The California Landscape Contractors Association was pleased to honor four members-Robert Wade, Aaron Huxley, Jon Singley and Mickey Strauss-for their outstanding contributions to CLCA at the Annual Leadership Conference and Installation Luncheon in Los Angeles on Wednesday, Jan. 9.
Long-time member Jon Singley and owner of Blue Spruce Landscape in Campbell was awarded CLCA’s Allegiance Award, which is the most prestigious award a member can receive. It is only given to those who have been a member for at least 15 years, who have actively been involved on the state level for at least 10 years and who are currently active on the state level. Presented by former Allegiance Award winners Jay Tripathi (2005) and Peter Estournes (2008), with the addition of Jon, only 26 people have ever received the Allegiance Award. A member since 1991, he served as director of education and was elected to the board of directors in 2000 and served as CLCA president in 2004. As a member of CLCA’s Education Committee, he helped develop the association’s Career Paths document and was involved in the creation of several association products including "Your Training Toolbox, Better than a Thousand Words" and "How to Make Money in a Landscape Business". In 2003, he chaired the Swimming Pool Task Force, which provided direction for CLCA’s successful sponsorship of legislation allowing landscape contractors to sign contracts for swimming pools and spas on landscape projects. He currently serves on the board of directors of the Landscape Educational Advancement Foundation, on the Research Advisory Committee for CLCA’s Environmental Research Funding Program, and is an advisor to Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo’s ornamental horticulture program. He has also been a presenter at recent CLCA Leadership meetings.
Robert Wade was presented CLCA’s 2012 Regular Member of the Year Award by Chuck Carr, prior 2011 award recipient from ValleyCrest Landscape Maintenance. This award is given annually to a contractor member for outstanding accomplishments and contributions throughout the year. Wade has devoted a large portion of the last seven years to the Board of Directors, serving as the association’s president in 2011 and immediate past president last year. He worked hard during his term to encourage and shape CLCA’s branding efforts and after countless hours of research, negotiations and meetings helped to negotiate a new insurance agreement, CLCA Insurance Solutions, to benefit CLCA members for many years to come. He started Wade Landscape, which specializes in water management, large residential and commercial installation and maintenance in 1977, shortly after graduating from Cal Poly Pomona with a bachelor’s degree in ornamental horticulture. Since joining CLCA in 1994, he has served as a chapter president, director of legislation, events co-chair, served as a member on the Landscape Task Force and has been a member of the Legislative Committee since 1995. Over the years, his company has won several Trophy Awards and he was also selected CLCA’s member of the Year in 2005.
Aaron Huxley, sales manager at Hunter Industries was presented the 2012 Associate Member of the Year for his multiple contributions to CLCA by 2011 Associate member of the Year, Tom Noonan CID, CLIA, water management wpecialist at Ewing Irrigation Products. As Co-Chair of the Chapter President’s Council, Huxley facilitated the discussion among chapter presidents about the creation of a new brand for CLCA and tying in this brand with a code of ethics and a new membership category, Premier membership. He was instrumental in updating the bylaws. For November’s convention, he helped organize an operations tour of the FX Luminaire facility in Mira Mesa and the Hunter Industries campus in San Marcos, which was the highlight of the event. A CLCA member since 2006, he also served as president of the San Luis Obispo Chapter in 2011.
A 45-year industry veteran, Mickey Strauss was honored to receive the Mickey Strauss Grass Roots Award, created in his honor, for a lifetime of legislative service to the industry. He has served in many local and state leadership positions and received multiple awards throughout the industry including State President in 1981, CLCA’s Woman’s Auxiliary Knight of the Garter in 1987, the CLCA Orange County Chapter’s Meridian Award in 2005 as well as CLCA’s highest honor, the Allegiance Award in 1992. However, throughout his career, one of his greatest passions has been the political side of the trade. Over the years, he has represented the interests of CLCA with the highest level of industry knowledge, political history, protocol and statesmanship. In addition, Strauss has promoted grassroots involvement to countless fellow CLCA members, educated them on the political process and served on the California State Assembly’s "Advisory Committee for Construction Issues" to further improve the construction industry in California. Today Strauss continues to be an active member of CLCA, and is the chairman of CLCA’s Benevolent Fund, a vice chairman of CLCA’s Landscape Political Action Committee (LANDPAC), a member of CLCA’s Immigration Task Force, and has been a very active member of the Legislation Committee since the 70s.
