YardScapes Earns National Award at Conference in Louisville

I have been going to Louisville for LANDSCAPES (National Association of Landscape Professionals/NALP’s annual networking and tradeshow) for several years now.

LANDSCAPES isn’t just a few dirty guys sharing crazy stories and drinking cheap domestic beer around a fire by any means.

This is the no-kidding Superbowl of landscape conventions, an invaluable tool for organizations in the industry that wish to learn and improve various aspects of their businesses.

For those of you that don’t get the analogy or care much about football (and the world’s best team, The Denver Broncos) it is the largest Landscape Conference and Tradeshow in the world. Every year, thousands of industry leaders, from landscape company owners and management, to “labor” employees, manufacturer representatives, even members of legislature and the people that keep things in the US running show up in a well-organized three days of controlled educational chaos.

Seriously, it’s all types and all hands on deck in Lousiville, and makes it not only a valuable networking event, but a ton of fun to attend.

Anyhow, usually I go to LANDSCAPES with a notepad, open mind, and a few of our “Apes”. This year, Jason von Reyn (Mowing Operations Manager and a two year attendee) and myself headed out expecting the usual rhythm. Like years of the past, we were able to share successes and troubles with other professionals, demo equipment, and assess implementing a few of the great ideas into our own operations in New Milford CT. We also snuck in a few great meals (and a tasty beverage or two) when all of the “formal learning” was done.

Everything was sort of falling into place as it had before, until the night of the Awards Dinner and ceremony when we sat down and perused the event’s brochure.

Unbeknownst to myself, NALP officials juggled who knows how many worthy entries and decided that YardScapes fit the bill for the 2017 Community Partnership Award.

A few moments later, Jason and myself found ourselves in the bright lights accepting the nice plaque with great company. Good thing we did the “comb your hair and brush your teeth” thing.

Since 1990, I have been honored and privileged to build this company from a “one-man, a mower, and a truck” operation to an organization with almost fifty full-time employees from all walks of life. Volunteerism and giving back is something that over the last 27 years in business I have felt strongly about and tried to implement with my own family and within the unique company culture of YardScapes. Thankfully I have been blessed with employees and friends that are 100% on board with the sentiment, and we have accomplished a great deal over the years, to include raising now $66,000 at our Annual Quad Am Golf Classic, donating thousands of man hours at traditional community service events, and even making new friends. It’s done so many great things and given us all an extra thing to be thankful this Turkey Day.

Thank you again to all of our amazing clients, employees, and friends that have allowed us to continue on this path.