People on the Move: March 2016

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Toro Inducts 10 into Elite Sales Club

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. — Toro announced that 10 individuals have been named to the company’s Million Dollar Club and Two Million Dollar Club for its 2015 fiscal year. Individually, these representatives tallied more $1 million in sales throughout the year. This year, eight sales representatives were inducted into the Million Dollar Club and two reached the Two Million Dollar Club status.

Toro’s 2016 Million Dollar Club inductees include Adam Conover of Thomas Sales, Tyler Gullivan of Gullivan Sales, Steve Hammond of MJ Miller Combined Companies, Greg Martin of Summit Sales, David Peve of MJ Miller Combined Companies, Mike Rushing of Lew Hudson Sales, Brian Speed of Lew Hudson Sales and Scott Swisher of Marketing Concepts, Incorporated. Joe Scheetz of Prairie Star Equipment and Kevin Machin of M&M Sales were inducted into the Two Million Dollar Club.

ONLA Selects New Executive Director

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Ohio Nursery & Landscape Association (ONLA) appointed Frits Rizor as its new executive director. Rizor officially joined the ONLA staff on March 9, 2016, replacing ONLA Immediate Past President Michael Dues.

Frits came to ONLA with more than 30 years of green industry experience. Over the course of his career he has been involved in lawn & landscape contracting, garden center operations, corporate management and technical college education. Past employers include Scotts Miracle-Gro and Hocking Technical College, where he served as Landscape Management Faculty and Department Chair of Natural Resources.

Frits earned his Bachelor of Science in Agriculture from The Ohio State University; where he also completed his Master of Business Administration at the Fisher College of Business.

Spring-Green Announces Retirement of Terry Bradford

PLAINFIELD, Ill. – After 34 years with Spring-Green Lawn Care Terry Bradford, vice president and COO of the company-owned division (Superior Lawns), announced his retirement effective December 2015. Rick Helfrich, a 9-year veteran of Spring-Green, will take over for the outgoing Bradford.

Bradford began his career with Spring-Green in 1981 as a franchise support representative (now known as a business consultant), with seven years of prior experience in the green industry.

“My wife and I were just married, when I answered an employment ad in a lawn care industry magazine,” Bradford recalled. “Spring-Green was seeking an individual to work as a support rep with independent franchisees within a young and growing company in the Chicago area.”

During his 30-plus years with the company, Bradford was promoted to a branch manager at the company-owned franchise in northeast Wisconsin, and later he was named vice president of operations for the company-owned division known as Superior Lawns.

Redexim Turf Adds Michael Crawford to Team

ST. LOUIS – Redexim Turf Products added Michael Crawford of Knoxville as territory sales manager for the state of Tennessee.

Crawford graduated from the University of Tennessee with a degree in turfgrass science and management in 2007. While in school, Crawford interned at Fox Den Country Club in Knoxville and upon graduation, accepted an assistant superintendent position there.

AmericanHort Elects New Volunteer Leadership

COLUMBUS, Ohio – AmericanHort elected Terri Cantwell of Bates Sons & Daughters in Lake Placid, Florida, to chair of the board and Tom Demaline of Willoway Nurseries in Avon, Ohio, to vice chair. Dale Deppe of Spring Meadow Nursery in Grand Haven, Michigan, becomes the immediate past chair.

AmericanHort selected new board members: Bob Dickman of Dickman Farms, Greenhouses & Garden Center in Auburn, New York; Lisa Minter-Bustin of Minter Country Garden in Chilliwack, British Columbia; and Seth Reed of GrowIt! Mobile in West Chicago, Illinois. They will assume their positions on the board of directors during Cultivate ’16, July 9-12 in Columbus, Ohio.

Takeuchi Appoints Regional Managers

ATLANTA, Ga.­ — Takeuchi-US hired Mark Barndollar as northeast regional business manager and Todd Francis as northwest regional business manager. Residing in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, Barndollar has 20 years of experience in sales. Francis currently resides in Albuquerque, New Mexico, but will be relocating to a more central location in the region in the near future.

Underhill Adds New Rep Agencies

MISSION VIEJO, Calif. – Underhill International appointed three new rep agencies, reported Underhill President Ed Underhill. The firms include Ally Sales of Denver, Colorado; El Schneider of Valrico, Florida; and VPC Sales of Phoenix, Arizona. Ally Sales is headed by Steve Wurst and will cover Colorado and Wyoming. Justin Aldrich of El Schneider will direct Underhill sales throughout Florida, and VPC Sales rep Chris Hudson will coordinate sales and marketing in Arizona and Las Vegas.

Underhill manufactures water-saving irrigation products for golf courses, sports fields and residential and commercial installations. The new firms will represent all Underhill product lines and will oversee introductions, sales promotions and technical support.

Heaviland Bolsters Management Team

VISTA, Calif. – Heaviland Landscape Management added two members to its leadership and sales teams. John Gelhard joins the company to focus on new business development and Sharlin Kissinger has stepped into a regional account manager role.

Heaviland Landscape Management, a commercial landscape management company services more than 350 properties throughout San Diego County through landscape design, installation, maintenance and resource management.

Gelhard possesses over 20 years of sales, sales management and marketing experience. He will concentrate on acquiring larger corporate, office complex and HOA accounts. He will also manage the company’s website and online marketing efforts. Pennsylvania.

Kissinger entered the landscape business as a teenager, working on her father’s nursery in production and customer service roles. A graduate of California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, she holds experience in both retail nurseries and commercial landscape management. As a regional account manager, Kissinger will maintain a portfolio of commercial landscape maintenance accounts and pursue opportunities to grow each contract.

Reinders Staffers Receive Toro awards

SAN DIEGO –The Toro Company recognized the top performing sales performers during its worldwide distributor meeting at the recent Golf Industry Show here. Toro named Grant Rundblade, SCPS of Reinders, Sussex, Wisconsin, as the “2015 Rookie of the Year” for commercial equipment sales and Aaron Goninen as the “2015 Salesperson of the Year” for golf irrigation sales.

Toro also reports that Amy Cheek joined the company as district sales manager in Northern Florida for the Irrigation Business.

With 19 years of professional sales experience in irrigation and outdoor lighting, Amy started in the industry as assistant office manager with North Florida Irrigation. She then moved to FIS Outdoor as an outside sales representative.

IEDA Names Three to Board of Directors

VICTOR, NY–The Independent Equipment Dealers Association (IEDA) added three new members to its bosard of directors: Brian Pokrajec from Peps Equipment, San Jacinto, Calif.; Cori Peterson from Headwater Equipment Sales, Lethbridge, AB, Canada; and Maxx Miller from Trophy Tractor located in Grand Prairie, Texas.
Leaving the board were Mark Pentz from Calvin Group Inc., Windsor, Colo.; Jeff Miller from Trophy Tractor, Grand Prairie, TX; and Jim Seale from Prima International Trading in Fayetteville, NY.

Toro Selects Amy Cheek as Northern Florida Manager

RIVERSIDE, Calif. – The Toro Company hired Amy Cheek as district sales manager in northern Florida for the Irrigation Business. With 19 years of professional sales experience in irrigation and outdoor lighting, Amy started in the industry as assistant office manager with North Florida Irrigation. She then moved to FIS Outdoor as an outside sales representative. During her career at FIS Outdoor, Amy was named Rookie of the Year and New Product Category Champion.

Most recently, Amy worked as district sales manager for Vista Professional Outdoor Lighting, where she again received Rookie of the Year honors in 2012 and Salesperson of the Year in 2014.

Massey Services Has Announces 3 Promotions

ORLANDO, Fla. – Tony Massey, President of Massey Services, announced three significant new hires within the company.

Adam Scheinberg was recently promoted to Vice President of Information Technology. Scheinberg started with Massey Services in 2003 as a systems manager and, in 2008, became the company’s Senior Director of IT.

Marcellene (Marci) Baugh is the company’s new Vice President of Finance and Accounting. Baugh joined Massey Services 10 years ago as its Controller. She is now responsible for all facets of accounting, reporting and payroll.

BJ Beard moves up to the position of Director of Fleet. Beard, now in his 22 years with Massey Services, has held many different positions with the company, including Fleet Manager where he implemented improvements to the ordering process, managed vehicle repairs and successfully branded the company’s 1,700 vehicles.

Read more: People on the Move: February 2016