Growing Concern
The
APRIL 2016
A P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E O H I O L A N D S C A P E A S S O C I AT I O N
And The Winners Are...
This Year’s Landscape Ohio! Award Winners PAGE 19
The OLA Scholarship Golf Outing Registration is now open! PAGE 7
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PRESIDENT’S COLUMN
CULTURAL DIFFERENCES April is an exciting time of year for the senses; the sight of beautiful spring flowers, the smell of fresh cut grass, and the sound of the crack of the bat. Yes, in addition to all of us being in the full swing of spring operations, it is also the start of baseball season! I always look forward to the start of another season, not just because I’m a sports fan, but because it means warmer weather and longer days are right around the corner. I remember watching the movie Field of Dreams, which came out in 1989 and starred Kevin Costner as a novice, Iowa farmer. In the movie, there is the line, “If you build it, they will come,” referring to the building of a baseball field to attract people who have a love for the game. Well, I believe the same concept applies to companies. Build a great company and not only will you attract better customers, but good talent as well. They will come. Now, we all tend to build our businesses in a similar way. Most of us start out small in scale and then slowly grow by adding customers, equipment, and staff along the way. And for the most part, when we add staff, it is usually out of necessity. There just comes a point where we need to add a foreman, office manager, or
BRYAN TAYNOR
Hidden Creek Landscaping, Inc.
…the behavior of leadership is what sets the tone for the rest of the organization sales position, and have to fill it with the first “qualified” person we find. Sometimes it works out, and sometimes it doesn’t, but in both instances it usually comes down to “Was it a good fit?” A company’s culture is something we have been hearing a lot about for some time now, but what is it really? We have all seen examples of companies, especially in the tech world, doing things differently, or out-of-the-box, to make their company more attractive to potential employees, such as flexible schedules, casual dress codes, game rooms in the break area, etc., all of which make the work day more fun. And while this creates an enjoyable and interesting place to spend the day, it really only addresses atmosphere – not culture. continued on page 6 The Growing Concern x April 2016 x 3
TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S A P R I L 2 0 1 6 W W W. O H I O L A N D S C A P E R S . O R G
OHIO’S PROFESSIONAL GREEN I N D U S T R Y A S S O C I AT I O N OHIO LANDSCAPE ASSOCIATION 9240 Broadview Road Broadview Heights, Ohio 44147 Phone: 440.717.0002, or 1.800.335.6521 Fax: 440.717.0004 Web: www.ohiolandscapers.org and www.myohiolandscape.com EDITOR Rick Doll REGULAR WRITERS Michael J Donnellan, King Financial, Inc. Jim Funai, LIC, Cuyahoga Community College Shelly Funai, Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens Sandy Munley, Ohio Landscape Association Bobbie Schwartz, FAPLD, Bobbie’s Green Thumb Bryan Taynor, Hidden Creek Landscaping, Inc.
FEATURES
3
PRESIDENT’S COLUMN
Cultural Differences
8
PERENNIAL FOCUS
12
FOR SAFETY SAKE
16
PLANT OF THE MONTH
Arabis Caucasica Rockcress On the Road
Zelkova Serrata Japanese Zelkova
24
FISCAL FITNESS
Negative Interest Rates
28 THE 5 MOST POWERFUL MUST DO’S IN BUILDING YOUR SERVICE DELIVERY MODEL
32
DIRECTIONS
You Can Do It!
INSIDE EVERY ISSUE
5 33
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS ADVERTISING INDEX
ADVERTISING INFORMATION Submission deadline: 10th of the month, prior to publication month. For advertising rates, please call 1.800.335.6521 DISCLAIMER The Ohio Landscape Association, its board of directors, staff and the editor of The Growing Concern neither endorse any product(s) or attests to the validity of any statements made about products mentioned in this, past or subsequent issues of this publication. Similarly, the opinions expressed in The Growing Concern are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Ohio Landscape Association. OFFICERS President Bryan Taynor President-Elect Cathy Serafin, ASLA, RLA Treasurer Marie McConnell Immediate Past President Steve Moore OLA STAFF Executive Director Sandy Munley Communications and Events Manager Rick Doll Membership Coordinator Noreen Schraitle
DIRECTORS Eric Brubeck, ASLA Adam Capiccioni James Funai Jacob Grimm Nathan Kowalsick Domenic Lauria
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JULY
Landscape Industry Certified Technician Test –Full Test JULY 21, 2016
OCTOBER
This is a three-day experience in Washington, D.C. that educates landscape industry professionals about legislative issues currently affecting our businesses and provides an opportunity to participate directly in the political process by meeting with legislators. For more information contact the National Association of Landscape Professionals (formerly PLANET) at 1-800-395-2522 or visit landscapeprofessionals.org.
Hands-On and Written Test. Held on the campus of OSU ATI in Wooster. For more information, contact Jan Elliott or Kim Sayers at the Ohio State ATI Business Training and Educational Services office at 330-287-7511 or 330-287-0100, or visit LandscapeCertifiedOhio.org.
Formerly known as the Green Industry Conference (GIC), this is a large landscape and lawn care industry educational conference held in Louisville, Kentucky in conjunction with the GIE+EXPO and Hardscapes North America trade shows. For more information contact the National Association of Landscape Professionals (formerly PLANET) at 1-800-395-2522 or visit landscapeprofessionals.org.
Landscape Industry Certified Technician Test –Written Only JULY 20, 2016
Join us for a fun day of golf, networking, food and liquid refreshments at Mallard Creek Golf Club in Columbia Station. For more information contact OLA at 1-800-335-6521, or visit OhioLandscapers.org.
OLA Scholarship Golf Classic AUGUST 4, 2016
NGLCO Field Day AUGUST 9, 2016 This year’s field day will be again hosted by Chalet Debonne Vineyards in Madison, Ohio. For more information, contact Annette Howard at 440-241-7969, info@ nglco.com, or visit nglco.com.
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These two tradeshows are co-located at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville, KY and are held in conjunction with Landscapes 2016. Indoor displays along with a vast outdoor equipment demo area make this a fun show to attend. October 19 is reserved for dealers only. For more information go to gie-expo.com.
f Cla ssic is now o l o p en G A .S L O e
r more details. 7 fo
REGULAR MEMBER:
GIE+EXPO and Hardscapes North America OCTOBER 19-21, 2016
a ge
The Ohio Landscape Association is delighted to welcome the following new members to the association:
Landscapes 2016 OCTOBER 19-21, 2016
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WELCOME NEW MEMBERS!
01 6
Held on the campus of OSU ATI in Wooster. For more information, contact Jan Elliott or Kim Sayers at the Ohio State ATI Business Training and Educational Services office at 330-287-7511 or 330-287-0100, or visit LandscapeCertifiedOhio.org.
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The Growing Concern x April 2016 x 5
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6 x Official Publication of The Ohio Landscape Association
The culture of your company is many things that, when combined together, set the overall tone for how you conduct business. Think of it as the genetic code that makes up your company. It is behavior, values, beliefs, principles; it is those things that guide you and that keep your company heading in the direction towards where you hope to be one day. In his book, Start With Why, author and speaker Simon Sinek states “…customers do not buy our product or service based on what it is, or how we do it, they buy because of ‘Why’ we do it.” The same can be said for potential employees when they choose a company to work for. We all want to attract the best people to our team, people who are just as passionate as we are and that will deliver the best product and service to our clients. To do so, we need to be able to give them a good sense of the type of culture we promote. Sure, a fun atmosphere filled with positive attitudes is always good for moral and creates a great work environment, but people also want to feel comfortable that they will be able to do their best work in a manner that is in line with their professional values. Your company’s culture starts at the top, with you. Regardless of what your company handbook, or code of conduct states, the behavior of leadership is what sets the tone for the rest of the organization. Once that has been instilled, behavior, values, and principles start to become standard practice, which eventually become your culture. We have all heard the term, “Hire slow, fire fast.” This is critical to maintaining your culture. By getting the right, like-minded people who share your vision on board, they will not only become a part of your culture, but will improve it, as well. It’s important to keep in mind though that, if potential employees can choose a company to work for based on the culture, they will also leave for the same reason. So, step back and take the pulse of your organization. Look beyond the portfolio of work, the fleet of trucks, the new uniforms, and get a feel for what your company culture really is. If it’s not what it should be, then start building. They will come.
August 4, 2016
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PERENNIAL FOCUS
BOBBIE SCHWARTZ, FAPLD Arabis, T. ‘Lady Jane’, Aanemone blanda
Bobbie’s Green Thumb
ARABIS CAUCASICA
ROCKCRESS
In April, the north end of my driveway bed is anchored by the fragrant rose flowers of the evergreen Arabis caucasica ‘Compinkie’ while the south end is anchored by the white flowers of Arabis caucasica ‘Variegata’. The leaves of these Arabis are soft and fuzzy. The flowers stay in bloom for most of the month and the very short foliage remains as a skirt in front of other perennials and flowering shrubs for the rest of the growing season and through the winter. There is one other cultivar, ‘Spring Charm’, another rose pink – but this one is much more compact. If you want to use Arabis as a groundcover, which I usually do, ‘Compinkie’ or the straight species will be the one for you. I love the variegated foliage of ‘Variegata’ but sadly, after about five years, the variegated leaves begin to revert to all green. All of the cultivars benefit from a bit of shearing after bloom if you want a neat look. Most of the time, I just don’t get around to it. They all grow four to six inches in height, when in flower, and the foliage is only two inches high. Zone hardiness is not a problem in Ohio, extending from zones four to seven.
combination could be softened with the addition of the pale lavender of Phlox subulata. A more conventional combination is the white flowers of Arabis caucasica, the pink and white flowers of Tulipa ‘Lady Jane’, and the blue flowers of Anemone blanda, or Arabis, and the early blooming Narcissus ‘Mary Gay Lirette’. I’m sure you won’t have any problem finding a place in your landscapes and gardens for Arabis.
Bobbie Schwartz, FAPLD, owner of Bobbie’s Green Thumb in Shaker Hts., Ohio,
Full sun and excellent drainage are musts for this perennial. Once established, it is drought tolerant and ignored by the deer and rabbits.
is a landscape designer, consultant, free-lance writer, and lecturer whose specialties are perennial gardens and four-season landscapes. In addition to being an Ohio Landscape Association (OLA) member, she is an active member of the Ohio
I use Arabis in several different design configurations. Although you might not immediately think of pairing it with Euphorbia polychroma, the bright pink Arabis and the strong yellow flowers of the Euphorbia really add some zing to the spring garden. This
8 x Official Publication of The Ohio Landscape Association
Nursery and Landscape Association (ONLA) and Perennial Plant Association (PPA). Bobbie is a Past President of the Association of Professional Landscape Designers (APLD). Bobbie currently serves as chair of the ONLA Plant Selection Committee. Bobbie can be reached at (216) 752-9449.
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The Growing Concern x April 2016 x 11
FOR SAFETY SAKE
ON THE ROAD BY BARB MULHERN As your crews hit the road, make sure they stay safe with these tips. The statistics tell the story: From 2003 through 2008, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported 5,350 transportation-related injuries involving days away from work among landscape services workers. BLS also reports that 264 workers in the industry were killed in transportation incidents during that same period.
12 x Official Publication of The Ohio Landscape Association
According to a National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), approximately one-third of all of the occupational fatalities in the landscape industry result from transportation incidents. While it’s a given that landscape workers spend a lot of time traveling from jobsite to jobsite, the length of time on the road and the sheer number of vehicles on the road aren’t solely to blame for the high number of injuries and deaths, Jeff Graham of LaPorte & Associates in Portland, Ore., says.
Trucks with trailers take much more skill to operate than a private passenger vehicle. Train and test all prospective drivers before they are allowed to take trailers out on the road.
FOR SAFETY SAKE
“A big issue is hiring unqualified drivers for the types of vehicles used. Sometimes an employer looks no further than a prospective employee’s motor vehicle record. This may show that a person has a clear record, but experience driving what? Probably not a heavy truck with a trailer full of equipment attached. This takes much more skill to operate than a private passenger vehicle,” says Graham, who also chaired NALP’s Safety & Risk Management Committee. The high costs of a single transportation-related fatality could put a small to mid-sized company out of business. The costs of repairing a badly damaged truck/trailer also can be prohibitive, Graham says. Despite this, economic constraints – in some instances – have resulted in company owners looking at their insurance policies as one place to cut costs. “There are big savings in removing coverage on vehicles or equipment, and at the very least, a higher deductible is often considered. This is good for short-term savings, but in the long run, when an accident occurs, the company’s out-of-pocket costs will be much higher,” Graham says.
The high costs of a single transportation-related fatality could put a small to mid-sized company out of business. human resources. The Acres Group tells its motor vehicle drivers: “Always use the two-second rule. Pick a road marker. When the rear bumper of the vehicle ahead passes the marker, count one thousand one, one thousand and two. If your front bumper passes the marker before you’re done counting, you’re following too closely.” Other key elements of the Acres Group’s program include:
• Training at the season kick-off and at new employee orientation. The company holds weekly or biweekly tailgate safety sessions. The training curriculum is different for drivers than for production crews, but both learn about such issues as following too closely, backing, slowing down at intersections, and not driving too fast for road conditions.
• Pre-inspection and post-inspection forms. A monthly vehicle inspection form must be filled out by managers. Completed forms are discussed at the company’s monthly safety meetings. The company also requires daily pre- and post-trip truck/trailer inspections.
• Drug and alcohol testing. Drug and alcohol tests are required for drivers involved in incidents resulting in damages of more than $1,000 and in all injury incidents that require treatment at an off-site medical facility.
• Charges to employees involved in at-fault transportation incidents. If the employee is found to be at fault following an investigation, the person will pay $100 for incidents resulting in up to $999 in damages; $200 for incidents resulting in $1,000 to $1,999 in damages; and $300 for incidents resulting in $2,000 or more in damages. At-fault incidents resulting in $1,000 or more in damages also require the employee to attend a defensive driving course. “This has significantly reduced our number of incidents,” Castro says.
A PROACTIVE PROGRAM The Acres Group, a maintenance and design/build firm headquartered in Wauconda, Ill., places a major emphasis on transportation safety. The company, which has as many as 300 vehicles on the road at one time, has a written company vehicle policy that includes motor vehicle records standards, and has standardized spotter hand signals that must be used when backing. The company also publicizes the names of managers who have been trained in the National Safety Council’s defensive driving course, and it extensively trains all of its drivers and other field staff in defensive driving. “With the number of trucks we have on the road plus the weight of the trucks, we enforce reducing the speed when drivers come to intersections. We also enforce being alert, and we demand and enforce that nobody can back up without a spotter,” Human Resources Manager Miguel Castro says. “We also train on the two-second rule, and on the four-second rule for trucks (to determine if a driver is following another vehicle too closely),” says Maureen Scheitz, vice president of
continued on page 15
The Growing Concern x April 2016 x 13
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FOR SAFETY SAKE continued from pg 13 PREVENTIVE TIPS
Engineers, roadway work zone crew members sustain approximately 27,000 first-aid injuries and 26,000 lost-time injuries each year. Landscape crew members who work in and around roadway work zones shouldn’t back up vehicles if possible. Or, if they must, use a spotter and come to a complete stop if contact with the spotter is lost. Maintain visual contact with workers on foot.
Here are some additional tips to reduce your risk of transportation-related injuries/incidents:
• Strictly enforce rules related to riding in company vehicles. No jumping on or off trucks or trailers. No riding in the back of pick-up trucks, on bumpers, or anywhere else not specifically designed to accommodate an operator or passenger. Always use seat belts when operating or riding in a company vehicle.
• Train and test all prospective drivers. Do this before they are allowed to take a vehicle out on the road.
• Implement specific rules for working in and around roadway work zones. According to the American Society of Civil
• Train workers in how to properly load a trailer and how to secure the trailer to the truck.
The author, Barbara Mulhern, is a Wisconsin-based writer who has specialized in green industry safety issues for the past 16 years. This article first ran in the June 18, 2010 Lawn & Landscape Market Leadership magazine and was published with permission.
Just because a new employee has a clean driving record does not mean they have experience operating every vehicle on your site. Make sure new employees get a full demonstration of the safety features on all vehicles.
The Growing Concern x April 2016 x 15
PLANT OF THE MONTH
JIM FUNAI, COLP, LIC Cuyahoga Community College
SHELLEY FUNAI, LIC Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens Feeding galleries of elm bark beetle which spread Dutch Elm Disease, a fungal infection killing native trees in the USA and Europe.
ZELKOVA SERRATA
JAPANESE ZELKOVA
Sometimes, we as an industry should be more careful about the message we send in plant recommendations. This month’s plant got us thinking about that a bit more. After failed attempts at quarantine, Dutch Elm Disease (DED) took the nation by storm. From the onset of World War II, through the 1980s, this disease marched forth from the east coast like an early frontier settler, hell bent on taking all Elms with it. What does that have to do with being cautious about the message we convey? Well, anytime we have a disease, or an insect goes all ‘Mike Tyson’ on our plants – biting off their ears and what have you – we immediately jump to “What’s a good replacement plant?” Introduced to the American nursery trade in 1862, the beautiful tree Zelkova was brought to popularity as that replacement plant, helping reconcile the loss of our beloved Elm, which was taken by the destructive powers of DED. Want to know what the real Nightmare on Elm Street was though? Thinking that we should replace an entire city street’s
16 x Official Publication of The Ohio Landscape Association
monoculture of trees with another monoculture of trees! Bloody murder right there! You’d be hard pressed to find a plant that the two of us don’t love, except for Yucca – Yucca is an idiot. You’d be even more hard pressed to get us to recommend planting the same thing over and over again. No matter how great a plant is, how pretty it looks, how disease and pest resistant it is, or how tolerant of extremes it may be, none of that should have us pushing a plant wholesale – no questions asked – into the arms of our unsuspecting clients. We do it time and time again, though. Once the Knock Out Rose came along, we forgot about how great some others are, including Rugosa. Or, remember when Endless Summer Hydrangea came out? It was like all other flowering shrubs were no longer relevant. We keep seeking one plant that will lead us to a problem free wonder garden. But the truth of the matter is, the
PLANT OF THE MONTH
answer isn’t one plant – it is plant diversity. Lots of plants. Lots of different plants!
that is best reserved for a client who is a bit more ‘plant nerdy,’ as opposed to being use in broad urban settings.
So, this month, while Zelkova is a different plant that is a good option for a street tree, it’s not the only one. When in a species rich ecosystem, Zelkova is nearly pest free. But, plant a bunch of them down the sidewalk/street/parking lot, and you will begin to see issues.
In general, Zelkova is a medium-fast growing tree, when young. It is not uncommon to see a new tree throw out a few feet of growth per year. Over the long range, it will likely average 12 inches of new growth, per year. And although it is found in its native Japan on colluvial soils – loose soil that eroded down a slope (aka, “moist well-drained”) – this plant is remarkably adaptable to drier conditions, higher compactions, salt, and higher pH – for those of you on the west side of the state.
Zelkova is related to the Elm and are in the same family of Ulmaceae. They have a very similar growth habit, upright vase-shaped, which helps them spread a nice shade canopy higher up in the air and suits the site of urban settings. If planting this tree in a larger area, go for ‘Green Vase’, which will reach into the 60 feet plus height range and stretch about 40 feet or so out. This is a long favorite “replacement plant” for the Elms of the past and is still a very viable option for just that. We planted a ‘Musashino’ at our house and have really enjoyed watching it over the past several years. This cultivar is very tightly columnar and can reach heights of 45 feet without reaching past 15 feet wide. This could be a great way to add a strong vertical element in the urban landscape, without needing to give up as much square footage as we normally do to reach that height. ‘Goshiki’ offers a variegated leaf, speckled at random with creamy white margins. While quite unique and pretty, it is something
Take a closer look at this great tree, if you haven’t used it much. Its adaptability and strength won’t let you down. But remember, switch it up and improve the diversity of your landscapes. This is the 65th different plant we have written about. All of them are great for diversifying your landscape, except for our February 2012 entry – Yucca. Yucca is still an idiot!
Jim Funai is full-time faculty at Cuyahoga Community College, a NALP accredited associate of applied science in horticulture degree program offering many paths to higher education in the green industry. He is pursuing a PhD in Landscape Engineering and Forestry and is a Licensed Arborist. Shelley Funai is Grounds Manager at Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens in Akron, Ohio that offers a historic estate designed by Warren H. Manning and a beautiful manor house museum. She is Landscape Industry Certified in Ornamental Plant Care. Both are graduates of The Ohio State University. Contact Jim and Shelley via email at hortsquad@gmail.com.
The leaves of Zekova serrata (Japanese zelkova) Medium/ large. Leaves are toothed at the edges, giving where the Serrata part of the Latin name comes from.
The Growing Concern x April 2016 x 17
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18 x Official Publication of The Ohio Landscape Association
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THE LIFETIME CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE LANDSCAPE INDUSTRY AWARD
VAN WADE Born in Bellville, Ohio in 1930, Van Ross Wade is the only son born to Martha Wade and Cye Wade. On July 23, 1950, Van married Shirley Varner. Van and Shirley had three sons and one daughter, Steven, Thomas, Brian and Linda. Van & Shirley have 10 grandchildren and 17 great grandchildren.
After a couple years at the nursery, Van and Shirley began to refurbish Van’s grandmother’s, Nell Wade, and his Aunt Adelia Gatton’s gardens. Both Van and Shirley were greatly interested in Hostas. With the towering shade trees being the perfect location for Hostas, they began to plant the Wade Botanical Gardens. The gardens now include more than acres of Hostas, Daylilies, Perennials, Conifers, etc. Garden clubs, master gardeners and plant lovers from all over the United States make trips yearly to view the gardens.
Throughout Van’s teenage years he worked alongside his father operating Christmas tree lots in Columbus as well as assisting with landscape design and sales for the nursery. He then worked for his father, Cye, in the nursery until Cye’s accidental death in December of 1962. Van inherited his father’s interest in the nursery and went on to purchase Many articles have been published on the other remaining shares. the gardens, in publications such as Fine Gardening Magazine, Ohio Gardening Today, Van is the sole owner of Wade & Magazine, Ohio Magazine and many Gatton Nurseries. The nursery has been newspapers throughout the states. in operation since 1928 and consists of approximately 1,200 acres. It is planted Van is very generous. As such, he with thousands of evergreens, shade has received the ‘Big Bucks Award’ and ornamental trees. At this time, Van at the National Hosta Convention operates the nursery along with two for many years - an award which is of his sons, Steve and Brian, and his given to the person that donates the grandsons, Daniel and Mark. plants that bring in the most money during the annual auction. Daily, Van In 1979, Van and Shirley moved from works in his gardens, finding new their first home to the ‘Big House’ at the Hosta varieties and naming them nursery and have continued to live there accordingly. Van has several varieties throughout their 65 years of marriage. that he has registered.
Van has been chairman of the Bellville Shade Tree Commission for more than thirty years. He has been active in the beautification of the Village of Bellville by spearheading the planting of shade and ornamental trees throughout the village. Van is also very proud that Wade and Gatton Nursery provided forty-six Swamp White Oaks for the World Trade Center Memorial. Our sincere congratulation to Van Wade for his dedication to the industry that has earned him the Ohio Landscape Association’s highest award - the Lifetime Contributions to the Landscape Industry Award. He received this award at the Landscape Ohio! Awards Dinner and Presentation on March 24, 2016 at the Cleveland Botanical Garden.
THE 19TH ANNUAL LANDSCAPE OHIO! AWARDS
THE 19TH ANNUAL LANDSCAPE OHIO! AWARDS
AWARD WINNING PROJECTS RESIDENTIAL MAINTENANCE
SPONSORED BY ALVORD’S YARD & GARDEN EQUIPMENT AWARD OF HONOR Lifestyle Landscaping, Inc. The O’Brien Residence
RESIDENTIAL INSTALLATION, CATEGORY II SPONSORED BY MEDINA SOD FARMS AWARD OF MERIT Yard Solutions The Roush Residence
AWARD OF MERIT Yard Solutions The Kubatko Residence
RESIDENTIAL INSTALLATION, CATEGORY III SPONSORED BY PREMIER PLANT SOLUTIONS AWARD OF HONOR Rice’s Nursery & Landscaping The Van Tyne Residence
RESIDENTIAL INSTALLATION, CATEGORY IV SPONSORED BY LAKE COUNTY NURSERY AWARD OF HONOR Rice’s Nursery & Landscaping The Kefalas Residence
AWARD OF MERIT Moscarino Outdoor Creations The Sofish Residence
RESIDENTIAL INSTALLATION, CATEGORY V SPONSORED BY DAVIS TREE FARM & NURSERY AWARD OF HONOR Rice’s Nursery & Landscaping The Caghan Residence
AWARD OF MERIT Rice’s Nursery & Landscaping The Leffler Residence
VISIT WWW.MYOHIOLANDSCAPE.COM TO VIEW THE PROJECTS
THE 19TH ANNUAL LANDSCAPE OHIO! AWARDS
AWARD WINNING PROJECTS RESIDENTIAL INSTALLATION, CATEGORY VI SPONSORED BY VALLEY CITY SUPPLY AWARD OF HONOR LWB Designs, LLC An Aurora Residence
AWARD OF MERIT Moscarino Outdoor Creations The Bihn Residence
COMMERCIAL INSTALLATION, CATEGORY I SPONSORED BY R.A.K.SALES, LTD. AWARD OF MERIT American Beauty Landscaping The Youngstown Country Club
COMMERCIAL INSTALLATION, CATEGORY II SPONSORED BY KLYN NURSERIES, INC. AWARD OF HONOR Angelotta Landscape Associates B’nai Jeshurun Linden Courtyard
AWARD OF MERIT Rock Bottom Lawn & Landscaping The Lake Forest Country Club
WATER FEATURE
SPONSORED BY BEDFORD GLENS GARDEN CENTERS AWARD OF HONOR Lifestyle Landscaping, Inc. The Meredith Residence
SPECIALTY GARDENS
SPONSORED BY THE GREAT BIG HOME & GARDEN SHOW AWARD OF HONOR Lifestyle Landscaping, Inc. The Kellum Residence
THE 19TH ANNUAL LANDSCAPE OHIO! AWARDS
AWARD WINNING PROJECTS GARDEN STRUCTURES / PAVEMENTS - CATEGORY II SPONSORED BY UNILOCK AWARD OF HONOR Sasak Landscaping, Inc. Patio in the Woods
AWARD OF MERIT Deck Creator The Rohr Residence AWARD OF MERIT American Beauty Landscaping The Ghossain Backyard Oasis
GARDEN STRUCTURES / PAVEMENTS - CATEGORY III SPONSORED BY BELGARD HARDSCAPES AWARD OF HONOR Rice’s Nursery & Landscaping The Shearer Residence
AWARD OF MERIT American Beauty Landscaping The Rumble Terrace & Autocourt AWARD OF HONOR Rice’s Nursery & Landscaping The Fairhurst Residence
BEST USE OF COLOR
SPONSORED BY ART FORM NURSERIES AWARD OF MERIT Brickman Legacy Village
This awards program was created to increase awareness of quality landscaping and how it improves our environment. The annual competition recognizes designers, installers, and property owners. The program is open to all Regular member companies of the Ohio Landscape Association. Project sites must be located in Ohio or in a state that borders Ohio, and a major portion of the project must be the work of the entrant. Projects are eligible for up to five (5) years after completion. Project previously entered may be reentered, as long as the project has not received an Honor or Judge’s Special Award in the past.
VISIT WWW.MYOHIOLANDSCAPE.COM TO VIEW THE PROJECTS
SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS
E
ach year, the Ohio Landscape Association has scholarship monies available for selected students who are interested in pursuing horticulture in college. The OLA’s Annual Scholarship Golf Classic was created to help generate funding for this program, targeting qualified students interested in a vocation within the green industry. Eligible students include high school seniors who are enrolling in a horticulture program, as well as college students currently studying horticulture. Applicants must also be either an OLA Student Member, an employee of an OLA Member firm, or a child of an employee of an OLA Member firm. To register for this year’s Annual Scholarship Golf Classic, visit our website at: http://www.ohiolandscapers. org/olagolf.html We are pleased to announce this year’s scholarship recipients.
Forrest Dorsey
$2,000 Scholarship
Forrest is in his second year at Cuyahoga Community College, where he has a GPA of 4.0 and is President of the NALP Student Chapter. He is described by his instructors as a leader with true passion for the industry. Forrest has been a top competitor at the National Collegiate Landscape Competition.
Josiah Grimm
$1,000 Scholarship Josiah is a high school senior at Knox County Career Center where he has a 3.88 GPA. He made the decision to drive 62 miles each way to attend KCCC when the horticulture program was discontinued in his home town. He has excelled in the state and national competitions.
Brian Malin
$750 Scholarship Brian is a sophomore at Clark State Community College where he is enrolled in the Parks and Recreation Operations Program and has a GPA of 4.0. Brian left another career to pursue his passion for the green industry while working part time for Five Rivers MetroParks in Dayton.
Traci Parks
$750 Scholarship Traci is a freshman in the Landscape Design Program at Columbus State Community College. Traci is described at exuberant, passionate and positive by her instructors. Her vocational goal is to design and create gardens that heal.
VISIT WWW.MYOHIOLANDSCAPE.COM TO VIEW THE PROJECTS
FISCAL FITNESS
MICHAEL J. DONNELLAN King Financial, Inc.
NEGATIVE INTEREST RATES Over $6 trillion worth of bonds around the world have a negative yield. Central banks are adopting negative interest rates. Global growth forecasts are being downgraded. For investors, it’s been one of the most volatile starts to a year in recent memory. The instability sweeping through markets this year has been as aggressive as it has been widespread. Imagine a bank that pays negative interest. Depositors are actually charged to keep their money in an account. As crazy as it sounds, several of Europe’s central banks have cut key interest rates below zero and have kept them there for more than a year. Now, Japan is trying it, too. For some, it’s a bid to reinvigorate an economy, with other options exhausted. Others want to push foreigners to move their money somewhere else. Either way, it’s an unorthodox choice that has distorted financial markets and triggered warnings that the strategy could backfire. If negative interest rates work, however, they may mark the start of a new era for the world’s central banks. Currently, about a third of the debts issued by Euro Zone governments have negative yields. That means investors holding to maturity won’t get all their money back.
If banks make more customers pay to hold their money, cash may go under the mattress instead. Negative interest rates are a sign of desperation, a signal that traditional policy options have proved ineffective and new limits need to be explored. They punish banks that hoard cash instead of extending loans to businesses or to weaker lenders. Rates below zero have never been used before in an economy as large as the Euro area. Europe’s central bank chose to experiment with negative rates before turning to a bond-buying program like those used in the U.S. and Japan. Policy makers in both Europe and Japan are continued on page 27
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FISCAL FITNESS continued from pg 24 trying to prevent a slide into deflation, or a spiral of falling prices that could derail the economic recovery. The Euro Zone is also grappling with a shortage of credit, and unemployment near its highest level since the currency bloc was formed in 1999.
the first time in over nine years, with anticipation of more rate hikes in 2016. Now with the market correction, uncertainty about the future of interest rates has crept back in the markets, which causes investors to sit on the sidelines to reduce risk.
We’ve seen the market’s reaction to a low interest rate environment over the past couple months. Investors dumped U.S. equities in January and February and world stocks fell for the fourth month in a row, amid fears of a global recession.
The problem is that low or negative interest rates and further loosening of monetary policy cannot create growth or inflation on its own. In theory, interest rates below zero should reduce borrowing costs for companies and households, driving demand for loans. In practice, there’s a risk that the policy might do more harm than good. If banks make more customers pay to hold their money, cash may go under the mattress instead.
Equity allocations shrank by 1.6 percentage points, to 46 percent of global balanced portfolios, according to a Reuters poll of 44 asset managers in Europe, Britain, the United States and Japan. Exposure to bonds worldwide rose by 2.4 percentage points, to 39.2 percent, the highest in at least five years. The move reflects a major sell-off in global stock markets in January, with $55.7 billion pulled from global equity funds, according to data from Bank of America Merrill Lynch. This represents the longest outflow streak since 2008. Worries grew about how the financial sector would cope with the negative interest rate policies adopted by central banks in Europe and Japan, which in turn sent sharply down shares of the large global banks.
Make sure your portfolios are diversified and adjust your risk depending on your objectives. Discuss your risk tolerances and investing goals with your financial advisor. Michael J. Donnellan is President of King Financial, Inc., with offices in Strongsville and North Royalton, Ohio specializing in stock selection and retirement planning. Feel free to contact him with any questions or comments. Phone numbers (440) 878-9676 and (440) 652-6370 Email: donnellan@m3wealthmanagement.com Securities and advisory services offered through L.M. Kohn & Company Registered Broker/Dealer Member FINRA/SIPC/MSRB 10151 Carver Rd. Suite 100 – Cincinnati, Ohio 45242 (800) 478-0788
It seems investors have also been nervous of issues such as the Chinese economic slowdown, the collapse in the crude oil price and uncertainties surrounding the next move by the Federal Reserve. The Federal Reserve hiked interest rates in December for
27
THE 5 MOST POWERFUL MUST DO’S IN BUILDING YOUR SERVICE DELIVERY MODEL
STEVEN COHEN
GreenMark Consulting Group
This past December, I celebrated forty years in the green industry. This milestone has brought a culmination of memories to my mind. It has also brought forth many thoughts on what has worked – and not worked – during my career. I would like to share one of my company’s greatest successes, what I call the “5 Most Powerful ‘Must Do’s’ In Building Your Service Delivery Model.”
In an informal study conducted by my consulting firm in 2013, we found accountability to be one of the biggest problems within our landscape clientele. In fact, we determined that 30 to 50 percent of employees were not held accountable for their performance, despite key performance indictors being in place. This can be, and is, an industry wide challenge for many companies.
Early on, I knew that being different was all about distinguishing myself from the competition. While price is, and will always be, a driving factor in consumers’ buying habits, there is one thing that should remain a constant, and that is your service delivery model.
While the steps for ensuring accountability are not new, they are sometimes challenging. Steps towards improving accountability amongst your TEAM include;
Happy customers mean repeat business and referrals. Unhappy customers can harbor feelings of betrayal, which can lead them to engage in vengeful behaviors, such as venting via social media that they are unhappy with a business. And as you know, we live in a very ‘on-line’ world. That said, it is imperative that you build a successful service delivery model. You MUST design and maintain a culture-centered workforce, because it is this workforce that is fundamentally responsible for the happiness of your customers.
28 x Official Publication of The Ohio Landscape Association
• S etting and communicating clear expectations. Be transparent with organizational vision, goals and expectations.
• Aligning individual and team goals with departmental and organizational strategies. Everyone must work together, towards a common goal of customer centricity. ‘Together Everyone Achieves More’ (TEAM).
• P roviding time, training, tools, and resources. If you do not make the time, you will never have the time. TEAM members must be trained, coached and mentored in order to deliver their best. continued on page 30
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• Empowering people to succeed. Empowerment is driven by trust and accountability. Empower your TEAM to think, act and deliver. • P roviding recognition and feedback. The hardest words are actually the easiest. ‘Thank You,’ ‘Great Job,’ and ‘I Appreciate the Effort’ are just a few. Feedback, even when there’s a problem, can be positive. Say things like, ‘Next time we can do better,’ or ‘What did we learn from this experience.’
MINDSET MATTERS Mindset is nothing more than a set of assumptions, or methods held by one or more groups of people. It is so ingrained that it creates a powerful incentive within these groups to continue to adopt prior behaviors. The difference between leaders who inspire and those from whom employees merely trade time for money has less to do with strategies and techniques than it does with the mindset with which they approach their responsibilities. The best leaders are guided by the following beliefs: • E mployees want to do a good job and succeed. • D iscipline should be taught and sustained, rather than used to mandate compliance.
• Relationships are the ultimate tool for influencing the performance of others. • ‘Does It Work?’ always must be a two-way street. • Leadership is not defined. It is SHAPED.
Once an organization becomes aligned, and these values are understood, success increases. This is because: 1. The TEAM with the best coaches, and the most aligned players, has the best chance of reaching its fullest potential. 2. People will continue to be inspired by what they have now become.
KNOW THE ‘THREE P’S’ – PURPOSE, PASSION & PRIDE. If you are not inspired each day with these values, there is no reason for you to be employed at our company. EVERYONE should come to work with a purpose – other than a paycheck – and go home feeling happy and satisfied. Sunday evenings, employees should look forward to going to work the next day.
DEVELOP A CULTURE OF CONTINUOUS LEARNING We always had a mantra: Leaders lead, managers manage, supervisors supervise and EVERYONE trains, coaches and mentors. This helps
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develop a culture of continuous learning. Quality work should be a daily expectation – not an exception.
ACCOUNTABILITY IS KING We learned that the managers who fostered our culture, our values and our desire to exceed customers’ expectations – at all levels – were unstoppable. These managers consistently created great results and were empowered to remove the obstacles before them. They challenged the status quo, challenged themselves, and challenged each other. It really is about the mindset of being powerful and having a ‘Bring-it-on Attitude!’ To succeed in the landscape industry today, you must be flexible and have reasonably good planning and organizational skills. Many people start a business thinking that they will turn on their computers, open the doors and just start making money – only to find that making money in a business is much more difficult than they thought. Avoiding costly mistakes is done by taking your time and planning all the steps necessary towards achieving success and delivering excellence to your client. Our culture and our managers lived by five steps – what we dubbed our ‘Five Steps to Success.’ Not only were these steps the operational standard, but each time we had a problem, we would go back, identify any steps that were missed, and why. While missing the step was less important to me, learning how to not miss that step again was paramount (See sidebar). Follow these five steps and you will find that your daily routine becomes more organized, and that the results achieved will help improve your service delivery. You MUST ask yourself this question all the time, “How do you drive expectations and accountability?” Every move you make as a manager is tied to the customer service experience and can eventually be calculated in revenue – earned, or lost. If you approach each customer relationship with a positive, can-do-attitude, and with the mentality that ‘the buck stops here,’ you are in the right frame of mind. In addition to this mindset, you must take action. Without a positive attitude AND action, your level of service will be satisfactory at best. History has shown us, over and over, that by creating these types of customer centric experiences you will often exceed the emotional expectations of your customers. In turn, the time, resources, and commitment you make will be well worthwhile.
FIVE STEPS TO SUCCESS STEP I: ORGANIZE • Organize your mind. • Organize your daily start-up. • Organize your job plan.
STEP II: MANAGE • Manage by being ‘in control.’ • Manage your TEAM members. • Manage your projects. Do not let your projects manage you.
STEP III: EXECUTE • Execute the project based on the estimate. Exercise financial control. • Execute the project in accordance with the client expectations. Show them what makes you different. • Execute the project based on proper management and best management practices. Access your performance.
STEP IV: OBSERVE • • • •
Observe the overall performance of the project. Observe the performance of your crew(s). Observe the end-result. Observe how to improve.
STEP V: DELIVER • Deliver what you sold. • Deliver services that exceed the industry and market standards. • Deliver services that exceed your customer’s expectations. Overachieve. Furthermore, your organization’s business goals will almost always be met, allowing you to leverage your market for an increased share – and revenue. So I ask you… Are you exceeding your client’s expectations?
Steven Cohen, Principal of GreenMark Consulting Group is a business management and operations consultant with more than 25 years of landscape/snow industry experience. Steven has an extensive background in managing cross-functional business operations, business strategy and market growth projects. He prides himself as being both an analytical and a conceptual thinker who effectively partners with business owners to assess opportunities, facilitate strategic decisions, and drive successful implementations. GreenMark Consulting Group specializes in helping growth-oriented companies see through challenges and map out operational and growth strategies. www.greenmarkgroup.com/www.greenmarkbootcamp.com
The Growing Concern x April 2016 x 31
DIRECTIONS
YOU CAN DO IT!
SANDY MUNLEY Executive Director Ohio Landscape Association
Congratulations to all of our award recipients in the 19th Annual Landscape Ohio! Awards Program! It is exciting to see the beautiful work that our members do to improve the environment that we live and work in across the state. It is even more exciting to recognize them for these incredible projects. I am writing this prior to our Award’s Dinner and Presentation, but am certain that the evening will be as elegant and enjoyable as it always is. We truly appreciate all of the sponsorship and support we get for this event. Without that support, it would not be possible to have such a wonderful celebration. It is always great to celebrate our accomplishments amongst ourselves, but it is even better when we can share your successes with those who make purchasing decisions. These award winning projects will be included in the Spring/Summer issue of Landscape Ohio! Magazine, which is included in the May issue of Cleveland and Ohio Magazines. Photos are also published on our consumer website – myohiolandscape.com – and linked to from our industry website – ohiolandscapers.org. I hope that as you browsed through the awards pages in this issue of The Growing Concern, it inspired you to go online and view photos of the projects. I also hope that you get inspired to begin thinking about entering the 20th Annual Landscape Ohio! Awards competition. The deadline will be in December of 2016, but now is the time to start taking photos! It is best to enter projects that are not freshly installed, but
32 x Official Publication of The Ohio Landscape Association
rather have had some time for plant material to mature and grow in. You have a 5-year window to enter projects, so think back to some of the projects you have completed in the past several years. While this is not a photo contest, the judges must evaluate your project by the photos you supply. Having good photos is a huge advantage. Here are some of the things to keep in mind when you are taking photos. First, pick a day when it is not too sunny. I know that a sunny day seems like a good idea, but on sunny days, you get too many shadows and sometimes colors will be washed out because it is too bright outside. Choosing a slightly overcast day will generally allow you to take photos that are rich in color. When you get to your site – clean it up! Use a critical eye to look for and remove debris, garden hoses, garbage cans, and sometimes tacky décor that the homeowner has added. If there is an umbrella table, open the umbrella. Is the grass cut and are the edges neatly trimmed? If there are chairs that are supposed to have seat cushions, be sure they are properly in place. If there is a grill, remove the grill cover. Consider wetting down the pavement so that the color of the material looks rich and stands out. continued on page 34
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The Growing Concern x April 2016 x 33
DIRECTIONS continued from pg 32 Now, set the stage. Bring items with you that make the space look warm and welcoming. If the client has no outdoor furniture, bring some with you. If they have too much, remove some of it. A pitcher of lemonade or a bottle of wine set on a tray, or on a table, with a couple of glasses looks nice. Or set the dining table with placemats and place settings. Maybe a book, blanket/throw and reading glasses can be placed on a bench. Or what about bringing throw pillows for the chairs? Those little touches, while not a part of the actual landscape, can really make a difference in the first impression of your project. When you are ready to start snapping photos, take shots from many different angles. If you can avoid power lines or something unsightly in a neighboring property being in your photo, I recommend it. It is also a good idea to bring a step ladder so that you can take some photos from a higher vantage point. Again, this is not a photo contest, but if you compare two nearly identical projects – one that has been “dressed for success” against a project that has not – which one would catch your eye first? Most likely it would be the one where extra time and care was taken.
So, take some before and during shots of this year’s projects to use for future entries and go back to visit some past projects to see if they are good candidates to photograph now. If you have before shots of those jobs, try to get photos of the completed projects from the same or similar angle. These photos will be great to fill your portfolio with as well. Additionally, when you start to fill in the entry form, explain your project and each slide. The judges can already see that “this is a photo of the patio and kitchen.” Tell them about the design details and what problems you have solved for you client or how you have fulfilled their wish list. It isn’t just large, high priced projects that win awards. We have 18 different categories; some are delineated by value, others by special features, such as water features, structures, pavements, or lighting. There is a Residential Landscape Maintenance category, as well as a Commercial Maintenance category, so you can enter properties that you maintain as well. Be inspired! Whether you enter your projects in Landscape Ohio! or choose not to, go out there and do award winning work!
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34 x Official Publication of The Ohio Landscape Association
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*$0 down, 0% A.P.R. financing for up to 48 months on purchases of new Kubota Z700 Series equipment is available to qualified purchasers from participating financed. 0% A.P.R. interest is available to customers if no dealer documentation preparation fee is charged. Dealer charge for document preparation fee shall dealers’ inventory through 6/30/2016. Example: A 48-month monthly termA.P.R. at 0%0% A.P.R. requires 48 payments of $20.83 perbe$1,000 bein-stock in accordance with state laws. Inclusion of ineligible equipment mayinstallment result in a repayment higher blended A.P.R. and low-rate financing may not available financed. A.P.R. interest available to Financing customersisif available no dealerthrough documentation preparation fee is charged. Dealer for document shallto credit with0% customer instant is rebate offers. Kubota Credit Corporation, U.S.A., 3401 Delcharge Amo Blvd., Torrance,preparation CA 90503;fee subject be in accordance with state laws. Inclusion of ineligible equipmentSee mayusresult in a higher blended A.P.R.low-rate 0% A.P.R. and low-rate may not for be available approval. Some exceptions apply. Offer expires 6/30/2016. for details on these and other options or go to financing www.kubota.com more information. with customer instant rebate offers.ofFinancing availableonthrough Credit U.S.A.,of3401 Del AmoZ700 Blvd., Torrance, CAfrom 90503; subject to credit **Customer instant rebates $500 areisavailable cash orKubota standard rate Corporation, finance purchases new Kubota Series mowers participating dealers’ approval. Some exceptions apply.with Offer0% expires us for details onafter thesecompleted and othersale. low-rate options or gorebate to www.kubota.com for more information. stock. Rebate not available A.P.R.6/30/2016. or low-rateSee financing offers or Dealer subtracts from dealer’s pre-rebate selling price on **Customer instant rebates ofSome $500exceptions are available on cash standard rate finance purchases of new Z700AB1000-24-MFG.GC-1 Series mowers from participating dealers’ qualifying purchases. apply. Offer or expires 6/30/2016. Optional equipment mayKubota be shown. stock. Rebate not available with 0% A.P.R. or low-rate financing offers or after completed sale. Dealer subtracts rebate from dealer’s pre-rebate selling price on
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