Ruppert Landscape has named Tom Barry vice president of its landscape management division. Barry joined the company in late 2014 as its chief financial officer.
Ruppert is based in Laytonsville, Maryland, and has operations throughout that state as well as in Georgia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Virginia. The company says in a news release on Barry’s appointment that its landscape management division has experienced “significant growth” during the past few years.
Barry will oversee all aspects of the division, from business development to operations, across all 14 landscape management branch locations. Those locations employ more than 800 people.
Schiller Grounds Care hires new product manager
Schiller Grounds Care Inc., a manufacturer of lawn and garden power equipment and the parent company of brands such as Bob-Cat, Ryan and Steiner, has hired Anne Marie Sanicola as a new product manager. Her responsibilities include managing, developing and maintaining the Ryan and Steiner product lines.
Sanicola has worked previously with two national tractor and construction equipment companies.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in communication and psychology, and a master’s degree in instructional design and broadcasting, both from Marquette University in Milwaukee.
Sanicola will be based out of Schiller Grounds Care’s manufacturing facility in Johnson Creek, Wisconsin.
Dow AgroSciences adds sales representatives
Dow AgroSciences has added four sales representatives to it turf and ornamental team.
Yusif Jaouni will work with customers in Michigan, Ohio and western Pennsylvania.
Jaouni is a graduate of the University of Missouri, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in agricultural education.
Jordan Symon joins Dow AgroSciences’ Southeast region as a sales representative covering Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee and northern Florida. She received a bachelor’s degree in agricultural communications and journalism from Texas A&M University.
Phil Bruner has been named sales representative for the turf and ornamental group in the Carolinas. He received a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in agronomy and soils from Auburn University.
Chester VandenBerg will serve as a sales representative in western Florida. He graduated from Cornerstone University with a bachelor’s degree in business management.
Bruner replaces Scott Eicher, who retired after 33 years with Dow AgroSciences. Eicher has held various roles, including field sales, sales management, product marketing, new product market research, quality performance and human resources.
VandenBerg replaces Jan Castanza, who has been with Eli Lilly and Dow AgroSciences for more than 40 years. Before working as a T&O sales representative in Florida, Castanza supported the Sentricon System business since its inception in 1995. He also has held roles in pharmaceutical sales and marketing.
AmericanHort elects new volunteer leadership
AmericanHort recently announced the election of officers and three new members of the organization’s board of directors. Terri Cantwell of Bates Sons & Daughters in Lake Placid, Florida, was selected chair of the board and Tom Demaline of Willoway Nurseries in Avon, Ohio, was elected vice chair. Dale Deppe of Spring Meadow Nursery in Grand Haven, Michigan, becomes the immediate past chair.
AmericanHort said three industry leaders were selected to serve as 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. The board of directors is comprised of a diversity of retailers, growers, installers and industry suppliers.
AmericanHort was formed in 2014 by the consolidation of the American Nursery & Landscape Association and OFA – The Association of Horticulture Professionals.