PLANET CEO Resigns, Association to Begin Search

The Professional Landcare Network (PLANET) will begin a nationwide search for a new CEO next week, following the resignation of Tanya Tolpegin on Friday. Prior to her official resignation, Tolpegin had been on paid administrative leave for approximately three months evaluating her future as CEO of the national association that serves lawn care, landscape maintenance, design/build/installation and interior plantscape professionals. 

Tolpegin is leaving to "explore new opportunities," PLANET President Jason Cupp said in a e-mail announcement to PLANET "ambassadors" last week. She first told the association's leadership of her interest to pursue other opportunities in January, according to a formal statement from PLANET.

Sherry MacDonald, the association’s director of industry relations and development, also resigned last week. Cupp, CEO of Kansas City, Kan.-based Highland Outdoor, says the two resignations are unrelated.

“It’s unfortunate we had two folks leave at the same time, but just because you have one or two people leave from a team, that doesn’t mean you have a change in services,” Cupp says. “For example, not many people in the industry probably even realized PLANET had been operating without Tanya for the last several months. Student Career Days, Summer Leadership and all of our services have been 110 percent like they always are. The good news is nothing has changed at PLANET.”

Next week the association’s leadership will begin to compile the criteria for a new CEO, Cupp says, noting he’s unsure how long the nationwide search process will take. In the interim, PLANET COO Sabeena Hickman will lead day-to-day operations.

Tolpegin has been the CEO of PLANET since October 2006. She was previously the COO of the organization, which was formed when the Associated Landscape Contractors of America and the Professional Lawn Care Association of America merged in January 2005.