It’s no surprise that finding qualified labor in the green industry is still a challenge.

Recruiting and retention have become paramount to running a successful company. And with a younger generation joining the workforce, effective communication and leadership become essential to eliminate some generational oversight.

That’s why Jason Dorsey, an acclaimed author and researcher, gave a keynote presentation about all the major generations in the workforce today at WorkWave’s Beyond Service User Conference earlier this winter.

“Generations are just clues and we get to decide if we do something about it,” he says. “We all operate in the world through a generational lens.”

But from Baby Boomers to Gen Z and Millennials, Dorsey says we aren’t as different as the media portrays us.

“Some of the things I say today will make you uncomfortable,” Dorsey warned attendees. “My goal is to change how you view generations.”

According to Dorsey, the No. 1 thing that shapes generations is parenting.

“Now here’s where it gets interesting — we learn from our parents’ things like ‘Is a job beneath you?’ and ‘Do you have to go to college to be successful?’” Dorsey notes. “Recruiting and retention is hard. This is a people-driven business. In this industry, one of the challenges we don’t talk about enough is two-step recruiting. I have to not only get emerging generations excited to work in this industry, but who do they have to persuade they should work in this industry? Their parents.

“We’ve got to give them the materials and the messaging so they can go back and talk about why this is a great industry and a great job for them,” he adds.

So, naturally, Dorsey says most CEOs and owners immediately shift into promoting sales, profitability and other ways to attract potential employees.

“The reasons why people don’t do something are always stronger than the reasons why they do,” he says. “There is way more opportunity on the other side.”

Dorsey urged attendees to ask themselves why people are choosing not to work for them, or why they aren’t staying with the company or even referring their friends to the company.

The best way to do so is to have a better understanding of the generations, what their aspirations are and what causes them concern.

Here’s some quick facts Dorsey gave about the four major generations in the workforce today:

Gen Z (Ages 13-29):

• Gen Z is the fastest growing generation in the workforce.

• They are driving technology upward for the first time in history. “It used to be the old and the rich who could afford tech adoption and drive it down, but now the younger you are, the more you are driving tech adoption up because it’s free or low-cost,” he says.

• Out of all the generations, Gen Z most trusts technology — especially social media.

• Gen Z are savers, and they care deeply about social causes. “Gen Z believes they will never afford to retire,” Dorsey says. “What Gen Z most wants is stability.”

• Gen Z retention is already higher than Millennial retention.

Millennials (Ages 30-48):

• They are the largest generation in today’s workforce and are the largest in the landscaping and field service industries.

• According to Dorsey, Millennials aren’t necessarily tech savvy but tech dependent. “We don’t know how technology works but we know we cannot live without it,” he says.

• Dorsey says Millennials tend to be miscast and that’s because the generation is broken into two subcategories he calls “Me-llenials” and “Mega-llenials.” He adds the two groups can no longer relate to each other.

• The “Mega-llenials” are known for doing everything they were told they were supposed to do — go to college, get a job, buy a house, etc. The “Me-llenials” however are struggling to pull themselves forward, and have little aspirations. That’s where the stereotype of millennial entitlement comes from.

• Dorsey adds that Gen Z is already leapfrogging the “Me-llenials” in the workforce.

Gen X (Ages 49-60):

• Gen Xers are known to be naturally skeptical. They are of the “actions-speak-louder-than-words generation,” Dorsey says.

• Research is important to them as they are known to trust and verify rather than just believe what they are told.

• Dorsey explains how Gen X is often being pulled in three different directions as they are most commonly the generation raising children and caring for aging parents. Dorsey says recognize this responsibility and create a space that allows them to be able to do this easily.

• Gen X will decide in the next two years if they’ll stay and finish out their careers with their current company or move on. “They are the most important generation to retain,” Dorsey adds. “We don’t talk about Gen X enough. They are the glue in the workforce.”

Baby Boomers (Ages 61-79):

• Dorsey says it’s this generation that clearly has the most life and work experience, making them invaluable.

• Boomers believe there are no shortcuts, and they tend to show up to work early.

• This generation was brought up craving things like stability, which is reflective of how the Gen Z generation is feeling now entering the workforce. “Gen Z is a throwback generation behaviorally,” Dorsey says. “They are most like Boomers. We cannot be more excited about that.”

“Every generation is equally valuable,” Dorsey says. “Give them the space to be who they are.”

Fairway expands national footprint with 6 acquisitions

The company acquired businesses in Florida, Tennessee, North Carolina and the Chesapeake Bay region.

Fairway recently expanded its footprint and service offerings with six key additions: Eastern Exterminating, Southern Care Lawn and Pest, Mencer’s Tree Service, Agape Lawn Company, Arbor Bay Tree & Landscaping and Scientific Plant Service.

“Expanding our presence with these outstanding companies strengthens Fairway’s commitment to delivering top-tier residential services,” says Greg Harbison, CEO of Fairway. “Each of these businesses brings a strong reputation, unique expertise, and a shared dedication to service excellence. We are excited to welcome them into the Fairway family.”

Founded as a family business nearly 40 years ago, Eastern Exterminating grows Fairway’s reach into South Florida, bringing increased services for tree, turf and plant health care.

“Fairway’s expertise and resources will allow us to grow while maintaining the quality and customer focus we’ve provided since 1988,” says Billy Porter, owner of Eastern Exterminating.

Southern Care Lawn and Pest, also located in Florida, delivers a full selection of services, including traditional lawn fertilization and weed control, insect, pest, and disease management and tree and ornamental care.

Mencer’s Tree Service joined Fairway’s portfolio of companies as well. Spanning three generations since its founding in 1958, the Mencer family has long operated in Eastern Tennessee.

Another addition to the Fairway family is Agape, which has built a strong reputation in the Triangle area of North Carolina. They offer a comprehensive range of lawn care, landscaping, outdoor living, pest control and irrigation services. Sax Capital Advisors acted as sell-side advisor to Agape.

“For over 15 years, we’ve been committed to great service and strong customer relationships,” says Brent Droege, owner of Agape. “Joining Fairway allows us to continue delivering that to our community in an even more substantial way.”

Also joining Fairway is Scientific Plant Service, a full-service outdoor residential service provider from the Chesapeake Bay region that’s been in business for nearly 70 years.

Meanwhile, Arbor Bay was founded in 2008 by Michael and Christine Marciniak. They provide the Tampa area with a wide range of tree services. “We’re excited to keep providing top-notch tree care with the same passion and skill,” says Master Arborist Kacy Keeffe.

Larry Ryan steps down as Ryan Lawn & Tree president

Chuck Monico has been promoted to CEO and Derek Osburn has joined the company as the new vice president of revenue generation.

After 38 years, Larry Ryan, the founder and president of Ryan Lawn & Tree, is stepping down from his role.

He will continue to serve Ryan as the executive chairman of the Ryan board of directors. The move coincides with two key leadership changes at the company: Chuck Monico has been promoted to CEO and Derek Osburn has joined as the new vice president of revenue generation.

Under Ryan’s leadership, Ryan Lawn & Tree grew from humble beginnings into a Lawn & Landscape Top 100 company. During his time as president, Larry grew Ryan from his garage to a company with six branches in major cities, over 500 associates and $80 million in annual revenue. Larry led the company with faith-based leadership principles and made the company employee-owned during his tenure in charge.

“Because of you, working together, we have built a wonderful legacy,” Larry stated in a message to employees, “Our greatness of Ryan is in each of you. Continue to build your great legacy.”

“We have a large duty to carry on Larry’s legacy,” says Phillip Fisher, Ryan’s chief operating officer. “It is a significant shift for Ryan Lawn & Tree, and we have a responsibility to our employee owners to carry on that legacy.”

Carrying that legacy starts with Monico, who has more than three decades of industry experience. Before earning his new role as CEO, Monico served as senior director of Ryan Lawn & Tree’s Omaha branch, formerly CM’s Outdoor Solutions Group. Monico founded CM’s in 1993 and led the company for over 25 years, growing it from a team of three to 55 associates and increasing annual revenue from $130,000 to $7.5 million. Since its acquisition by Ryan Lawn & Tree in 2022, Monico has fostered mentorship and professional development, emphasizing a faith-based approach to leadership.

“We are really pleased because Chuck comes from a company that we acquired three years ago,” Larry says. “Chuck brings a unique vision into the future that is going to be so important for growing our employee-owned company.”

“Larry envisioned and built a company founded on honoring God and serving each other and the communities where we live and work,” Monico says. “We have work to do, but the foundation is strong. I will work tirelessly to ensure Larry’s mission and foundation for this company remains strong. My goal is that when I pass the torch to the next leader, that they will be able to say the same.”

Meanwhile, Osburn joins the team with over 18 years of experience in sales and marketing. Osburn brings expertise in consumer research and data analysis, as he held key roles at brands such as Milwaukee Tool and Bushnell.

In his new role, Osburn will focus on driving alignment and a shared strategic vision between marketing, sales and branch operations. His work will aim to enhance growth and strengthen the Ryan Lawn & Tree brand in both existing and emerging markets.

Before joining Ryan Lawn & Tree, Osburn served as global product lane director for Bushnell’s optics division.

“Because of our growth mindset, we are taking it to the next level, with a leader to align both the sales and marketing moving forward as we expand across the nation,” Fisher says. “Derek brings a unique skillset of having done both sales and marketing. He understands our adding value sales process, what the customer needs and how it aligns with the premium services and products that Ryan offers.”