ, was named the March semifinalist in the 2010 Landscaper’s Challenge, sponsored by New Holland Construction. The contest is a nationwide search for the best design/build project.

The project was broken into three phases to accommodate the client’s budget. Headlining the project was the  rehabilitation of the pool, which started out as merely an eyesore that the client wanted to be filled in. After creating a natural bluestone patio and applying feng shui principles to the landscape, the pool became the focal point.

As one of six semifinalists (one is chosen monthly, through September), Green Works is eligible for the grand prize  – a New Holland L170 skid-steer worth more than $32,000.

To participate,  visit www.lawnandlandscape.com/NewHollandSkidSteer.aspx.

Ruppert Landscape, Laytonsville, Md., opened a location just outside of Baltimore’s Inner Harbor to service a growing market of customers. Ruppert, which has 11 branch offices in Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Georgia and North Carolina, has been serving the Baltimore area from its Frederick and Laytonsville branches.
 

People in the News

Michael Franco and Chris Goodman, founders of Lansing, Mich.-based Pure Green Lawn Service, won an Entrepreneurial Award of Greater Lansing from Lansing Business Monthly. The 16th annual awards were presented in March to companies from the region. Franco and Goodman started Pure Green Lawn Service eight years ago, and offer weed control and fertilization services to commercial and residential clients, including turf care for the Lansing Lugnuts at the Cooley Law School Stadium in downtown Lansing.

Longtime ValleyCrest executives William Cohen, Stanley Colton and George Reber announced retirement plans. The Calabasas, Calif.-based firm also named Karen Kennedy to the newly created position of vice president of sales. Kennedy brings more than 23 years of sales experience to help meet the challenges of an operation that generates nearly $1 billion in annual revenue.

Ruppert Landscape, Laytonsville, Md., hired Bill Cobb as information systems manager. He has worked as a branch manager for Environmental Design Group and in various capacities at TruGreen Landcare.

Tim Kroenke is now head of Syngenta’s North American lawn and garden division. He most recently led the North American Professional Flowers business. His responsibilities will include overall management as well as profit and loss for Syngenta’s plant protection, flowers and growing media businesses throughout the region. Keelan Pulliam is head of the Flowers Professional organization and will oversee management of the businesses that serve the professional greenhouse and nursery industry. Scott Reasons will head the North American turf and landscape/consumer business and oversee numerous customer categories for Syngenta, including golf, turf and landscape, aquatics, home care and consumer products.

Hortica Insurance & Employee Benefits appointed Tommy Bowles to senior account executive for Tennessee and central and southern Kentucky.

Nanette Seven, vice president of Include Software, has been appointed to a three-year term as chair of the Suppliers Committee of the Professional Landcare Network (PLANET), a national organization that serves professionals in the landscaping industry. Her three-year term will expire in 2013.

Hunter Industries added Chris Olsen to its FX Luminaire sales team. He covers northern California and Nevada.