Exmark has introduced its first commercial autonomous mower — the Turf Tracer with XiQ.

According to Exmark Senior Autonomous Program Manager, Jeremy Tate, the Turf Tracer with XiQ enables crews to do more work efficiently.

“With the ability to mow in manual or autonomous modes, Turf Tracer with XiQ provides increased flexibility, productivity and profitability for landscape professionals,” Tate says. “The XiQ technology package provides state-of-the-art location and safety systems to ensure reliable operation with easy mapping of properties.”

Navigation and safety

Developed over more than four years, the XiQ technology package integrates high-precision GNSS and RTK location technologies with ISO-certified radar detection to detect obstacles and prevent collisions. The mapping technology makes it easy to create and store property profiles, and each profile is stored online for quick and easy recall on all autonomous units in a customer’s fleet.

While the Turf Tracer with XiQ is capable of operating on its own using its integrated full-color 4.3-inch display, Exmark has developed a mobile app for Android and iOS. It allows operators to store property maps and manage their autonomous fleet and also provides live machine status updates in real time.

The integrated safety system offers audible and visual alarms to aid in safe operation, as well as collision avoidance, and PTO and ground drive monitoring. In addition, a full-color 4.3-inch display delivers comprehensive machine status data without the need to open the app.

Mower performance

The mower is equipped with a 60-inch UltraCut Series 4 cutting deck, while the fabricated and fully welded construction provides durability. It’s powered by a Kohler Command Pro EFI ECV749 twin-cylinder engine.

The Turf Tracer with XiQ is built on Exmark’s Turf Tracer chassis, so controls and feel will be familiar to many operators, and a Stand-on is included to quickly map properties.

The electric ground drive system provides heightened mower control and is powered by an engine-driven generator.

The Turf Tracer with XiQ is available now from authorized Exmark dealers.

Landscape Workshop, which ranked No. 27 on Lawn & Landscape's Top 100 list, has acquired Baycut in Tampa and BCLS Landscape Services in Richmond and Fredericksburg, Virginia.

Baycut offers landscape services across Tampa.

“We are thrilled to welcome Baycut to the Landscape Workshop family,” says J.T. Price, CEO of Landscape Workshop. “This acquisition represents an exciting opportunity to expand our services in the Tampa area while upholding our commitment to excellence.”

“Partnering with Landscape Workshop was the best choice for our clients and team,” says Ron Zak, owner of Baycut. “Their dedication to exceptional service and team development gave me complete confidence in this decision.”

LW operates across 36 Southeastern markets, including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. The company is backed by Carousel Capital and McKinney Capital.

Legal counsel for Landscape Workshop in this transaction was provided by Stuart Maxey and Butler Sparks of Bradley. Baycut was represented by Bobby Jones of Jones Law Group.

The acquisition of BCLS Landscape Services expands LW's presence in Richmond and Fredericksburg. This acquisition grows its commercial landscape maintenance and install business in the Southern United States.

BCLS’s leadership team, including Howard Rose, Steven Cohen and Melannie Huber-Cohen, will join Landscape Workshop. Rose will join as general manager of Landscape Management, Cohen will step into an interim position as general manager of construction services, and Huber-Cohen will be a consultant to Landscape Workshop during the transition period.

“When I acquired BCLS, our goal was to become a market leader in vertically integrated landscape maintenance and construction services," Cohen says. "We succeeded in building a solid foundation in the last nine years, and the resources from Landscape Workshop will push us to the next level much faster."

“Partnering with Landscape Workshop provides us with great operational, financial, sales, and marketing strength, plus a network of other landscape professionals within the combined organizations," Rose says.

“We are very pleased to partner with Steven and Melannie and Howard and to welcome BCLS into the Landscape Workshop family,” Price says. “Their outstanding reputation in the Virginia market aligns perfectly with our mission and marks an important step in our expansion.”

Stuart Maxey and Butler Sparks of Bradley served as Landscape Workshop’s legal counsel in this transaction. Warren Averett acted as financial advisor to Landscape Workshop. BCLS was represented by Lisa Hedrick and Toviya Nabugero of Hirschler. Aaron Kroll of Sterling Point Advisors acted as BCLS’ financial advisors and Jonathan Orrock with Wells-Coleman Acted as BCLS’s Tax Advisors.

APHIX has acquired Bramer Bros Landscaping, a Louisville-based landscaping provider. This move expands APHIX’s reach and service capabilities within an existing market.

“We are excited to welcome the Bramer Bros Landscaping team into the APHIX family,” says CEO Allen Sweeney. “Together, we will continue to fulfill the APHIX mission by expanding our employee, client and community impact.”

Founded in 1984 by Denny Bramer, Bramer Bros has a portfolio that includes universities, HOAs, industrial complexes and commercial properties.

“After building and operating Bramer Bros for the last 41 years, searching for a partner to take the reins has been the biggest decision of my career,” Bramer says. “APHIX has been the answer to many prayers, and I find comfort in knowing that our employees and clients are in great hands.”

Green Lawn Fertilizing/Green Pest Solutions awarded Kym Hunter a new 2025 Ford F-150 as part of ongoing fleet safety initiatives and in conjunction with the implementation of fleet tracking software, Azuga.

“Green Lawn Fertilizing and Green Pest Solutions is committed to making sure we are all operating in the safest ways possible, and we wanted to promote our culture of safety through our truck giveaway contest,” says Founder and CEO Matt Jesson. “These 90 technicians demonstrated their commitment to safety across an entire year and I could not be prouder to be standing in front of them today.”

The raffle for the Ford F150 took place at the end of the Green Lawn Fertilizing/Green Pest Solutions 2025 company kickoff meeting.

In order to qualify for the contest, technicians must have been a full-time team member by April 1st, 2024, and must not have any at-fault vehicle accidents during 2024. Each technician’s driver score is based on a combination of braking, speeding, acceleration and idling which is tracked by Azuga. All qualifying technicians with driver scores over 90 received entries into the contest. The higher the technician’s driving score, the more entries in the raffle the technician earned.

This is the fourth year in a row Green Lawn Fertilizing/Green Pest Solutions has raffled a truck in an ongoing commitment to driver safety.

“It hasn’t hit me yet,” Hunter says. “I’m totally in shock. I don’t know what to tell you right now.”

Shorb Landscaping, which offers landscaping services in Northern Virginia, suburban Maryland and Washington DC, has acquired AW Landscapes, a company specializing in commercial maintenance and residential/commercial installations.

AW Landscapes operates in the Washington DC Metro area market.

"We are thrilled to welcome the talented team from AW Landscapes to the Shorb Landscaping family," says John Shorb, founder & CEO. "This acquisition aligns perfectly with our growth strategy and allows us to expand our service capabilities, particularly in commercial maintenance and installations. We are committed to ensuring a seamless transition for AW Landscapes' clients and providing them with the same high level of service they have come to expect."

"We are excited to join forces with Shorb Landscaping," says Alan Walcoff, owner of AW Landscapes. "This partnership will provide our clients with access to a broader range of services and resources, while offering our team new opportunities for growth and development. We know that Shorb Landscaping's values and commitment to customer satisfaction align perfectly with ours."

Beary Landscaping, a portfolio company of Silver Oak Services Partners, has acquired MJS Landscaping Services. This acquisition further strengthens Beary’s presence throughout the Midwest.

Founded in 1997 and headquartered near Milwaukee, MJS provides landscape management, snow removal and landscape design/build services throughout Southern Wisconsin. The company serves a diverse set of commercial customers, including corporate campuses, utilities and municipalities.

Beary will retain all of MJS’ existing staff and the company’s brand as part of the acquisition. Beary is based in Lockport, Illinois, and ranked No. 57 on Lawn & Landscape’s 2024 Top 100 list.

“Joining forces with MJS aligns perfectly with our strategy to partner with like-minded operators,” says Brian Beary, CEO and founder of Beary. “This acquisition expands our geographic reach in Wisconsin and reinforces our commitment to delivering the highest-quality landscaping solutions for our clients.”

“It was important to me to find a partner that values our employees and customers the same way I have for over 25 years, while also providing high-quality service. After a thorough process, I knew that Beary and MJS would be a perfect fit,” says Michael Steiner, president of MJS.

Riverview Landscapes has completed three acquisitions in New Jersey, including Elite Landscaping (Berlin, N.J.), On-Site Landscape Management (Millstone, N.J.) and McHugh’s Landscaping (Delran, N.J.).

The acquisitions solidify Riverview’s presence in Central and South Jersey and add over 150 employees to its growing team. All three will continue to be managed by their existing day-to-day management teams. Riverview has completed 14 acquisitions in the Northeast since 2022.

Founded in 1987 by Dave Feast, Elite Landscaping specializes in landscape design, construction and maintenance for commercial and residential properties in South Jersey. Mike Pasquarello will continue managing operations day-to-day.

“2024 was our best year in company history since I founded Elite more than 35 years ago," Feast says. "I felt that partnering with Riverview would create even more growth opportunity in the region for our employees, customers and vendors, and we couldn’t be more excited about this partnership. I look forward to continuing to grow Riverview further in the region through sales and additional acquisitions."

Founded in 2002 by Dan Murphy, On-Site Landscape Management specializes in landscape and snow maintenance for large commercial and municipal properties in Central Jersey. Bill Burdge will continue managing operations day-to-day.

Founded in 1985 by Jim and Mark McHugh, McHugh’s Landscaping specializes in landscape maintenance for commercial and residential properties in Burlington and Camden Counties.

“I am committed to ensuring a smooth transition for our customers and employees as we carry forward the Riverview banner,” says Jim McHugh. “Mark will continue managing the business day-to-day to ensure all customers are serviced with the same level of commitment they’ve become accustomed to.”

“We’re thrilled to welcome all three companies to Riverview and are excited to continue our expansion into Central and South Jersey,” says Michael Waterman, Riverview’s CEO.

PBI-Gordon Corporation has launched its new Field Development Team, designed specifically to serve distributors and end-users across the United States. The team of turfgrass experts will offer those end users training on new and existing products; product trials and demonstrations; consultation on emerging turfgrass issues; educational materials to end users; and guidance on the control of problematic pests.

Brian Aynardi is the regional director of the PBI-Gordon Field Development Team. Aynardi joined PBI-Gordon in 2016 as manager of university and contract research for the northeastern U.S. His area of expertise is fungicides for both cold-season and warm-season grasses.

Since joining PBI-Gordon, he has worked with the R&D Team on the development of new active ingredients and next generation products in the company’s portfolio.

Alan Estes is the southeast field development representative for the Field Development Team. His territory covers all states from Virginia to Florida and west to Texas.

His area of expertise is herbicides, particularly as it pertains to the intricacies of turf tolerance, weed spectrum, rates and timing.

Kevin Miele is the northeast field development representative for the Field Development Team. His territory covers all states from Virginia north and west to the Chicago area.

Experienced in conducting fungicide trials and developing rotational programs for preventive turfgrass disease control, Miele has worked with a wide range of cool-season turfgrass species.

BrightView Holdings, the No. 1 landscaping company on Lawn & Landscape’s Top 100 list, and its board of directors have authorized a share repurchase program totaling $100 million.

The repurchase program allows for ongoing investment in the business, while utilizing moderate balance sheet leverage and facilitating opportunistic share repurchases.

“As part of our continued focus on strategically allocating capital and driving shareholder value, we are pleased to announce this new share repurchase program,” says BrightView President and CEO Dale Asplund. “The strength in our balance sheet, coupled with our current valuation and unwavering commitment to drive sustainable and long-term profitable growth, gives us the confidence to reinstitute our share repurchase program and return capital to shareholders in a disciplined and opportunistic manner.”

WorkWave has appointed John Phelan as its chief technology officer.

Phelan will be responsible for driving WorkWave’s vertical functionality and modernization across its four core verticals.

Phelan has over 25 years of experience in product development, cloud operations and IT transformation across software and technology industries. He most recently served as executive vice president and chief technology officer at Hyland Software, being part of the leadership team that helped grow the company revenue close to 100x during his tenure.

“I am excited to be joining the WorkWave team, especially during a time where technological innovation is its key priority,” Phelan says. “I look forward to driving this innovation, optimizing operational efficiency, and enhancing customer experience through strategic leadership and a strong focus on collaboration.”

Wilson360 is adding Daniel Grange, a seasoned professional in construction project management and workforce development, to its consulting team.

With over 15 years of experience in both residential and commercial landscaping, Grange brings industry knowledge and hands-on expertise to Wilson360’s roster of business strategists and consultants.

Grange’s career began in landscaping, working alongside two retired teachers on small projects during the summer. After earning a degree in landscape management from BYU, he moved into leadership roles at commercial landscaping firms, specializing in field efficiency, workforce development and project management.

“Daniel’s expertise in site productivity and team optimization will provide immense value to our clients,” says Robert Clinkenbeard, Wilson360 CEO. “His ability to bridge the gap between project management and field operations — while communicating effectively with both general contractors and landscape professionals makes him a strong addition to our team.”

Grange will offer strategic consulting services in construction project management, construction field efficiency and field workforce growth. Fluent in English and Spanish, Grange also has the ability to train diverse teams.

“Wilson360’s approach to consulting aligns perfectly with my experience in construction management and workforce training,” Grange says.

The Davey Tree Expert Company has promoted Scott Hyland to senior vice president, marketing.

“Davey has benefited immensely from Scott’s analytical and team-first approach over the years,” says Pat Covey, chairman, president and CEO of Davey Tree. “As vice president of marketing, Scott excelled at building a cohesive team committed to marketing analysis and the development and implementation of programs to both increase and promote the Davey brand and our services.”

Hyland began his career with Davey in 2003 as a communications specialist on the corporate communications team. In 2008, he was promoted to manager of sales development, then to the newly created position of director of marketing in 2014. In 2022, Hyland was promoted to his most recent position of vice president of marketing. Before joining Davey, Hyland worked in sports marketing and professional athlete representation for multiple firms.

Hyland holds a juris doctor degree from the Wake Forest University School of Law and is a member of the Ohio State Bar Association. In addition, Hyland was a member of Davey’s President’s Council, a rotating team of managers who meet semiannually for management development and to share ideas to improve the company, serving from 2013 to 2015.