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ELEVATE, presented by the National Association of Landscape Professionals included nearly 2,500 attendees from across the landscape industry who gathered on Nov. 3-6 in Charlotte, North Carolina. For The Greenery, Inc. team members in attendance, it was a valuable time of education, inspiration, and networking to gain beneficial perspective from professionals and experts from all over the country.

Inaugural NALP Women’s Forum

This year’s ELEVATE featured the first-ever NALP Women’s Forum, a pre-conference event featuring keynote speaker Sherhara Burrell, roundtable discussions and networking at the Museum of Illusions. Burrell explained valuable principles to the more than 125 attendees like how to advocate for themselves with the simple phrase “I’m proud to say that…”

It was an energetic and engaging workshop that helped to inspire women in the industry with tangible action items and tools to implement in their day-to-day jobs and in life in general.

“It was so wonderful networking with fellow industry leaders during the NALP Women’s Forum,” shared Stacy Montoya, Business Developer at The Greenery, Inc. “I’m proud to say I attended this inaugural event!”

Educational Opportunities

Another new feature this year at ELEVATE was the “Let’s Talk Shop” round table discussions. These round tables were divided by industry specialties that grouped irrigation, lawn care, design/build, commercial landscape maintenance and residential commercial maintenance at separate tables to help streamline discussion.

ELEVATE also featured over 30 concurrent educational sessions for attendees to experience with a variety of tracks for every facet of the industry including:

• People & Culture
• Customer Service & Sales
• Business & Operations
• Technology & Innovation

Networking

The ELEVATE Expo floor featured over 200 of the industry’s leading companies that each exhibited new innovations and networked with both current and future customers. 

“The [Expo] show gives us a chance to meet with new contacts and to fellowship with existing industry partners of The Greenery Inc. like Utkarsh Sharma. It was so great to see the SiteRecon team!” said Melissa Brock, Director of Business Development at The Greenery, Inc. 

During the Expo, there were also 18 Campfire Conversations, where attendees could discuss topics like how to educate students and parents about the green industry; the value of KPIs; and making wellness a priority.

Inspiration

A big focus of this year’s ELEVATE was providing Main Stage sessions to inspire attendees on all levels of the industry.

The opening Main Stage speaker, Shawn Achor, covered how positive brains are linked to improved performance. Achor shared with attendees how choosing to look for the good and being grateful makes it easier for the brain to spot fresh opportunities.

Another Main Stage speaker was AI innovator Noelle Russell who highlighted the importance of scaling responsibly with AI. She stressed to those in attendance that as companies delve into the world of AI, they should be asking: ‘What’s the worst possible thing that can happen?’ and ‘Where does this come from/How does this work?’

Closing things out on the Main Stage was ESPN reporter, Lauren Sisler. She shared about the tragedies in her life and how owning your story can allow you to connect with others. Encouraging attendees to shift their perspective, Sisler said this shift makes it easier to successfully face challenges head-on.

“I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to have attended Elevate 2024 with such an inspiring group of colleagues and friends,” shared Mizraim Mata, Regional Plant & Turf Healthcare Manager at The Greenery, Inc. “This experience was more than just a conference—it was a testament to our shared resilience, growth, and the amazing things we can achieve together.”

Mata went on to say “The picture we captured during Elevate is more than just a moment frozen in time. It symbolizes our collective strength and determination to overcome challenges and embrace opportunities. It stands as a beacon of our commitment to personal and professional growth, and the bright future we’re building together.”

The Greenery, Inc. team feels quite honored to be moving into the future surrounded by such dedicated and knowledgeable professionals like those in attendance at the NALP Elevate Conference. Learning from and growing with fellow green industry people is what makes opportunities like this invaluable to our employee owners at The Greenery, Inc. Thank you to everyone who made ELEVATE 2024 truly special.

Did you know that October is National Employee Ownership Month? But at The Greenery, Inc., we celebrate employee-ownership year round. 

For the last 50 years, The Greenery, Inc. has strived to build a company made up of passionate and motivated employees and we believe we have some of the best in the business. In 1973, Berry and Ruthie Edwards, founded The Greenery on Hilton Head Island with a desire to do landscaping a little differently. They focused on hiring the most experienced and knowledgeable staff knowing that the professionalism and quality these employees brought to the table would play a huge role in the company’s ultimate success.

The company began the process of becoming an Employee Stock Ownership Program (ESOP) in 2003 and completed it in 2007.

Essentially, the formation of the ESOP allowed The Greenery, Inc. to create a trust which distributes shares in the company to employees based on factors such as wages and length of employment. Only .5% of all businesses nationwide adhere to the ESOP model including Publix, New Belgium Brewing and Cliff Bar. But the numbers are growing each year.

In addition to employee stock ownership, The Greenery, Inc. matches 401(k) with company stock for our employee owners. For every dollar that employee-owners put in (up to 3% of their salaries) they get a dollar of stock. The next 2% is matched 50 cents on the dollar.

The ESOP is The Greenery, Inc.’s number one recruiting tool and the ownership interest makes employees more likely to stay with the company. Working with us is more than just a job, it’s a career.

The vested ownership begins for the employee after a one-year waiting period and continues until they retire or leave the company. Along the way, employee-owners enjoy multiple opportunities to increase their shares in the company, either by enrolling in our 401(k) program or reaching certain milestones in length of service. The longer employee-owners work for The Greenery, Inc., the more shares they receive.

And that relationship becomes reciprocal. The harder our employee-owners work and the more pride they have in their work – the better they treat their customers, the better the company does. And the better the company does = higher employee stock prices.

The employee-owners are aware of the stock price and have been motivated by seeing the price go up year after year. 

In order to communicate with our employee-owners what exactly an ESOP is and what it can do for them – The Greenery, Inc. utilize regular newsletters, meetings and updates from our ESOP committee.

“An ESOP gives a company its instant why. For most companies, why we do what we do is the hardest thing to define… we provide beautiful landscaping, but we also build retirements and a good lifestyle for the people that produce our product” explains Lee Edwards, President/CEO of The Greenery, Inc.

Since establishing the ESOP, The Greenery, Inc. has grown from about 200 employees to around 800 dedicated employees. Our territory now reaches from Hilton Head Island to Greenville and from Savannah down to Central Florida and lots of places in between.

The Greenery, Inc.’s growth has largely been driven by our employees (the owners) who each put in that little extra effort to help THEIR company grow.

In 2020, The Greenery, Inc. announced its newest commercial operation in the Greenville/Spartanburg area of South Carolina. With the acquisition of an existing commercial landscape company, this expansion allowed The Greenery, Inc. to provide South Carolina’s Upstate with the same extraordinary level of commercial landscape services that clients in other parts of the state had been enjoying for decades.

Today, The Greenery, Inc. provides a wide range of services to our Upstate clients, including POAs and HOAs, office parks, multi-family, retail, industrial, hospitality, education and any other type of commercial property. In fact, our GSP branch maintains around 85 properties in the Upstate area.

The Greenery, Inc. offers the following services in greater Greenville…

• Landscape Installation
• Landscape Maintenance
• Seasonal Floral Displays
• Irrigation and Outdoor Lighting
• Hardscape
• Storm Recovery
• Snow and Ice Removal

The team at the GSP branch not only have exceptional customer service and communication. They also excel at safety, construction installation, irrigation monitoring, annual color and renovations.

All of these strengths have helped the GSP branch to succeed and grow in the four short years that it has existed. Expansion always comes with challenges, but also a chance to succeed. With the right personnel in place, our Greenville/Spartanburg branch has faced each challenge with perseverance and determination leading to the success it has seen to date.

Some examples of their hard work are on display at properties like:

• In Greenville, The Greenery, Inc. maintains the community of Bella Grove – a traditional neighborhood development located within Hollingsworth Park that is a custom cottage community keeping the landscape looking welcoming to its residents and visitors. 
• In Mauldin, The Greenery, Inc. helps the landscape around the Jacobs Engineering building look fresh and inviting for its employees.
• In Greenville, the common areas of the McBee Luxury Apartments are also maintained by The Greenery, Inc. – keeping the area well-manicured for its many residents. 

“Working in the Upstate has offered a unique opportunity for The Greenery,” says Jim van Dijk, Director of Client Services. “And we are so pleased to be able to enhance people’s lives in the Greenville area with beautiful landscaping.”

The Greenery, Inc.’s Greenville/Spartanburg office is located at 1003 WOODS CHAPEL ROAD DUNCAN, SC 29334. For more information on the services provided, contact us at 864-520-7997.

Many of the coastal markets that we serve have experienced hurricanes in the past and we have learned significant lessons from each one – including the importance of a strong and effective response plan. Currently, The Greenery, inc. crews are busy cleaning up across Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina from the aftermath of Hurricane Debby.

Safety is our highest priority at The Greenery, not just for our employee-owners, but also for our clients and their properties. And that’s why we stay prepared for extreme weather 365 days a year. The Greenery, Inc. is on top of storm recovery, by first being on top of storm preparation.

Awareness, along with a personal plan for your property and loved ones prior to hurricane season is absolutely paramount. Business owners, municipalities, and POAs should take time to prepare before an event to minimize losses and reopen as quickly as possible.

The Greenery, Inc.’s response team goes into swift action when a weather event is forecasted:

• Crews across the area are alerted. 
• Equipment is checked and prepped for action. 
• Communications with emergency response facilitators in the communities are engaged.
• A projected plan of where to be for each client is prioritized.
• Every client is contacted to find out what may need to be addressed on their properties.

The Greenery, Inc.’s Post-Storm Response

The Greenery, Inc. team has credentials for early re-entry into many areas to perform emergency service operations such as identifying safety hazards, clearing roads, and clearing property debris for our clients. We have hundreds of operational teams working from Daytona, Florida all the way up the coast to Charleston, South Carolina that can be mobilized to the specific areas hit hardest by a potential storm. Over the years, we have walked with our clients through many hurricanes and tropical storms.

Our company is equipped with tractors and mini-loaders for moving large tree trunks and limbs. We also have dump trucks and trailers for hauling away debris caused by the storm. This depth of manpower and powerful equipment and machinery makes The Greenery, Inc. one of the best-prepared landscape companies and most equipped to respond to a crisis in the region.

Safety is a driving factor for post-storm recovery. We provide year-round training for our teams to learn about the safe handling of various equipment and power tools that they will use during a crisis. In the event of a storm, The Greenery, Inc. follows OSHA safety standards and works closely with FEMA.

As soon as it was declared safe after Hurricane Debby, our crews were dispatched to begin visiting our client’s properties and assessing damages. And we are dedicated to continuing to safely work hard as we get these communities back to normal.

The Greenery, Inc. keeps weather on our radar every day, but especially during hurricane season…June through November. With over 800 employee owners working outside, analyzing weather patterns is a constant with safety number one on our list. As unpredictable as weather can be, we have learned over our many decades of service that having a plan for severe weather is always best. And we encourage our customers to do the same!

Intense storms with strong winds among the Florida coast in Daytona, hurricanes that often threaten the Lowcountry or snow events in our Greenville/Spartanburg market….we prepare and plan throughout the year.

Currently, hurricane season is upon us. Our country has already experienced the first major hurricane of the year and more are projected as the season progresses. So it’s important to have a plan and prepare your property. 

How to Prepare Your Property When A Storm Threatens

You can help prepare your commercial property in order to minimize damage. If you are a Greenery, Inc. customer, we are here to walk through these steps with you:

1. Risk Assessment and Planning: Along with your CRM, conduct a thorough assessment of your property to identify areas vulnerable to wind damage, such as large trees, loose branches, or unsecured structures. Create a detailed plan outlining specific actions to safeguard the landscape. It is essential to make sure that all trees and shrubs are pruned regularly to remove dead or weak branches that could become projectiles during high winds. It is important to focus on reducing the tree canopy to minimize wind resistance. The Greenery, Inc. team works on this year round.

2. Outdoor Furniture and Decorations: Anchor or store outdoor furniture, decorations, signage, and other loose items that could be blown away by strong winds. If possible, move items indoors or in a secure location.

3. Drainage Systems: Along with your Greenery team, ensure that all drainage systems, including gutters, downspouts, and storm drains, are clear of debris to prevent water buildup and flooding.

4. Irrigation Systems and Outdoor Lighting: Make sure the power for your outdoor lighting and irrigation system is cut off. Turning off your irrigation system before a hurricane helps conserve water, protect your irrigation equipment, ensure electrical safety, and allows you to focus on more pressing storm preparations and safety precautions.

Now that hurricane season is here, we encourage you to have a plan to help protect your employees and your property in the event of a storm. It always pays to be prepared! And The Greenery, Inc. team is happy to help our customers prepare for mother nature any way that we can. Contact your CRM today to discuss and plan for SEVERE weather events.

In the bustling world of commercial landscaping, where efficiency and eco-friendliness are becoming paramount, the shift towards battery-powered equipment is gaining significant traction. And at The Greenery, Inc., we are excited for a future where landscape equipment not only produces less pollutants into the environment, but also reduces noise pollution — all while maintaining cost efficiency and capability for our clients. 

Environmental Sustainability

One of the most compelling reasons for embracing battery-powered equipment in commercial landscaping is its positive impact on the environment. Unlike traditional gas-powered tools, battery-operated machinery produces zero emissions during operation. This reduction in harmful pollutants not only contributes to cleaner air but also minimizes our carbon footprint. 

Reduced Noise Pollution

When working near golf courses or tranquil residential neighborhoods, excessive noise from landscaping activities is a significant concern. Battery-powered equipment offers a quieter alternative, significantly reducing noise pollution levels. 

Cost Savings

While the initial investment in battery-powered equipment is higher than conventional gas-powered machinery, the long-term cost savings are substantial. Battery-powered tools eliminate the ongoing expenses associated with purchasing gas, as well as the costs of regular maintenance and repairs. Moreover, with the advancements in battery technology, the lifespan of batteries has significantly improved, providing reliable performance over an extended period. 

Increased Efficiency and Versatility

Battery-powered equipment offers greater flexibility and convenience for our employee owners in the field. Without the constraints of cords or the need for gasoline refills, our team can maneuver more freely around properties, increasing productivity and efficiency. Additionally, many battery-powered tools are designed with interchangeable batteries, allowing for continuous operation by simply swapping out depleted batteries for fully charged ones. This seamless transition enhances workflow efficiency, enabling our employee owners the ability to tackle projects with greater ease and speed.

In February, The Greenery, Inc. rolled out our first all-electric small equipment crew on Hilton Head Island. Working with our partners from Kress North America, the whole Hilton Head Island Branch crew received training. 

Mission Accomplished

The Greenery, Inc. team members using this technology are already witnessing the benefits firsthand in the field…

“I was recently installing a Kress RTK mower at the golf club in Palmetto Bluff and chatting with the Branch Manager when I realized that between the auto mower, the crew using electric handheld equipment, and the electric zero turn mower being used we weren’t bothering the people playing golf just a few hundred feet away at all. Usually in a situation like this I would have been worried about the complaints we were sure to get about all the noise we were making, instead the golfers passing by on the way to the 10th tee were making comments about how rough a job I had watching our robotic mower work.”
– Jon Harrison, Operations Business Support Manager at The Greenery, Inc.

The benefits of using battery-powered equipment in commercial landscaping are undeniable. From environmental sustainability and cost savings to increased efficiency and safety, the advantages extend far beyond mere convenience. 

As the landscaping industry continues to evolve, The Greenery, Inc. recognizes that embracing innovative technologies and sustainable practices is essential for staying competitive and becoming even more environmentally friendly. By making the switch to battery-powered equipment, our team looks forward to not only enhancing our operational efficiency, but also contributing to a greener and healthier future for the communities we serve!

Our team at The Greenery, Inc. is excited to continue to expand and grow into markets throughout the Southeast as we work hard each day to enhance people’s lives with beautiful landscaping.

Over the past several years, The Greenery, Inc. has moved beyond the Lowcountry and coastal Georgia into markets in the Upstate of South Carolina and Northern Florida through the acquisition of other landscape companies. 

One of those acquisitions took place in 2021 with The Greenery, Inc. purchasing Martex Services Landscape Management based in Jacksonville and Amelia Island in Florida. This expansion has allowed The Greenery, Inc. to provide an extraordinary level of commercial landscape services to resorts and hotels, office parks, and distinguished gated communities in northeast Florida.

As we spring into a new season, The Greenery Inc. is excited to simplify the Jacksonville/Amelia Island branch into a single division name as just The Greenery, Inc.

Nothing is changing for our customers! You can still expect the same great landscaping services we’ve provided over the past several years. The only thing that will be different is the logo that appears on our trucks and any communication that comes from our office.

We look forward to continued growth and enhancing people’s lives through beautiful landscaping in the Jacksonville and Amelia Island communities!

If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to our office for immediate help at (904) 524-2340.

CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Greenery, Inc. has formally announced commercial landscape expansion plans for the Greater Charleston market. Innovative advances to landscape operations and services, an experienced executive leadership team, and a new branch office at 5080 Coosaw Creek Boulevard in North Charleston are part of the announced plan for growth.

“We have been serving the Charleston market since 1999,” stated Lee Edwards, CEO of The Greenery, Inc. “It’s the second largest market that we are in, and we think it’s going to be a huge part of our future through our strategic plan and our employee-owned leadership.”

The Greenery, Inc. offers commercial landscape services to resorts, municipalities, industrial and commercial businesses, HOAs, POAs, and planned communities.

The Greenery, Inc. currently has commercial landscape operations in Greenville and Spartanburg in South Carolina as well as Jacksonville, Amelia Island, and Daytona in Florida. The Greenery, Inc. continues to serve communities in the Lowcountry including Hilton Head Island, Bluffton, Palmetto Bluff, Beaufort, Savannah, and Charleston as part of their corporate purpose statement of enhancing people’s lives through beautiful landscaping.

ABOUT THE GREENERY, INC.

The Greenery, Inc. provides comprehensive landscaping services to commercial customers including landscape installation and maintenance, hardscapes, irrigation, and construction.

Established on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina in 1973, The Greenery, Inc. started as a small landscape nursery with a staff of just six employees. The 100% employee-owned company has always acknowledged its mission to be the best landscape company in the markets it serves with a focus on its people. The Greenery Inc. celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2023 with over 800 employees across the southeast.

For information about The Greenery, Inc. in Charleston call (843) 974-9652.

At the recent Annual Meeting for employee owners of The Greenery, Inc., two NEW videos were unveiled about the history of the company.

The first video is an in depth interview with Berry Edwards, Co-Founder of The Greenery, Inc. talking about the early days of the company and how it all began. Berry charmingly looks back on starting a new company from a “mom & pop” nursery with 6 employees and a dream of taking on the commercial landscaping of the booming Island. 

In the second video, Berry tells the story of how the beloved old church building came to be the home of The Greenery’s Gift & Home Shop. Through all of the challenges and setbacks, Ruthie Edwards had a mission to bring that building to Hilton Head and she wasn’t going to let anything stop that dream…

The many challenges and triumphs that make up the more than 5 decades of The Greenery’s rich history are heartwarming and inspiring. The memories and stories presented through these videos will help to preserve a vital piece of Lowcountry history for years to come. 

The future of the landscape industry is exciting, sustainable, and surprisingly quiet. And The Greenery is at the forefront of leading new eco-initiatives through the Lowcountry and southeast region!

Teaming up with companies like Kress Outdoor Power Equipment, The Greenery is planning for a future where their landscape equipment not only produces less pollutants into the environment, but also reduces noise pollution — all while maintaining cost efficiency and capability. 

Kress Outdoor Power Equipment hosted a demonstration in December to demonstrate new technology that The Greenery is already implementing for a better community and client experience. At the event, The Greenery unveiled its new battery-powered and autonomous robotic outdoor equipment. 

Beautifully maintained communities like Hilton Head Island often face negative feedback from residents and visitors about loud landscape equipment that is used to keep these properties in pristine condition. But loud, gas-powered equipment may soon be a thing of the past as this new technology also operates without the disruptive noise. The new technology is also a “win” for the environment as it operates without emitting harmful pollutants.

The Greenery has been exploring electric landscape equipment options for years now but had yet to discover the right fit – electric equipment that is both cost effective and powerful. However, The Greenery CEO, Lee Edwards, believes that with Kress and its technologies they have found a “game changer.”

Currently, The Greenery is using Kress equipment on larger properties, as well as making it an option for various residential clients. And according to Edwards, the company has found that it can offer the same superior landscape services to their clients at about the same price as gas-powered equipment.

According to Edwards, the electric equipment is not only preferred by clients but also by The Greenery employees because it is a safer option. Featuring a sensor all the way around the device – it disables if an animal or person walks up to it or picks it up. 

The Greenery plans to make the transition to all-electric equipment at one or two of The Greenery’s branches in the very near future with long-term plans of being company-wide electric within the next several years.

These forward-thinking and sustainable initiatives are what sets The Greenery apart from other landscaping companies as an industry leader. Ultimately, this transition will benefit the environment, customers, and employees while The Greenery continues to enhance people’s lives through beautiful landscaping – just a little more quietly.