Landscape Management, February 2019

NALP CEO stepping down Shortly before press time National Association of Landscape Professionals NALP CEO Sabeena Hickman announced that she is stepping down from the position she has held for 12 years Hickman will serve as a consultant to the organization for the next six months to ensure a smooth transition of leadership responsibilities NALP has formed a task force that will oversee transition plans and the search for a new chief executive Jeff Buhler NALP president says the association will continue to operate fully during the transition Sabeena leaves our association in a remarkably strong state which is a true reflection of her strategic leadership unfailing dedication to our members and passion for bettering the landscape industry he said BrightView acquires California Bay Area company BrightView kicked off 2019 by acquiring Emerald Landscape Co a commercial landscaping firm located in Californias Bay Area Emerald specializes in commercial landscape maintenance enhancement tree care turf management and irrigation services Emerald has more Larry Bakker left pictured with Marty Grunder center and son Matt Bakker right than 200 employees who work at Bay Area branch locations including Livermore Hayward Concord San Jose Manteca and Tracy Steve Jacobson Emeralds president and co founder along with Emeralds senior leadership team will continue to run the day today operation of these branches EPA approves Vexis herbicide granular The U S Environmental Protection Agency EPA approved federal registration for Vexis herbicide granular which will be available for sale in mid 2019 Based on a new proprietary active ingredient pyrimisulfan Vexis is the result of a partnership between PBI Gordon Corp Kumiai Chemical Industry Co and its U S subsidiary K I Chemical U S A A primary feature of the herbicide includes postemergent control of sedges and kyllinga species including purple and yellow nutsedge cockscomb and false green kyllinga Vexis can be used on a wide variety of cooland warm season turfgrasses Kentucky bluegrass fine and tall fescues perennial ryegrass bentgrass Bermudagrass bahiagrass buffalograss kikuyugrass seashore paspalum St Augustinegrass including improved varieties and zoysiagrass Larry Bakker founder of LDS leaves behind lasting legacy BY DANIELLE PESTA LM ASSOCIATE EDITOR A Michigan landscape industry legacy has died Larry Bakker the founder of Landscape Design Services LDS died on Jan 9 while in Florida He was 77 Larry built his legacy with leadership positivity and an extraordinary team culture Dad was more than just a boss at LDS said Matt Bakker Larrys son In his 40 years of leadership he hired countless team members and treated and cared for them like family Today the full service landscape company in west Michigan has grown to 150 plus team members Even after retiring in December 2008 Larry still came to weekly meetings and built relationships with new team members at LDS Matt said Matt and his brother Jeremy grew up in the business and have been in leadership roles since Larry retired It was great working with Dad in the family business Matt said Growing up Dad was always in our lives but the blessing of working alongside the man for 26 years allowed me to see another side of him Larry served in many organizations in the industry one of them being the Michigan Nursery Landscape Association MNLA where he was a board member and president Amy Upton MNLA executive director said Larry was an innovator in the landscape industry When he served on the board at MNLA he looked at all segments and was very thoughtful before making decisions on policy she said There was no question about it he simply cared about our industry In 1990 Larry received the Member of the Year Award and in 2012 the Half Century Club Award from MNLA If I needed anything he was there even after he retired Upton said I often asked if he wanted to come back on the board and he would just smile PHOTOS ISUZU COMMERCIAL TRUCK OF AMERICA MARTY GRUNDER FEBRUARY 2019 LANDSCAPEMANAGEMENT NET 13