Ruppert Landscape is pleased to announce four personnel moves in the company’s landscape construction division.
Jim Tuzzolino has been promoted to the position of division regional vice president.
He has over 20 years of experience in the landscape construction industry and has been with Ruppert for almost 15 years. He first joined the company as an intern while attending SUNY Cobleskill, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in wildlife management. He has held many positions during his Ruppert career including production manager in the Maryland branch, operations manager in both Maryland and Virginia, and most recently as branch manager in Virginia. In his new role, he will support landscape construction division operations, specifically overseeing the Virginia and North Carolina branches, working closely with those teams to ensure continued improvement and success.
“In each of the positions Jim has held, he has always performed to the highest standard and led his teams to exceptional results,” said Bob Jones, president of the company’s landscape construction division. “Under Jim’s leadership, his branch received Ruppert’s 2018 Award of Distinction, recognizing the exceptional devotion and teamwork required to break both revenue and profit records and successfully complete some of the division’s largest projects to date. Jim is devoted to the principles and ideals of our organization and I’m confident he will continue to do the same in his new role and look forward to his contributions to the landscape construction division.”
Mike Ryan has been promoted to fill the role of branch manager in the Virginia landscape construction branch.
He has over 20 years of industry experience and holds a bachelor’s degree in horticulture from Virginia Tech. He joined Ruppert in 2015 as production manager in Virginia and was quickly promoted when the position of operations manager became available only a year later. In his new role, he will oversee all landscape construction operations in the company’s Virginia branch, which covers projects primarily in the Northern Virginia and DC Markets. His responsibilities include planning, budgeting, and personnel development within his region as well as ensuring customer satisfaction.
“Prior to joining Ruppert, Mike spent most of his professional career in the residential landscape design/build world,” said Tuzzolino. “Working on large residential projects provided him with an exposure to landscape, irrigation, electrical, masonry, concrete, and small-scale construction. These skills have helped him adapt to the wide variety of trades we encounter on the construction side every day, and we are excited to see him take on this new role.”
Brad Matthews has been promoted to fill the role of operations manager in the Virginia landscape construction branch.
He has been with Ruppert for over 15 years, having joined the company straight out of Mississippi State University where he studied construction management. Since then, he has held almost every position on the landscape production side of the business, most recently as project manager.
“As project manager, Brad has been entrusted with some of the division’s most high-profile and difficult projects,” said Ryan. “He is someone who you can rely on to play his part, who you can point to as an example of what happens when things are done right, and who holds himself and his peers to a higher standard. I am very excited to have Brad in this position and am looking forward to seeing how his approach to managing our projects will positively influence our efficiency and outcomes.”
Anne Kawecki has been tasked with taking on the role of business development manager in the Virginia landscape construction branch.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Marymount University and was an interior designer and co-owner of a vintage and repurposed home furnishings store in Southern Maryland before joining the company’s Virginia branch in early 2019 as an assistant project manager.
“Anne’s way of putting a person at ease makes her a natural for the business development position,” said Ryan. “We are very excited about what she brings to the table and look forward to seeing her take on this new role.”
Ruppert Landscape, a family and employee-owned business, has been an industry-leading provider of commercial landscape construction and management services for almost 50 years. Headquartered in Laytonsville, Maryland, the company employs over 1600 people and serves customers from 25 branches in eight primary markets: Philadelphia, Baltimore, D.C., Richmond, Raleigh, Charlotte, Atlanta, and Houston. The company has a long-standing tradition of growing its team and giving back to the community. Visit us at www.ruppertlandscape.com.