Q: What milestone are you celebrating in 2021?
A: In 2020, ADM Landscape Corp. celebrated 35 years in business.
Q: What thoughts or emotions come to mind when you think about this milestone?
A: I have never worked for anyone but myself and loved every minute— raised a great family put two kids through college.
Q: What inspired you to start your firm?
A: I have always loved working with plants and in nature.
Q: What were some of the challenges you faced during the early years?
A: Figuring out how to get the work done without doing it myself and getting paid for the work that was done. Also, saying no.
Q: What are some of the firm’s greatest accomplishments since inception?
A: Getting my first large job—a $500,000 landscaping project for the reconstruction of Morningside Park (A Fredrick Law Olmstead Design) the contractor, Cousins Contracting blasted rock to install a pond that the city couldn’t do at the original construction and ADM did the landscape of the park for them.
Q: How has your company evolved over the years?
A: We have become so much more efficient, and we understand what we can—and what we can’t—do.
Q: What is it like working at your firm?
A: It’s fun, hard and gratifying work—you actually see something come to life and change before your eyes.
Q: What is one of the funniest memories in the history of your firm?
A: Looking back it’s funny…We were clearing a field and one guy called up later in the week and said that he couldn’t come to work because he had poison ivy so bad he blew up. He went to the hospital and fortunately was able to get the care he needed. When I went to the job to warn everyone about the poison ivy, one guy walked over to a pile and picked up a piece of poison ivy and said, “You mean this?” I nodded yes. He laughed and said, “This is all we found and the guy that caught it wasn’t even near it!” At the time it seemed serious, but in retrospect it was pretty funny.
Q: What is one way your company promotes diversity and inclusion in commercial real estate?
A: If you can perform the work and look to learn—that gets you the job—it’s the only criteria.
Q: What’s ahead for your firm?
A: The addition of green roofs and green walls to the ground landscapes will have an impact on the environment, economics and efficiencies of buildings and people.
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