Ruppert Landscape employees were honored recently as the company presented its annual awards at a banquet held at the Bethesda North Marriott in Rockville, MD.
“We are honored to recognize stand-out employees throughout the company whose remarkable talent and contributions have benefited our customers and our employees,” said company president, Phil Key. “We are grateful for their service and truly proud of their achievements.”
Clyde Vadner Merit Award
This award is one of the company’s top honors and recognizes the individual who has contributed continuous, consistent, long-term hard work, dedication and job skill that has helped to shape the company. This year’s recipient is April Rose, operations manager in our Texas landscape construction branch, who has been with Ruppert for over 11 years.
“April is an incredibly dedicated, hard-working and loyal employee,” said Bob Jones, president of the landscape construction division. “As evidence of this, she recently relocated her family from Virginia to Houston to help manage operations in the Texas branch. She has a keen eye for detail and knows how to get the job done. She has been instrumental in the success of some of our largest projects and we are grateful for her many contributions.”
Pictured left to right: Bob Jones (President, Landscape Construction Division), April Rose (Operations Manager, Texas Landscape Construction Branch)
Achievement Award
This award is also one of the company’s top honors and recognizes the employee who has made a significant contribution in 2019 through outstanding job execution and high-quality results. This year’s recipient is Sam Wells, branch manager in our Raleigh, NC landscape management branch, who has been with Ruppert for over seven years.
“The Raleigh branch achieved 92% customer retention and outstanding profit in 2019, and broke division records in both contract growth and sales growth,” said Fred Key, region vice president in the company’s landscape management division. “These achievements are thanks in large part to Sam’s steadfast leadership, hallmarked by his propensity to hold his team to high expectations and his drive in helping them achieve their goals.”
Pictured left to right: Fred Key (Region Vice President, Landscape Management Division), Sam Wells (Branch Manager, Raleigh Landscape Management Branch), Tom Barry (President, Landscape Management Division)
Distinction Award
This award is presented in appreciation for exemplary dedication and devotion to the principles and ideals of our company. This year, the Distinction Award was collectively presented to team members of the Alexandria Landscape Management Branch.
“In 2019, the Alexandria branch broke multiple division records, including a new highwater mark for profit margin, while maintaining an exceptional contract renewal rate, which is indicative of the team’s focus on providing great customer service,” said Tom Barry, president of the company’s landscape management division. “All of these accomplishments are admirable in and of themselves, but none of this would have been possible without the exceptional teamwork this group has exhibited. That’s why it was important to us to recognize the entire team, and not just one individual as we do with the Achievement and Merit awards.”
Back Row (pictured left to right): Tom Barry, Ron Keller, Grant Krause, Ethan Brown, Greg Hardy, Aaron Schemeck, Jake Smith, Cole Stoy
Front Row (pictured left to right): Johni Gomez, Pedro Pina, Gustavo Rivera, Christa Bush, Margarito Aparicio, Robbie Wallace, Haley Jacobson, Fred Key, Tyler Colvin
Branch Impact Awards
These awards are given to the employee whose outstanding dedication and contributions have made a positive impact on their individual branch. This year, there were 24 recipients:
- Mary Angebranndt (purchaser), a 16-year employee, received the honor for the Georgia landscape construction branch.
- Bobby Burbank (contract administrator), a 29-year employee, received the honor for the Maryland landscape construction branch.
- Christa Bush (area manager), a one-year employee, received the honor for the Alexandria, VA landscape management branch.
- Roger Crandell (area manager), a three-year employee, received the honor for the Richmond, VA landscape management branch.
- Matthew Davidson (area manager), a 10-year employee, received the honor for the Forestville, MD landscape management branch.
- Luis de la Luz Cruz (field manager), a three-year employee, received the honor for the Charlotte, NC landscape management branch.
- Stephen DeWeese (area manager), a 10-year employee, received the honor for the Lilburn, GA landscape management branch.
- Dan Flake (production manager), a three-year employee, received the honor for the Virginia landscape construction branch.
- Lawesley Fox (field manager), a one-year employee, received the honor for the Fredericksburg, VA landscape management branch.
- Arnoldo Gonzales (field manager), a one-year employee, received the honor for the Texas landscape construction branch.
- Michael Jones (business developer), a seven-year employee, received the honor for the Gainesville, VA landscape management branch.
- Ron Kuczinski (area manager), a six-year employee, received the honor for the White Marsh, MD landscape management branch.
- Eric Long (enhancement manager), a seven-year employee, received the honor for the Laytonsville, MD landscape management branch.
- Ben Ramos (field manager), a nine-year employee, received the honor for the King of Prussia, PA landscape management branch.
- McKenna Rowles (field manager), a one-year employee, received the honor for the Raleigh, NC landscape management branch.
- Martin Sánchez (area manager), a nine-year employee, received the honor for the Toughkenamon, PA landscape management branch.
- Christy Schinella (maintenance division administrator), a nine-year employee, received the honor for the corporate office.
- Scott Sindall (area manager), a three-year employee, received the honor for the Frederick, MD landscape management branch.
- Nicolas Tardif (field manager), a two-year employee, received the honor for the Washington, DC landscape management branch.
- Chris Truax (shop manager), a six-year employee, received the honor for the Baltimore, MD landscape management branch.
- Adonis Vaughn (field manager), a two-year employee, received the honor for the Mableton, GA landscape management branch.
- Wade Waller (business developer), a two-year employee, received the honor for the Richmond South, VA landscape management branch.
- Melissa Walter (branch administrator), a one-year employee, received the honor for the Camp Hill, PA landscape management branch.
- Sean Walters (project manager), a seven-year employee, received the honor for the North Carolina landscape construction branch.
Back Row (pictured left to right): Dan Flake, Ron Kuczinski, Nicolas Tardif, Martin Sánchez, Scott Sindall, Matthew Davidson
Middle Row (pictured left to right): Christy Schinella, Arnold Gonzales, Sean Walters, Bobby Burbank, Stephen DeWeese, Mary Angebranndt, Roger Crandell, Lawesley Fox, Eric Long
Front Row (pictured left to right): Luis de la Luz Cruz, Ben Ramos, Chris Truax, Wade Waller, Christa Bush, Michael Jones, McKenna Rowles, Adonis Vaughn
Not Pictured: Melissa Walter
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.