Environmental Industries Announces Leadership Changes

The Calabasas, Calif.-based, five-division company offers landscape, nursery products and horticultural services, irrigation, landscape and themed construction, design-build, site development and pre-construction services.

RICHARD SPERBER SUCCEEDS FATHER. EII’s board of directors announced the promotion of Richard Sperber to the position of president and COO. Sperber succeeds his father, Burton Sperber who has held the title since he created EII as a holding company for all operating divisions in 1969. The senior Sperber retains the title of CEO and Chairman of the Board.

"I am extremely grateful for the many years Richard has dedicated to helping build our company," said Burton Sperber. "Richard's grown up with this company. His enthusiasm and practical knowledge will provide momentum to the efforts already underway as EII executes its plan for the future."

Richard Sperber’s management and operations experience within EII includes serving as president and COO of EII companies Valley Crest, Environmental Care Inc. (ECI) and Environmental Golf and as leader of EII's corporate task force for strategic implementation.

After attending California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo, Richard Sperber assumed various positions in estimating and project management in each of EII’s divisions. He set up Valley Crest's northern California office in 1982, became operations manager for its Phoenix, Ariz. branch office in 1984 and was named manager of its Las Vegas, Nev. office in 1989. After managing the company's Atlanta, Ga. and Orlando, Fla. operations, he was appointed to the top post at Valley Crest in 1994 and assumed presidency of Environmental Care in 2000.

DONNELLY NAMED VALLEY CREST PRESIDENT AND COO. EII named Thomas Donnelly to the position of president and COO of its landscape company and wholly owned subsidiary, Valley Crest, in succession of Richard Sperber.

"Knowing Tom's tenacity and passion, and his team building and management skills, I am confident that he will be as successful in this endeavor as he has been throughout his career at our company," said Richard Sperber.

Donnelly, who assumes his new responsibilities immediately, began his 22-year Valley Crest career as a field sales representative for the company's Orange County, Calif., operation, assumed management and executive positions throughout the company, including branch and regional management, and most recently served Valley Crest as its senior vice president.

Donnelly graduated from Rutgers University in New Jersey with a bachelor’s degree in landscape architecture. He is a member of the American Society of Landscape Architects and a licensed landscape contractor in California, North Carolina and West Virginia.

OTHER EII ANNOUNCEMENTS. EII's containerized specimen tree producer, Valley Crest Tree Co., announced the appointment of Robert Crudup, Jr. to the position of president and COO. Crudup, senior vice president since 1998, succeeds Stuart Sperber, who was elected vice chairman of EII's board of directors. Stuart Sperber will remain with Valley Crest Tree Co. as its CEO.

Crudup began his career with Valley Crest Tree Co. in sales and customer service and has held various operations, management and executive positions, including branch manager and vice president.

Valley Crest Tree Co. also appointed Vicki Povah Martinez as senior vice president, succeeding Crudup in that position. Martinez, formerly corporate vice president, began her career at Valley Crest Tree Co. as a part-time high school student counting specimen trees during summer vacation, returned as office manager and later assumed operations, management and executive positions throughout the company.

EII’s landscape maintenance and horticultural services company, ECI, appointed Nada Duna as vice president of the company. Duna joined ECI in 1987 after spending time in the horticultural industry in the Middle East and in Europe.

EII named Andrew Mandell senior vice president and chief financial officer (CFO). Prior to joining the company, he had been executive vice president and CFO of Fox Cable Networks Group in Los Angeles.