People on the Move: Case names North American VP, Fecon appoints CEO, and more from NALP, Bayer and The Harvest Group

Steve Cianci

Case Construction Equipment named Steve Cianci as its new vice president for North America. Cianci joins Case with more than 25 years of leadership at various global heavy equipment and industrial companies — most recently with Kalmar USA. Cianci holds a master’s in business administration from Roosevelt University and earned his bachelor’s degree in marketing from Bentley University. He will be based out of the Case headquarters in Racine, Wis.

“Steve has a proven track record of managing equipment sales, business development, product management, and parts and service functions for world-class organizations,” said Carl Gustaf Göransson, president, construction, CNH Industrial. “That combination of marketing intelligence and a deep understanding of capital goods markets drives a clear vision for Case in North America.”

Fecon appointed new CEO Bob Dieckman, who will replace retiring CEO and Founder John Heekin. Dieckman comes from Hillenbrand subsidiary, Rotex Global, where he served in a variety of executive positions for 12 years, most recently as president. During his time with Rotex, sales grew over three hundred percent through both organic growth and acquisition. Prior to joining Rotex, he was the CFO of Basco Manufacturing Company for 10 years.

A Cincinnati, Ohio, native, Dieckman is a graduate of St. Xavier High School and the University of Notre Dame.  As CEO, he will lead the continued growth of the Lebanon, Ohio, manufacturer of heavy-duty forestry mulching equipment including their industry-leading Bull Hog mulcher. Heekin will remain active within the company he founded as a member of the board of directors.

The National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP) named its new board of director nominees. The nominees have been approved by the board of directors, and their names are being presented to the membership for approval at least 30 days before their installment at the annual meeting at Landscapes in Louisville, Kentucky.

The list of candidates includes:

• President: Andrew Ziehler, president of Ziehler Lawn and Tree Care
• Immediate Past-President: Jeff Buhler, senior vice president of customer service at Massey Services
• President-Elect: Shayne Newman, president of YardApes
• Secretary/Treasurer: Bob Grover, CEO of Pacific Landscape Management

Directors

• Bruce Allentuck, president of Allentuck Landscaping Co.
• Mike Bogan, CEO of LandCare
• Jeff Fedorchak, vice president and head of corporate affairs for TruGreen
• Lisa Fiore, co-founder and CEO of LandscapeHub
• Paul Fraynd, CEO of Sun Valley Landscaping
• Phil Key, president, Ruppert Landscape
• Roscoe Klausing, founder and owner of the Klausing Group
• Joseph R. Kujawa, Kujawa Enterprises
• William MacMurdo, head of U.S. Turf & Ornamentals for Bayer CropScience
• Frank Mariani, president of Mariani Landscape
• Joe Munie, president and CEO of Munie Greencare Professionals
• Tim Portland, chairman and CEO of Yellowstone Landscape
• Brandon Sheppard, owner, Weed Man

The Environmental Science business of Bayer, within the company’s Crop Science division, appointed several leadership positions. These changes will enhance focus on finding innovative solutions for the evolving needs of customers, the company said. Bayer has made the following changes in project and product development management in the Environmental Science (ES) Field Solutions Organization in North America:

• Axel Elling, T&O product development team lead, ES Field Solutions Organization, North America
• Jake Doskocil, global project lead, Pest Management and Rodent Control
• Nonggang Bao, head of the ES Field Solutions Development and Experience Center
• Xulin Chen, T&O Field Solutions Team, product development manager

Jud Griggs joined The Harvest Group, a landscape consulting firm. Griggs brings design/build, added sales and marketing proficiency to the group. His background includes tenures at Lied’s, Lamberts, Smallwood and Scapes. Griggs can help structure a company for success and establish key metrics, systems and procedures to help capitalize on success in the competitive design/build marketplace. Griggs joins founders Bill Arman and Ed Laflamme and the rest of The Harvest Group including Steve Cesare, Fred Haskett, Alison Hoffman, Chris Darnell and Cindy Code.

Rainbow Treecare Scientific Advancements promoted Erik Lindberg as the new lead technical advisor. Lindberg began at Rainbow two years ago as a PHC technician. He worked up to research and development conducting studies while working with extension office members. He holds a BA in ecology and environmental biology from the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire and a Masters in biology with an emphasis on forest ecology from Texas Tech University.