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Zack is the CEO of Stratton and Bratt, a full-service landscaping company based in Pleasant Grove, Utah.  Stratton and Bratt offers a wide range of services, including landscape maintenance, snow removal, commercial bid/build, and general contracting services.  Zack started Stratton and Bratt while studying at Brigham Young University.   Since that time the company has grown into one of the largest firms in the region with over 250 employees with offices throughout Utah.  He is incredibly proud to work alongside some of the most talented people in the industry.  Zack lives in Utah with his wife and four children and loves being a dad.

Bryan is the CEO of Winterberry, a full service landscaping company based in Southington, CT.  Winterberry offers a wide range of services, including landscape maintenance, fertilization, irrigation service, golf course irrigation install, commercial bid/build, residential design/build and retail.  Bryan started with Winterberry in 2007 when he graduated with an undergraduate business degree from Uconn and decided he didn’t want to work behind a desk.  He started as a junior landscape designer and has managed marketing, technology, and the design department at various times at Winterberry.

After completing his MBA in 2015, Bryan moved into Executive leadership at Winterberry.  He has since held on for dear life as the Winterberry team has grown from roughly $10 million in revenue in 2015 to a projected $32 million in 2023.  He is incredibly proud to work alongside some very talented people in a culture that allows them to grow and thrive.  Bryan lives in Connecticut with his wife and two young children.

Specializing in Growth and Exit strategy planning, Jeff Harkness has spent over 20 years working exclusively with the owners of contracting and service firms.

Jeff has been the leading advisor guiding over 30 companies to exit via private equity groups or industry buyers. He has worked closely with owners on business valuation, strategic growth, profit planning, pricing strategies, capital funding, or buy-side transactions. Jeff advises clients with succession planning involving family, employees, or other related parties. He also creates strategies for owners that tie key people to the company through compensation models, phantom stock and/or bonus programs.

Jeff has been a featured speaker for many national and state trade associations, industry software companies, and executive leadership conferences. Topics have included: Business Valuations; Raising Capital for Growth; Selling Your Business; and Maximizing Your Profit. Jeff has also been a frequent contributor of articles in Landscape Management Magazine and Lawn and Landscape Magazine.

Jeff holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the State University of New York. In addition, Jeff has obtained the Certified Financial Planner (“CFP”) designation.

Jeff, his wife Tracy and their sons Benton and Landon live in Alpharetta, GA.  Jeff is a big sports fan, enjoys traveling, lake life, good wine, and spending time with family and friends.

Charlie Johnson is a dedicated and experienced landscape professional with a passion for nature. He founded Outdoor Systems Management in 2008 and he has been in the green industry for over 20 years and has built a reputation as an expert in his field, and is a member of several professional associations. He is dedicated to staying up-to-date with the latest trends, techniques, and advancements in the industry.

Charlie is a family man and is married with four children. He is dedicated to his family and enjoys spending time with them. He is an active father and enjoys traveling with his family , and also enjoys playing sports and staying fit. He is an avid golfer and can often be found on the greens of Arizona’s golf courses.

In his free time, Charlie is an active volunteer in his church and the greater community. He is involved in various community programs and initiatives and is known for his philanthropy. He believes in giving back to the community and is committed to making a positive impact.

Tom Fochtman has been involved in the green industry his entire career, spanning 41 years.  He co-founded a commercial landscape contracting company that grew to $33M in revenue, selling the company in 2011.  Tom has served in multiple capacities with the National Association of Landscape Professional (NALP), including 3 terms on the Board, President of the NALP Foundation and working on many task forces and committees.

For the past 12 years he has been leading Ceibass Venture Partners, an exit strategy firm.  Ceibass is focused on assisting landscape company owners with the successful transition of their company, and ultimately their goal of retirement.  The goal of Ceibass is to achieve the most profitable exit for their clients

Brett Gordon graduated from Oklahoma State University in 2007 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Landscape Architecture. Over the years, Brett has found a passion for landscape maintenance and creating scalable systems and business tactics that have created a highly efficient company. Scalability, scorekeeping, accountability, and unspoken communication are the foundation for all the systems at Signature Landscape. His passion for integrity and excellence at every level of the business is allowing Signature to become the premier landscape maintenance contractor in the Oklahoma City market. Brett has a passion for being a positive influence on the families of those that work at Signature. Above all else, creating an environment of excellence and success while keeping a healthy work life balance for all is top priority.

Corey Kupfer is an expert strategist, negotiator and deal-maker with more than 35 years of professional deal-making and negotiating experience as a successful entrepreneur, attorney, consultant, author and professional speaker. He is the founder and principal of Kupfer & Associates, PLLC, a leading corporate and deal law firm; the founder and CEO of DealQuest, a speaking, training and consulting company providing negotiating and deal-driven growth programs and services; the author of the Amazon best-selling book, Authentic Negotiating, and the creator and host of the top 1.5% rated podcast the DealQuest Podcast.

“When you’re choosing a qualified partner for this type of commitment, I strongly feel it’s important to make your decision based on the leader. At the end of the day this is a trust thing and the success of our relationship falls on my shoulders.”

A natural Leader & Entrepreneur, Aiden loves to hustle, and has a strong work ethic. “It’s all I do 24/7, because I am passionate about helping businesses reach their goals. It’s in my DNA, even as a kid I was always doing entrepreneurial things like selling lemonade.”.

Aiden is driven by Adversity. Severely physically disabled with a neuromuscular disease called Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). His muscles deteriorate overtime which has brought him to his current state. He has 24/7 Caregivers that help him with almost everything besides operating the business. With a life jam packed of Adversity, he claims his disability is less than 20% of that. “The toughest adversities are the ones most can’t see at face value”.

Aiden has built Green Marketing to roughly $500k annual revenue from his bed. He’s determined to take it “To a place of abundance in value for everyone involved with us”.

One of his first loves in life is STRATEGY. “I’ll forever be addicted to strategy and problem solving.”. Which is how he created most blueprints that our team executes on. “I’ve been in the industry long enough to identify the pain points and create systems that consistently fix them, over and over again.”.

With massive ambitions in life, his 1st priority is to make Green Marketing dominate as the #1 marketing partner in the industry. Onwards he looks to duplicate his systems and dominate other niches as Adversity Media. Followed by a huge leap into the world as a Public Figure. “My north star is redefining the definition of Adversity through Speaking Engagements, Authorship, and creating a humongous community of perseverance. In order to achieve these huge ambitions, I need an army of advocates. Therefore my Key Performance Indicator is building reputation. While most chase money, I chase legacy.”

Fun Facts:

– I am a huge fan of Anime and Japanese Culture.

– I have a girlfriend in the Philippines, and we’ve been together over 2yrs, while she’s worked for us over 4yrs. It’s a big goal of mine to bring her to the USA.

– I was taken out of school in the 4th grade because my family didn’t believe in schooling. That’s some more of that Adversity I talked about. I’m COMPLETELY self educated, and have developed my knowledge through pure drive and will power.

At the age of 37, the University of Mississippi hired Jeff McManus as the Director of the newly formed Landscape Services Department. As one of the most junior directors on campus, the immediate challenges that faced him were staggering - exceptionally low morale with an unacceptable lack of productivity. In many ways, the Ole Miss landscape services was actually an extreme example of the same problems facing many organizations then and today.

Jeff believed the challenges could be overcome with focused team effort. So, he established a four-step process he calls “The GROW System.” Jeff works from the position that everybody wants to be successful and they can be - by recognizing their personal potential. Great teams, Raising results, Offense scores and Winning Attitudes, these four things, formed Jeff’s GROW System.

Jeff has been praised by Forbes and the Huffington Post for his book, Growing Weeders into Leaders, where he shares how his team went from last place to being on the national stage. It wasn’t long before PGMS, Newsweek, Princeton Review, and USA Today all recognized Jeff’s teamwork and awarded their efforts with the nation’s most beautiful campus designation.

Dan Cathy, chairman of board of Chick fil A, had this to say about Jeff’s book, “…[it] serves as a guide for all current and future leaders. As a member of the leadership team at Chick-fil-A, part of my job is to help define the future of our business. One thing we have learned throughout my tenure at Chick-fil-A is that there’s a big difference between locating leaders and cultivating them. Jeff reminds us that all leaders can be cultivated with the right pruning and nurturing.”

Jeff holds a bachelor's degree in Landscape and Ornamental Horticulture from Auburn University and is a Certified Arborist and Grounds Manager.

As one of the business development representatives at CompanyCam, Nicole spends her time building and nurturing partner relationships, enhancing partner network experiences through content creation, and traveling around the country to attend trade shows.

Outside of work, Nicole can be found with a book in hand or with an audiobook playing, doing some DIY project around her house (some more intense than others), or elbow-deep in dough for a new baking experiment.

Stephen Gault is founder of EcoMow Lawn & Landscape Solutions based in Dallas, TX.  Founded in 2019, EcoMow is focused on providing innovative battery operated lawn and landscape services for commercial & residential customers.  Stephen is also founder of Lawn Pro Digital Marketing and host of The Electric Lawn Talk Podcast.  Stephen is married to his lovely wife Melissa and they have 3 wonderful children.  Stephen comes to the lawn and landscape industry with a strong passion for networking with fellow landscape professionals.  His humble desire to learn from his peers has helped him build a fast growing landscape business and provide customers with an experience second to none.

Roger Braswell is a self-described “serial entrepreneur.” Having launched over a dozen successful operating companies in his 54-year career, the title is well deserved. More importantly, Roger and his daughter, Angela Quinn, co-founded Give Hope Global, which provides education for over 1,000 students and operates community health programs in Haiti and Ghana. He is passionate about succeeding in business to provide resources for helping people in difficult circumstances become all their ambition and talent will allow them to be.

The companies he has founded or co-founded include Braswell’s Landscape Co., The Village Nursery, Southern Tree and Landscape Co., LandCare USA, PowerHouse Equipment, SiteWork Systems, Compact Power Equipment, Compact Power Services, Turf Today, HuntWell Homes, and others. Companies he has acquired include The Southern Shade Tree Co., Mertz Manufacturing, DOC Services, and Bentwood Farms. He has served on the boards of numerous industry trade groups, many non-profits, and corporate boards of mid-market private equity–owned companies.

A committed Christian and family man, Roger is active in his church and his community. Writing this book has been a longtime dream and a major item on his bucket list. Prodded by his friends and co-workers to tell his story, he decided to “step into the moment” and write a book about it!

Clean Scapes was founded in 2005 and quickly became the fastest-growing company in Central Texas. We have since opened additional locations in San Antonio, Dallas, Houston, and Fort Worth.

Our founders were driven by a lifetime working in, and passion for the commercial landscape industry. With a unique understanding of the value of quality labor, we recognize that our employees are critical to the continued success of our clients’ projects, and therefore Clean Scapes. As such, in 2021, we transitioned to a 100% employee-owned company through an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP).

Today, we are the largest commercial landscape company based in Texas with nearly $100M in revenue expected in 2022. We are Texas’ most trusted commercial landscape partner, working on some of the most high-profile and complex projects in the region.

Described as a mentor, advisor and true friend, Bruce Wilson stands as one of the visionaries in the landscape business, with insights and expertise developed over forty years. He’s quietly played a major role in leading the transformation of the industry from small, family-run operations to larger, dynamic companies driven to the highest performance standards.

Never the center of attention, Bruce listens intently, asks probing questions and facilitates the most effective paths to success. According to an industry colleague, “his ability to get to the heart of the matter and to offer constructive, experiential advice is truly standard setting.”

As founder of Bruce Wilson & Company, Bruce has brought together many of the industry’s most accomplished business owners, as well as the next generation of energized thought leaders.

Bruce served for three decades as president of ValleyCrest Landscape Maintenance and vice president of its parent corporation, ValleyCrest Companies (BrightView). Prior to rebranding as Bruce Wilson & Company in 2015, he was co-owner and partner Wilson-Oyler Group. He was also co-owner of the Palm Desert, Calif.-based prestigious commercial landscape services company, Conserve LandCare.

Bruce Wilson & Company has been the official facilitating partner for NALP (National Association of Landscape Professionals) peer groups since 2013.

During his career, Bruce has held numerous industry leadership positions, including serving on the Board of Directors for the NALP’s Foundation and chairing the association’s landscape management committee.

Bruce holds a degree from Cornell University in Ornamental Horticulture. A resident of Scottsdale, Arizona, Bruce is a nationally recognized author, a frequent guest speaker and panelist at green industry events, and a monthly columnist for Lawn & Landscape magazine.

Chris Lee is the president of EarthWorks and has over 24 years of green industry experience. He has worked for EarthWorks since 1998 and is a certified apartment supplier, licensed irrigator (LI 18300), and licensed pesticide applicator (#078546).

Chris studied business at the University of Arkansas, and horticulture and landscape design at Tarrant County College. In 2000 Chris completed a Certificate in Financial Planning from Florida State University. He also is a graduate of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business Program and of the Dale Carnegie Leadership Institute. He is also pursuing ongoing education through the Texas A&M Agrilife System.

Neville Stein, 61 trades as ‘Neville Stein Horticultural Business Consultant’. Primarily working in the ‘land based’ sector Neville has become recognized as an expert business consultant amongst SMEs and family enterprises and has worked with a wide range of organizations both in the UK and internationally including Ireland, Israel, Eastern Europe and China.

Beginning his career in the UK nursery industry in 1977 Neville completed a Diploma in Nursery practices at Pershore College of Horticulture, UK. After leaving college he had a variety of positions in the nursery stock industry before becoming a sales manager for Notcutts Nurseries who were, at the time of Neville’s employment, the UK’s largest plant production nursery.

Neville left employment in 1995 to establish a unique and specialist business consultancy practice working with nurseries, garden centers and landscapers. Whilst establishing this business he also graduated with an MBA.

Today, Neville is still operating full time in the sector but principally spends his time educating the horticultural managers of the future and his educational portfolio includes assessing on the prestigious master of Horticulture for the Royal Horticultural Society, The Kew Diploma and the Institute of Leadership and Management. When not involved in education he still provides consultancy to selected clients in addition to writing for many of the UK’s leading trade publications

Drew grew up in San Diego, California and chased his childhood dream of becoming a Major League Baseball Player up through his late twenties. In October of 2015 he shifted careers, joining his father at Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, a 16 time National Best Practices Independent Insurance Agency with a focus on the Green Industry.

Drew and his team are relentless in their effort to bring process, foresight, and strategy into the insurance services space for landscape businesses.

In his personal time, Drew enjoys spending time outside with his Wife Lauren, Children Avery and Henry, Staffy Amiga, and 12 chickens.

Jim is a passionate and innovative leader.  His primary focus for over 30 years has been to help his team, clients, and company achieve their respective goals.  He has experience in all facets of building and operating a high-performance landscape company.

Jim received his Bachelor’s Degree in Landscape Architecture from the University of Georgia and began his career with Post Properties as a Landscape Designer.  In 2001, Jim bought the company from Post and created HighGrove Partners, one of the largest landscape companies in the southeast with over 200 employees.

Jim has been an active member of the landscape industry.  He has served on the Board of Directors for NALP, where he also served as president from 2014 to 2015.  In addition, he is a past president of the NALP Foundation.  Jim loves to help people grow in this industry and is a frequent speaker at various events throughout the country.

Andrew Bray is a driven Government Relations professional and a tireless advocate with over 15 years of legislative, regulatory, campaign and legal experience. Andrew is currently the Vice President of Government Relations at the National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP). In this role Andrew leads all legislative and regulatory initiatives at the federal and state level. Andrew routinely engages Congressional offices on Capitol Hill, Regulatory Agencies and industry coalitions to craft policy initiatives that protected the interests and needs of the landscape industry. Prior to joining NALP Andrew also worked in a government relations capacity for the National Pest Management Association, North American Meat Institute and the Grocer Manufacturers Association.

In addition to working in trade associations Andrew honed his policy, advocacy and political skills while working on Capitol Hill in a Congressional Office and while working on multiple Federal, State and local campaigns. Andrew earned his law degree in 2013 and maintains an active license to practice law in Virginia.

Verne Harnish is founder of the world-renowned Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO), with over 16,000 members worldwide, and chaired for fifteen years EO’s premiere CEO program held at MIT, a program in which he still teaches today.

Founder and CEO of Scaling Up, a global executive education and coaching company with over 200 partners on six continents, Verne has spent the past four decades helping companies scaleup. He’s the author of the bestseller Mastering the Rockefeller Habits; authored The Greatest Business Decisions of All Times," for which Jim Collins wrote the foreword; and wrote Scaling Up (Rockefeller Habits 2.0) which has been translated into 22 languages and has won eight major international book awards including the prestigious International Book Award for Best General Business book. His latest book, Scaling Up Compensation, rocketed to the #1 HR book on Amazon.

Verne also chairs the annual ScaleUp Summits and serves on several boards including vice chair of The Riordan Clinic; co-founder and chair of Geoversity; and board member of the social venture Million Dollar Women. A private investor in many scaleups, Verne enjoys piano, tennis, and magic as a card-carrying member of the International Brotherhood of Magicians.

Contact Donna Whitwell, donna@scalingup.com or Verne Harnish vharnish@scalingup.com