People on the move: Updates from Grunder Landscaping Co., Massey Services, Envu and more

Marty Grunder

Marty Grunder wins leader in diversity award

The Dayton Business Journal recently recognized Marty Grunder, founder and CEO of Grunder Landscaping Co. and Landscape Management columnist with a leader in diversity award.

“I’m proud that the small business I started to pay for my college education is now able to provide opportunities for our nearly 100 team members to support their families, further their careers, and make a difference in our community,” said Grunder. “I am so honored by this recognition and want to recognize my team for all that they do to make Grunder Landscaping a great place to work and Dayton, Ohio a great place to live.”

Grunder Landscaping Co. said more than 75 percent of team members are members of a minority group.

The award recognizes Grunder’s efforts to support minority communities, including sponsoring team members for permanent residency, donating to local organizations that celebrate and encourage diversity and mentorship.

Massey Services makes multiple promotions

Brandy Hamilton

Massey Services, No. 29 on the 2023 LM150 list, promoted Brandy Hamilton to division manager of the Tennessee region. In this newly created role, Hamilton will oversee the operational aspects of all service centers in Tennessee, including locations in Chattanooga, Cleveland, Athens, Knoxville and Johnson City.

Hamilton started her career in the pest management industry 12 years ago as a customer service representative. Massey promoted her to office manager, service manager and was most recently general manager of the Athens, Tenn., service center.

Chad Patel

The company also promoted Chad Patel to regional manager of the company’s north Texas region. In his previous role as general manager of the Frisco service center, Patel helped develop new team members as well expand the company’s GreenUP Landscape Services in the North Texas region.

Patel joined Massey Services in February 2020 as a general manager in training. The company promoted him to general manager of the Frisco service center in January 2021.

Massey also promoted Josh Burnett to regional manager of the company’s newly-created Oklahoma region. Massey said this role will oversee the company’s plans for the company to open additional service centers in the area. In this new position, Burnett will oversee operations of all service centers in Oklahoma, which currently include locations in Moore, Edmond and Tulsa.

Josh Burnett

Burnett joined Massey Services as a pest technician in May 2008 and has since served as a service manager and, most recently, general manager of the Moore service center.

Attentive adds to sales team

Attentive.ai said the company added Matt Stinson as SMB- account executive in Florida in a recent LinkedIn post.

Stationed in Jacksonville, Fla. Attentive said Stinson will spearhead our efforts to strengthen the company’s footprint in the Florida market. Stinson brings more than 20-plus years in commercial landscaping with key roles in sales and operations.

Rainbow Ecoscience adds territory manager

In a LinkedIn post, Rainbow Ecoscience said it added Joe Lockyer as the northern California territory manager. The company said Lockyer looks forward to helping people create industry sustainability, community preservation and ecological accountability.

Tedder earns Advanced Snow Manager designation

The Snow & Ice Management Association said Luke Tedder, branch manager of Klausing Group in Louisville, Ky., has earned the Advanced Snow Manager (ASM) designation. The ASM training program provides quality, accessible safety and operational training for snow operations professionals.

T.J. Ashachik (left), Brandon Ball (right)

Envu adds two to team

Envu added T.J. Ashachik as the product manager for herbicides and Brandon Ball as the area sales manager for Florida.

Ashachik brings to Envu more than 10 years of experience in a variety of roles in environmental science operations, marketing and customer engagement. He earned his bachelor’s degree in business and an MBA from North Carolina State University. He lives in the Raleigh area with his wife and two daughters.

Ball will manage the lawn and landscape segment in Central Florida. Ball brings experience as an assistant golf course superintendent.

Kula Bio adds chief commercial officer

Kula Bio added Hugh MacGillivray as chief commercial officer. In his new position, MacGillivray will oversee and manage all commercial aspects of Kula Bio’s operations and help bring the company’s Kula-N, a high-performance, cost-effective nitrogen source to market.

Hugh MacGillivray

“I look forward to working with the Kula Bio team to deliver their innovative technology to the ag and turf industries, which are in need of new technologies to improve nutrient efficiency and lessen environmental impact,” said MacGillivray. “Especially now, with current nitrogen supply and cost uncertainties, farmers and turf managers need products like Kula-N, an alternative and sustainable nitrogen source.”

MacGillivray’s professional experience includes commercial leadership roles with multi-national corporations and startups in Canada, Germany and the U.S., including Anuvia Plant Nutrients, Arysta LifeScience North America, Cargill Hybrid Seeds, Rooster.com and Hoechst/AgrEvo/Aventis.

Dunn retires from DLF

Bill Dunn

DLF said Bill Dunn, project manager will retire Dec. 31 after a long career in the green industry. Dunn started his career with Seed Research in Oregon. According to DLF, he led his team through several acquisitions while growing the brand’s presence. He began his career with eight years in sales at Rockland Chemical covering New York and New Jersey, before becoming sales manager for Lofts Seed. Five years later, Dunn joined ZAJAC Performance Seed, where he worked five years as national accounts manager before returning to Lofts Seed, which had been purchased by ABT, the company that sent him to Oregon.

Dunn originally planned to retire in 2022, but he agreed to stay an extra year and help lead the company’s bentgrass production in the Willamette Valley.

“I’ve enjoyed watching talented people in our company grow their careers, and be in a position to provide guidance and support when they needed it,” he said. “I certainly had a lot of great mentors and people who helped me along the way.”

He is a past president of the Atlantic Seed Association (2001), Oregon Seed Trade Association (2011) and Oregon Seed Council (2013).

Leanne Flannery

Visterra Landscape Group expands leadership team

Visterra Landscape Group, a commercial landscaping service platform added Leanne Flannery as chief financial officer and Todd Berkland as chief development officer.

Todd Berkland

Flannery most recently served as CFO of 3Phase Elevator Corporation, where she led the company’s financial functions and managed the integration process for over 15 M&A partnerships. She earned an MBA from Suffolk University, a master of science degree in taxation from Northeastern University and a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Boston College.

Berkland will lead all corporate development and M&A for Visterra. He most recently served as vice president of business development and acquisitions at Wrench Group, executing more than 20 acquisitions and helping triple revenue to more than $1 billion within three years. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and finance from the University of Iowa.

Got news? Let us know!

Have promotions or updates about your team? Send it to Editor Christina Herrick at cherrick@northcoastmedia.net, and we’ll feature it in an upcoming People on the Move.