President of ECHO Subsidary Becomes Chairman of the Board
Chuck Crary, President of Crary Industries - a subsidiary of ECHO - stepped down as president and became Chairman of the Board effective December 1st. Keith Nilson, formerly Vice President of Operations at Crary Industries, replaces him.
“Crary Company has been successful beyond what I imaged when we started it and this is attributable to God’s blessings and wonderful employees,” explains Crary. “Twenty eight years is a long time for one person to lead a company. I feel very comfortable turning over the President’s role to Keith so I can explore other opportunities without having the day to day responsibility.”
Chuck Crary started the West Fargo, N.D. company in 1979, with his cousin, as a small machining shop for area agricultural businesses. The company doubled its size every five years until it was acquired in 1999 by the investment firm KRG Capital Partners. KRG combined Crary Company with three other companies to form TerraMarc Industries, a company specializing in agricultural products such as potato harvesters and the Bear Cat chippers/shredders.
Nilson joined Crary Industries in March 2004 as Vice President of Operations. He and Chuck Crary have seen the company’s workforce grow from 116 employees in 1999 to 225 employees in 2007. The company’s manufacturing facility has grown from 6,000 square feet in 1981 to today’s 202,000-square-foot operation.
ECHO purchased TerraMarc in April 2006 and renamed the company Crary Industries. To learn more about Crary Industries visit www.crary.com.
LidoChem Division Adds Dealer
LidoChem's Performance Nutrition Division has named True Organics of Stamford, Conn., as a dealer in the northeast to help serve turf and ornamentals landscapers and turf managers.
True Organics specializes in the development and implementation of environmentally sound landscape management programs for the turf and ornamental service markets. Robert Saunders, vice president of sales, graduated from the University of Vermont with a bachelor's degree in Forest Biology, and has spent his career in the field and in sales for various tree, lawn and landscape companies. He brings a blend of technical knowledge and field experience to the implementation of fertility programs that meet the growing demand for effective and environmentally safe land care.
Southland Hires Sales Veteran for Western SC Operations
Brian Pottieger, vice president of business development, announced the hiring of John Carter, Jr. as business development representative for Southland’s Western South Carolina Operations.
Carter brings ten years of landscaping industry experience with him having most recently served as a Regional Manager for Girard Environmental Services of Sanford, Fla. While with Girard he was responsible for over one million dollars in annual sales.
Serving Western South Carolina, Carter will be responsible for prospecting and selling landscape maintenance and enhancement services to new clients in the region. In addition to sales, Carter will be working with the account managers as they focus on customer service and client retention.
Chemilizer Hires Sales Manager
Chemilizer Products appointed Greg Hayslip to the position of sales manager. Hayslip was formerly general manager at a retail and wholesale flooring distributor. He will oversee Chemilizer’s expansion into the water treatment, fertigation, and swimming pool markets, as well as manage the company’s well-established presence in animal health, horticulture, landscaping/irrigation, and agriculture.
“I am pleased to announce Greg’s appointment to this key role,” says Gary Ardrey, director of marketing at Chemilizer. “Greg brings to Chemilizer an outstanding record of accomplishment in sales and customer relationship management. He will be charged with strengthening relationships with Chemilizer’s existing national and international dealer network and with forging new ones in spearheading Chemilizer’s expansion into new markets. His extensive experience and proven track record will be valuable assets as we align our global sales and marketing efforts and position Chemilizer for future growth.”
For seven years, the Ft. Lauderdale native owned a swimming pool construction company, building 1,000+ commercial and residential pools. Hayslip brings to Chemilizer specialized knowledge and experience that will enhance the company’s presence in the swimming pool market.
“Chemilizer has an incredible product, one that is widely known and trusted as being of the highest quality,” Hayslip says. “The opportunity is there, and I am excited to be a part of it.”
Hayslip said his initial focus will be “getting the right chemistry between customers and Chemilizer’s sales team.”
Davey Hires Director of Commercial Management Development
Dale R. Elkins, CLP joined The Davey Tree Expert Co. as director of management development for the commercial landscape services division. He will focus on the growth and development of the management and sales team of Davey’s expanding commercial landscape services division.
Elkins has more than 25 years of commercial landscape and golf maintenance experience. He had been with TruGreen LandCare since 2000, where he most recently was division vice president of the southeast division. Prior to TruGreen LandCare, Elkins was with OneSource Landscape and Golf Services for eighteen years.
“We are very excited to have Dale join Davey. His industry experience adds depth to our management team,” says George M. Gaumer, vice president and general manager, Davey Commercial Landscape Services. “Management development is an important goal of our growing division. Dale’s expertise will help us achieve this.”
Elkins is a graduate of Auburn University and is a Certified Landscape Professional. He has served on the Dean’s Council on Agriculture at Auburn, the Golf and Landscape Industry Advisory Council for Lake City Community College, in Florida, the Board of Directors of the Professional Landcare Network (PLANET, formerly ALCA), the Board of Directors and president of the Green Industry Expo and the Florida Turfgrass Association. He is also a member of the Florida Nursery Growers and Landscape Association (FNGLA).
Landscaping Company in Connecticut Hires Senior Arborist
Sprigs & Twigs Landscapes in Gales Ferry, Conn., hired Brad Durfee as senior arborist. Durfee will be responsible for all aspects of Sprigs & Twigs Landscapes, LLC newly formed Tree Preservation and Maintenance business.
“We are thrilled to have someone of Brad’s stature join our company. His keen awareness of the environment and tree preservation and maintenance is a great fit for Sprigs & Twigs Landscapes, LLC and will be a great benefit to our customers” says Linda K. Lillie, owner of Sprigs & Twigs Landscapes.
Durfee is a Connecticut-licensed arborist with ten years of management and ownership experience in arboriculture companies. He has received formal training in Horticulture at Virginia Tech and has taken related studies at the University of Connecticut. In 2003, he was a founding partner of Tomorrow’s Trees, LLC of Oakdale, Conn.
Durfee will be responsible for tree preservation and maintenance services that are expected to be in high demand by Sprigs & Twigs Landscapes customers: tree planting, air spade services and root flare excavation, soil aeration, deep root fertilization, tree climbing, pruning and thinning, cabling and bracing, disease & insect control, tree removals and stump grinding.