Snow Talk with SIMA

Tom Crawford is Snow & Ice Services Manager for Mariani Landscape, which provides service to high-end residential and commercial clients in suburban Chicago. He has 20+ years of experience in operations and management for the green and white industries.

Diana Clonch has over 35 years of experience in public works with a diverse background in operations, management, snow and ice control and innovative technologies at the county, city and state levels. She is a founding and longtime member of the National APWA Winter Maintenance Subcommittee, and a member of the TRB Maintenance & Operations Personnel Committee and Winter Maintenance Committee. Diana received the 2019 National APWA Top Ten Leaders of the Year award.

Tyler Jones serves as Product Manager for Douglas Dynamics. He has a long history of recreational use of ATV’s and UTV’s, and brings that passion to his role in aiding in the development of products for those vehicles in a snow management setting.

Bob Young is a retired police officer and Army veteran and is President/CEO of K.E.Y. Property Services, Inc. in Palmer, MA. He has been an engaged and passionate member of SIMA since 2010.

Paul has 35+ years of experience in the snow industry, leading his company with his brothers in residential and commercial accounts. He is an active member of SIMA, past member of the board of directors, and currently serves as Vice Chair for the SIMA Foundation board.

Bob Marks is an experienced snow professional, who recently served as COO of emi landscape in Macungie, PA, overseeing a multi-million dollar operation, hiring personnel, developing training, and serving as the primary contact for clients. Bob recently took ownership of emi and is stepping into the CEO role.

Mary Abbott, PhD, RN, MSF, is the managing partner of Mow Beta! Mowing & Snowplowing, a family-owned business specializing in tough mowing jobs as well as snow and ice management in central Arkansas. Mary shares the stressors and successes of being a snow contractor in a fringe market where snow droughts can last years.

We sat down with Seth Bergerud, Product Manager - Parts & Accessories for Douglas Dynamics, and caught up on the latest innovations and best practices related to snowplows and accessories.

Dale Keep, owner of Ice & Snow Technologies, in Walla Walla, WA, is a long-time industry leader and SIMA supporter. He’s an industry expert in operations engineering, training, deicer science, and liquids benefits and implementation. SIMA caught up with Dale to talk about the industry, how its matured, what makes it challenging, and a whole lot more.

Wayne Michalak, CSP is the founder of The Greener Side in Michigan. His business career started at the age of 10 when he began towing his parent’s lawn mower down the street behind his bike to mow a couple of lawns. Today, The Greener Side Inc. services 180 high-end commercial accounts and utilizes over 100 contractors and employees. He is a husband and father of 3 wonderful kids, and is currently church deacon. Wayne is the 2021 Chair of the SIMA Board of Directors.