Mariani Landscape, based in Chicago, received this year’s Acanthus Award for Landscape Design by the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art. Mariani’s project, Italian Renaissance (pictured), was acclaimed for its excellence in classical and vernacular design and embracing the Italianate architecture. The project is located in Winnetka, Ill., on Lake Michigan. “The homeowners gave us complete creative freedom,” said Sara Furlan, a designer on the project. “It allowed us to really explore the possibilities that this unique environment provided, while complimenting the architecture of the home with classical sculptures, geometric greenery and decorative pergolas.”
Stay Green, a full-service company in Santa Clarita, Calif., hosted 150 landscape professionals at the Hyatt Regency Valencia hotel in Santa Clarita in November. Seven landscape design firms attended the three-day conference, a component of the Next Level peer group, run by consultant and LM columnist Bruce Wilson. The event served as a networking opportunity, a forum to talk shop, a vendor show and an educational experience. “The conference also helps to develop the employees,” Cynthia Lopez of Stay Green told The Santa Clarita Valley Signal about programs designed to retain and develop employees. “Employees are selected based on their skills, knowledge and where they are on the learning curve. It helps them to strategize their growth by partnering with others who have the same job skills; they can share and talk about their own knowledge.”
Green Lawn Fertilizing, a lawn and tree care company in West Chester, Pa., hosted more than 50 middle school students in conjunction with Chester County Future’s “Futures AHEAD” program, a poverty prevention program working to steer kids toward collegiate and professional life, for a day of learning. The students heard demonstrations and lectures about how a local lawn care operation works, how to use pieces of equipment, what it takes to start a business, what marketing means and how to perform quality customer service. Company President Matt Jesson left the children with three keys of starting a successful business, emphasizing the last point:
- Build a business plan;
- Recruit the best people; and
- Never stop learning.
The company was listed No. 150 on this year’s LM150 list of the industry’s top revenue-generating companies with a revenue of $7,733,300 and 15 percent growth.
