Laytonsville, MD – Ruppert Landscape has expanded its Virginia landscape management operations to include a new branch in Fredericksburg. Serving the Spotsylvania and Stafford county region, this branch joins three existing landscape management branch offices in Virginia located in Richmond, Gainesville, and Alexandria.
“As the northern extension of Richmond, the Fredericksburg market was identified in our latest five-year plan as a target expansion location for 2018,” said Tom Barry, president of the landscape management division.
John Tagliafferi, a resident of Stafford, VA, was recently hired as branch manager and will oversee the new Fredericksburg branch. He holds a bachelor’s degree in landscape contracting from SUNY Cobleskill and brings over 20 years of landscape industry experience, having held a variety of positions including crew person, construction foreman, maintenance supervisor, and branch manager. He previously worked for Ruppert as an enhancement supervisor in 1997 prior to the sale of the company in 1998. Most recently, as an ISA Certified Arborist, he worked as branch manager at another leading industry organization and started a southern Virginia tree service. As branch manager in Fredericksburg, he will be responsible for the overall welfare of the branch, including the safety and development of his team, strategic planning and budgeting, training and day-to-day operations.
“John has lived and worked in the Fredericksburg region for over twenty years, so when he expressed interest in returning to Ruppert we were excited to welcome an industry veteran back to the team to work towards building our presence in this market,” said Fred Key, region vice president.
To accommodate growth in the Virginia region, Kevin Hazelgrove has been promoted to the position of region manager and will oversee the company’s landscape management operations in Richmond and Fredericksburg.
A resident of Mechanicsville, VA, Hazelgrove is a seven-year Ruppert employee with over 25 years of landscape industry experience, including two years with the former Ruppert Landscape Company. Over the course of his career, he has held several positions, including area manager, operations manager, regional manager, and most recently as branch manager in our Richmond landscape management branch. He has previously been recognized as a Virginia Certified Nurseryman, holds a commercial pesticide applicator’s license, and has served on the Virginia Tech Faculty Advisory Council from 2006-2011. In 2015, he earned the company’s Clyde Vadner Merit Award, presented to the individual who has demonstrated consistent hard work and dedication leading to exceptional contributions to the organization.
“As he makes the transition into his new role, much of his time will be spent training John and helping to fill his previous position as branch manager in Richmond,” said Fred Key, region vice president. “Given the Richmond branch’s outstanding track record, we have full confidence that Kevin is well-suited to his new position and will be instrumental in growing our business in Virginia.”