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Keynote Speakers
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Jeffery Scott- JEFFREY SCOTT, MBA, is a business consultant and author of “The Referral Advantage” and “The Leader’s Edge.” At age 34, he took over and built his family’s high-end landscape and swimming pool business into a $10 million enterprise. He now consults with over 50 landscape organizations across the continent. He also facilitates highly productive peer groups for landscape business owners who want to transform and profitably grow their business. To learn more, visit www.GetTheLeadersEdge.com.
Tom Shay – Tom Shay’s experiences as a fourth generation merchant provide him with the knowledge and background to present tried and proven ideas to assist owners, managers, and staff with the day to day operation of their business. During the 25 plus years that Tom was a part of the family business, the stores were ongoing laboratories for the management and promotional techniques that are the backbone of the seminars that Tom now produces. He presents proven and time tried ideas on the topics of: promoting, customer loyalty, business management design, employee skills development, and financial control. A native of Fort Smith, Arkansas, Tom started his first job working in his grandfather’s general store. Tom moved to Florida to join his parents in the family operation they had purchased in 1971. Over the next 26 years, the Shay family owned and operated three businesses. In 1997, Tom sold the business to devote full time to the development of seminars and writing magazine columns and books.
In addition to providing proven business building ideas through his writings in over 60 trade publications, Tom has authored EZ Cashflow – a book teaching how to accurately forecast your next 12 financial sheets, and a series of books of management tip books beginning with 100 Profits Plus Ideas for Power Promoting and 100 Profits Plus Ideas for Power Managing. As a speaker, Tom has earned the Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) distinction, an honor that has been earned by less than 7% of speakers worldwide.
Charles Vander Kooi - Charles Vander Kooi wrote his first seminar over 25 years ago while on a plane to his very first speaking engagement. An instant success in front of an audience, he made an impact on people when he coupled his true-life experiences as a professional estimator and contractor with stand-up comedy and a little fire and brimstone. Since that first seminar, he has presented over 2,000 seminars and continues to average 80 programs a year in numerous industries around the world. One word of caution–if your name is Billy, or Bob, don’t sit on the front row!
Charles has been involved in the construction industry for over 4 decades as an estimator and upper-management employee of companies as well as professional speaker and consultant. He has bid over a billion dollars in work over his career. As a private consultant, he has helped over 1,500 companies in their estimating/bidding systems and has lectured to over 200,000 people nationally and internationally. Constantly in demand, Mr. Vander Kooi speaks at an average of 80 trade Shows, conventions, and associations each year teaching his philosophy across the U.S., Canada, Latin America, England, and Australia. He consults with an average of 50 clients annually, assisting in and improving their performance. He has authored several books to the industry and his seminars are available on audio as well as video.
In 2003 he created HardScape Magazine. For this Charles envisioned a new magazine to serve as resource providing a knowledge base for hardscape installation while also addressing the business needs of companies doing the installing.
Jody Shilan – Jody Shilan, MLA Landscape Design, is a “Green Industry” veteran with over 30 years of experience in landscape design/build. As a former design/build contractor and award winning landscape designer he has sold over $35,000,000 of installation working with small, midsized and multimillion dollar landscape contracting companies.
Throughout his career he has developed unique sales systems, standard operating procedures and installation techniques for every aspect of the landscape design/build process. These systems are based on hands-on experience working for both himself and some of the most successful design/build companies in the region. You will not find anyone who has a better understanding of the design/build sales process from the perspective of business owner, designer, sales person, estimator, project manager, foreman and laborer.
His work has been featured in Lawn and Landscape, The NJ Landscape Contractor, Irrigation and the Green Industry, Total Landscape Care, Landscape and Irrigation, PLANET News and PLANET Advantage. He has a column in both Landscape Management and The Gardener News and is the editor of FromDesign2Build.com, an exclusive website for the landscape design/build contractor.
He is the President of the New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association (NJLCA) and has both a Bachelors Degree in Landscape Architecture (BSLA) from Cook College, Rutgers Univeristy and a Masters Degree in Landscape Architecture (MLA) from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
Fred Adams – Fred Adams, Fred Adams Paving Co., Inc., is an experienced business man and has owned and operated a Hardscape installation company for more than 25 years. His expertise is in operating and developing the segmental pavement business; he has sold, estimated and constructed millions of dollars’ worth of concrete paver installations, and maintains a North Carolina Unlimited General Contractors License.
Fred has taught hundreds of students the ICPI certification course, and dedicates much of his time to educating design professionals the benefits of using Permeable Interlocking Concrete Pavers as a storm water management method. It is Fred’s business systems that have allowed him to grow his business to the point where he has been able to work on growing the Market, expanding the pie, and the use of segmental pavers. He would like to share his ideas with you to help grow your business and profits, and grow the entire Interlocking Concrete Pavement Market which he so believes in. Fred has been an active member of ICPI since its beginning, and understands the inner working of ICPI; he serves on the ICPI Board of Directors, the Construction Committee, the Education Oversight Special Committee, and the Government Relations Committee.
Mike Breslin – Mike Breslin of Breslin Communications, is an independent communications consultant who spent twelve years in the Hardscapes industry following a 20-year career communicating – in down-to-earth terms – advances in medicine, agricultural research, engineering and telecommunications. He did stints at communications at West Virginia University, Penn State Hershey Medical Center, Penn State Harrisburg, and Sprint.
An NCMA-certified instructor in retaining wall installation, Mike employs his public relations and communications background to make understandable presentations about retaining wall design, installation, and specialty applications. Over the years Mike has addressed audiences ranging from civil engineers and public officials to “boots on the ground” retaining wall contractors (his favorite audience: the guys who do the “real” work).
Ross Causey- Ross is president of Garden Square Landscaping Inc. and has been installing interlocking paving stones since 1987. He has been ICPI certified for twelve years and a certified instructor for nine years. Ross is familiar with the distinct installation conditions and is especially versed in the soils and base portion of the curriculum. Ross serves on the ICPI’s Construction, Marketing, and Education subcommittees. As Chair of The Advanced Level Education course we successfully implemented the Level II commercial Course.In addition to the Level I, Level II, PICP, Hands-on Courses, and participating at the School of Advanced Segmental Paving, he has taught ICPI Level I Certification classes from California to New Jersey. He lives and works in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania and has 2 children.
Bill Cormier- Bill Cormier has been in direct advertising, yellow pages and internet advertising, for 25 years. His yellow pages experience was with Reuben H. Donnelley and Verizon Yellow Pages. His 9 years of Internet experience has come from 2 years with Verizon Super Pages, 3 years as General Manager of YellowPages.com, and his own internet only advertising agency for the past 4 years. Bill was certified in Google advertising in 2008. Bill has worked with Hardscaping distributors and installers for over 20 years and has a strong understanding of the Hardscaping industry. Bill has many successful internet advertising campaigns and has built quality websites for Hardscaping distributors and installers. A few of his more recent websites are, www.abnaturalstone.com, www.brandywinepatio.com & www.Norristownbrick.com.Bill will be speaking at the EP Henry 2011 MAHTS to educate you on advertising your business and or products on the internet. He will be going over the basics of internet advertising and how to get your name to the top of Google. His session will be both interactive and educational. Start thinking now about questions you may have for him, or what you want to learn more about.
Simon Darlington – Simon is the owner of Darlington Designs and a graduate of the State University of New York with a Bachelor in Plant Science. He is a licensed New Jersey Irrigation Installer, ICPI Certified, NCMA Certified, Chairman on the Board of Directors for the NJNLA, a graduate of the Entrepreneurial Training Institute, and a licensed Home Improvement Contractor. In 2010, Simon was awarded the “Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award” by the NJNLA. His passion is Residential Design/Build where he creates unique and inspiring spaces for his clients. A strong belief in a true Design/Build Process and his commitment to effective Designing, Estimating, & Job Costing has allowed him to construct custom spaces while maintaining focus on profits. His enthusiasm and passion are sure to captivate you and his desire to elevate the professionalism of the industry will give you invaluable information that you won’t want to miss!
Bill Gardocki – Bill Gardocki, owner of Interstate Landscape Co. Inc., Londonderry NH has more than 30 years of paver and SRW installation experience in the residential market. He is a graduate of the University of New Hampshire and has been a certified ICPI and NCMA instructor for the past 10 years.
Russ Heitman – Russ has a BS in Finance from the University of Detroit. He attended Law School at Wayne State University. In 1993, Russ founded American Paving Design, Inc, and grew the business to 12 crews with 50 employees. Russ has built over 5,000 paver projects of all sizes. He has been an active member of ICPI since 1996. He worked on creating and editing the ICPI certification program through 7 editions. He also taught ICPI Certification at nearly 100 classes coast to coast. He is a Certified ICPI Permeable Instructor. Russ became a pioneer in permeable pavers constructing roads and parking lots throughout the South East. He also Co-wrote the Seal ‘n Lock Technical Manual with Richard Colletti.
Jeff Hesser – Jeff Hesser, CAST Lighting Regional Sales Manager, is a landscape lighting designer, installer, and educator with over 20 years experience. He’s well known for his passion and energy. A former contractor, Jeff works hands-on with landscape professionals, helping them launch their landscape lighting businesses.
Rob Hipszer – Rob Hipszer is TenCate’s East Region Manager for Engineered Structures. Mr. Hipszer earned a B.S. of Ornamental Horticulture from Delaware Valley College of Science and Agriculture. For the past 20+ years he has been designing, selling, managing, and installing projects in the Landscape, Hardscape, and Construction fields. His experience encompasses both residential and commercial markets. Prior to TenCate, Mr. Hipszer managed the commercial division of a major east coast unit concrete producer with a focus on segmental retaining walls, interlocking pavers, and permeable interlocking pavers. He is a highly rated NCMA certified Segmental Wall trainer as well as ICPI PICP Technician Trainer.
Steven Long – Steven Long is the owner of E.R. Long Associates, Inc., and has been an independent agent for manufacturers of masonry and concrete accessories used in the residential and commercial construction industry since 1982. His territory covers Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland.
In this capacity Steve is involved with all phases of masonry construction and sees the problems related to use of inappropriate materials and bad workmanship throughout this region. Seeing the number of failures occurring in plaster veneer systems increasing at a rapid rate over the past several years due to changes in construction methods and materials; Steve has helped the Pennsylvania Housing Research Center develop a 3 hour seminar on building code compliance for exterior plaster veneer. Steve regularly provides instruction for code officials, builders, and subcontractors.
Pat McCrindle – Pat has nearly 30 years of experience installing interlocking concrete pavers and segmental retaining walls. His company, MLPS Inc., offers full installation of all Hardscaping, landscaping, lighting, water feature, and landscape construction. Pat has been an ICPI instructor since 1996, and has taught over 100 courses in 14 states, Canada and British Columbia. He is experienced in installing residential, commercial and municipal applications, including roof top pedestal, mechanical, and bituminous/neoprene applications, and has installed in excess of 5 million square feet of pavers and 1 million square feet of SRW.
Joe Palimeno – Designing and building interesting and challenging landscapes and working with appreciative and trusting clients is what drives Joe and keeps him passionate about his work. Over the years, Joe has refined his skills and clientele to the high-end residential market. He has won numerous awards from the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, the American Horticultural Society and PLANET. For his work at the Philadelphia International Flower Show, Joe won the title of “Best in Show” in 2004, 2006, and 2011.
Through the years, Joe has been featured in over 50 newspaper and Trade magazine articles, Philadelphia Home and Garden, Hardscape magazine and Distinctive Landscape Journal. Joe has been featured on 6 ABC for a backyard makeover project, the DIY networks “Garden Smart” and The American Builder on CN8. For the last 15 years, besides being very active in his landscape business, Joe works with Vander Kooi and Associates, traveling the country and giving lectures at garden clubs and conferences on Design-Build and how to better manage your business.
Joe is a member of PLANET, APLD, ASLA, and sits on the Board of Directors for FEWA, and lives in New Jersey with his wife and two children.
Keith Robinson, Natural Enhancement: Keith has been working professionally in the Green Industry since 1990. After spending nearly five years designing, selling and managing hundreds of high profile projects in Washington D.C, Northern Virginia, and Annapolis, MD, he decided to open the doors of Natural Enhancement. He has been proudly serving his home community since 1999 with the highest level of quality imaginable in every one of his projects. He is strongly supported by his wife Amie, three children and amazing staff that share in his philosophy to strive for excellence in all facets of life.
Keith has a Bachelor of Science in Horticulture from Virginia Tech; he is an ICPI Certified Installer, NCMA Certified Installer, ICPI Certified Instructor, Director and Co-founder of the ICPI Mid Atlantic Chapter, and shares responsibilities on several local business associations and non-profit organizations.
Bill, Project Manager at Cedar Run Landscapes“I was pleasantly surprised by the professional handling of the entire event from the educational courses in hardscaping that were offered to the exceptional exhibitor participation. The information that was disseminated at various activities was insightful and revelatory with regard to expanding my business into related areas within the industry.” Paul Usak, Paul LI Landscaping
