Initial Promotes Jeff Mariola to Managing Director, Tropical Plants

Initial Tropical Plants, a provider of interior landscaping, design installation and maintenance services to businesses in North America,  promoted President Jeff Mariola to managing director, Tropical Plants.

Effective Sept.1, Mariola will oversee Rentokil Initial's European and North American roster of interior landscaping businesses which operate under the brand names Initial Tropical Plants in North America and Rentokil Tropical Plants in Europe. Mariola will be based in Rentokil Initial's corporate headquarters in London. Rentokil Initial is one of the largest business services companies in the world, operating in the major economies of Europe, North America, Asia Pacific and Africa.

"One of our challenges is to transfer the know-how from our significant North American operation to Europe," says Andy Hobart, divisional managing director, pest control/tropical plants. "Under Jeff Mariola's leadership, we will unite our strong businesses with a common vision and strategy that will further accelerate growth."

"I look forward to unifying the activities of our talented global leaders and growing the businesses as best-in-market in the 13 countries in which we operate," Mariola says.

Mariola guided the company through many acquisitions, which increased the company's North American footprint. In North America, Initial Tropical Plants produces annual revenues of over $109 million and is the only national supplier in the business-to-business interior plants sector.

Mariola, who was appointed the company's president in 1999, is an advocate of improving the quality of life in the workplace by bringing people and plants together. Mariola joined Rentokil Initial 21 years ago and has held a variety of management positions. The company is in the process of identifying a new President for Initial Tropical Plants' North American operations. Until the appointment is made, Mariola will retain overall accountability.