Transition time

I hate the Pittsburgh Steelers. But, unfortunately for me, they have had a coaching succession tree that has led the organization to consistent success. The team has employed three head coaches since 1969, while my beloved Cleveland Browns, by my count, have employed 18 head coaches.

So it’s safe to say while I can’t stand the Steelers, I hope to emulate their coaching tree as I take over as editor of Lawn & Landscape for Chuck Bowen.

In case you missed it, June was Chuck’s last column for Lawn & Landscape. He is now the vice president of communications for the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute.

When Chuck hired me seven years ago, he was carrying a lot of the load on his own until I joined him, along with another editor. Chuck worked his butt off to meet the expectations that you have had for Lawn & Landscape since its inception in 1980.

Chuck did a great job building relationships in this industry, and I hope to continue those and build my own.

I worked side by side with him since 2010, and I’ve been knee-deep in articles about skid-steers and zero-turns since then. I learned quickly that owning a landscaping company is more than just mowing lawns or installing patios. It’s marketing, budgeting, pricing, building a team – you know, actually running a professional company.

While Chuck has left big shoes to fill, we have to step into those and keep moving.

This industry is filled with people who have a lot of knowledge that they want to share, but also can admit they have a lot to learn.

I say “we” because Chuck did not succeed on his own, and neither will I, which leads me to more changes.

We’ve promoted Kate Spirgen to my former role of managing editor. Kate has been with GIE Media since 2012 and with Lawn & Landscape since 2014 as our digital content editor.

We’ve also hired a new assistant editor, Lauren Rathmell, who is replacing our former associate editor Katie Tuttle, who is moving over to the marketing department at GIE Media. Lauren just graduated from Kent State University, and is looking forward to learning more about the green industry.

One thing I told Lauren about this industry is how enthusiastic you are about your work.

This is industry is filled with people who have a lot of knowledge that they want to share, but also can admit they have a lot to learn.

And that’s the way I’ll approach being the editor. I have learned a lot, but there’s more I need to know. Please contact me at bhorn@gie.net or call me at 216-393-0250. I’d love to hear from you. – Brian Horn