From the first five minutes you meet Justin, it becomes clear this isn’t just a job to him. Never mind, he has all the accreditations and schooling, his passion for what he does is infectious.

Justin’s love for the landscape industry started at a young age. Since high school he has been active working in the industry. First with a classic lawn care turned landscape business in high school/college. Then after graduating from the University of Minnesota with a degree in Horticulture, he went to work for a well-established design build company on the westside of the Twin Cities. 

In 2015 Justin started Mangold Horticulture to continue living out his passion by building and beautifying landscapes. Today, Mangold Horticulture is a garden centric full-service landscaping company work throughout the Twin Cities. They have grown to over 50 people and have won awards both locally and nationally. Mangold Horticulture is committed being a leader in the Twin Cities market and beyond for both the client and the team experience.

Chase Farris is the Founder and CEO of NexGen Landscaping, a culture-driven, full-service landscape company reshaping the commercial and HOA world. Starting from the roots of the industry. Chase is now leading a movement to push past industry barriers, blending tech, teamwork, and vision to redefine what landscaping can be. With a focus on people and progress, he and his team are building more than landscapes and maintaining more than properties. They’re Elevating the Industry.

Ashly Paladino is the COO and Partner at Sun Valley Landscaping in Omaha, Nebraska. Over the past 14 years, she has helped lead the company from a $1M operation to nearly $10M in annual revenue. Today, Sun Valley employs 78 people, including 34 year-round team members. Ashly is passionate about building strong teams, growing leaders, and creating a company culture rooted in service, craftsmanship, and community.

In addition to her role at Sun Valley, Ashly serves on the boards of the Nebraska Nursery and Landscape Association and The WorkLab, and has previously contributed to national initiatives as a member of several councils within the National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP).

Outside of work, Ashly enjoys live music, cooking, outdoor adventures, and watching her four kids compete in sports with her husband, Tony, by her side.

When Brian was preparing to head off to college, his dad asked him what he wanted to do with his life. Without hesitation, Brian said, “I want to play ball.” His dad looked him straight in the eye and replied, “Son, you’re not Mickey Mantle. What are you going to do with your life?”

Brian’s dad had started in the mailroom at IBM and worked his way up to installing SAP systems worldwide, often away from home. The moments Brian cherished most with him were simple-going to nurseries together, spreading mulch, and working in the yard. Those experiences inspired Brian to pursue landscape horticulture at NC State. On his very first day of class, a professor told students, “Starting salary: $17,500. If you’re here for money, there’s the door.” Brian thought, that’s $17,500 more than I have - let’s go.

The summer before graduation, Brian worked in Wilmington under a boss known for yelling and belittling his crew. Deflated, he returned to campus, questioning his future. A friend suggested, “Why don’t you start your own business?” Brian remembered an RFP project in Professor Stu Warren’s class, where he created a mock company—named Yardnique. It was the best grade Brian ever received in landscape horticulture, and Professor Warren’s feedback was simple but powerful: “Great name.”

At 21, Brian turned that project into reality. With nothing more than a stack of flyers and a mission to treat others the way you want to be treated, he launched Yardnique, envisioning just five employees. As the company grew, Brian was honored in 2012 with the Triangle Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 Award, recognizing Yardnique’s early impact. Today, nearly 29 years later, Yardnique operates over 42 locations with 2,500 employees across North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, and Alabama. Brian’s journey began with a question from his dad, and has become a lifelong mission of building teams, impacting lives, and leading with purpose.

Chuck Monico is the CEO at Ryan Lawn & Tree, where he helps associates and leaders discover and develop their full potential, empowering them to become the best versions of themselves while achieving personal and professional growth.

Chuck has over 30 years of experience in leadership combined with community involvement and holds a degree in Accounting from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Chuck believes that his work positively impacts not only the lives of Ryan Lawn & Tree associates but also the customers and communities that RYAN serves.

Dan Grange is a fifteen-year veteran of the landscape industry, spending time in both residential and commercial companies. He was first exposed to landscaping working summers with two retired teachers on small projects. After high school, Dan studied landscape management at BYU. His most recent focus has been recruiting, training and retaining field workforce for a large commercial firm. In this capacity, Dan has coached recruiters in markets across the country on best practices for finding, interviewing and onboarding front-line employees. In addition to his hiring responsibilities, Dan spent time as a project manager, working on large commercial projects. His focus was keeping projects on schedule and under budget with an emphasis on field efficiency. With the ability to communicate in English and Spanish, he has expertise training employees from entry level to branch management.

With over two decades of expertise guiding business owners through wealth creation and multi-generational preservation, Nate brings an uncommon depth of knowledge to Dew Wealth Management. His distinctive background spanning law, public accounting, financial planning, and advanced trust implementation offers clients a comprehensive perspective that addresses all facets of sophisticated wealth management.

Nate's approach combines technical mastery with practical wisdom, making complex strategies accessible to the entrepreneurs he serves. As a trusted advisor to leaders of 8-figure businesses and beyond, he specializes in investment management, directed trusts, asset protection, and succession planning that safeguards both business interests and family legacies.

A graduate of Minnesota State University with a Bachelor's in Philosophy and holding a Juris Doctorate from the University of Nebraska College of Law, Nate applies analytical rigor and strategic thinking to every client relationship.

Beyond his professional practice, Nate serves as an executive coach for nonprofit Christian ministries and works with a select youth soccer club. He and his wife Sara of 29+ years enjoy cabin getaways and whatever time we can find with our adult children, Salem and Foster.

https://www.dewwealth.com/landscape

I am an Honors Graduate from UC Davis in Environmental Horticulture.

Started my career on the end of a water hose in a retail nursery in 1968.

After graduating I joined the UC Cooperative Extension Service as Farm Advisor for San Francisco and San Mateo Counties where I specialized in weed control in turf and landscapes and high use athletic turf.

In 1980 I joined ChemLawn Corporation as Technical Services Manager for the western United States. We opened a number of branches over the next seven years growing revenues from just over one million dollars to twenty three million. Saw the real opportunity for growth in landscape maintenance services.

Joined Industrial Landscape Services in 1986 as an Account Manager and led the enhancement team as well.

On March first 1989 I joined Environmental Care in Calabasas as Technical Services Manager. In 1992 was promoted to Regional Manager for NorCal and SVP in 1997 taking over the western US maintenance operations.

Grew from 24 branches to 55 over the next 17 years until the merger with The Brickman Group in 2014.

Held various SVP roles with BrightView managing maintenance operations until 2021 when I joined Sperber Landscape Companies. Just completed  two and a half year assignment managing maintenance operations on the Hawaiian Islands. Now working on special projects for the Sperber organization.

Chris Lee brings over 27 years of green industry experience to his role as President and CEO of Earthworks, where he leads with hands-on know-how and a clear vision for quality, safety, and service. Born in Little Rock, Arkansas and raised in Texas and Colorado, Chris’s journey in landscape began humbly—pushing a mower on his very first job. He saw early on that the green industry held unlimited potential, and he’s been building on that vision ever since. Today, he leads one of the region’s most trusted commercial landscape teams. Chris holds TDA Chemical Applicator and TCEQ Irrigator licenses and has earned credentials from the TCC School of Horticulture and Florida State University’s Financial Planning program. His leadership approach is also shaped by his experience as a graduate of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program.

Chris currently serves on the Board of Directors for the National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP) and is a frequent contributor to leading industry publications. Whether he’s walking a job site or speaking at a conference, Chris is known for elevating standards, mentoring others, and finding smart ways to help people—and landscapes—thrive. His approach blends practical experience with forward-thinking leadership, always focused on doing what’s right for clients, communities, and the teams who keep it all growing.

Warren S. Gorowitz, a highly regarded leader in the landscape and irrigation industry for over 30 years, currently serves as Director of Sustainability and Social Impact. With expertise in water efficiency and sustainability, Warren holds positions on several industry association boards and is a sought-after speaker and authority on matters related to water and sustainability.

At Hunter Industries, Warren is responsible for providing global leadership and strategic guidance for the organization’s sustainability initiatives. He oversees the company’s Climate Action Plan, the annual impact report, and the employee volunteer and giving programs including Hunter’s Community Impact Grants committee.

He holds a Bachelor of Science in Ornamental Horticulture from California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, California and received an Executive Master of Sustainability Leadership from Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona. He is a past instructor in the UCLA Extension Sustainability Certificate Program, a Global Futures Scholar at the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory and previously a Faculty Associate at Arizona State University in the School of Sustainability. His career at Ewing Outdoor Supply spanned 25 years where he held positions such as Vice President of Sustainability.

Professional Association Involvement

National Association of Landscape Board Member | Past Commercial Board Member Sports Field Management Association | Past Professional Grounds Management Society Board Member | Irrigation Association Past President | Past Green Building Initiative Board Member | Past U.S. Green Building Council Water Efficiency Technical Advisory Group Vice Chair | Past Founding Board Member of the Alliance for Water Efficiency | Past American Society of Irrigation Consultants National Board Member

Community Involvement

Boys & Girls Club of San Marcos Board of Director |Cal State San Marcos University Council Member | San Diego North Economic Development Council Board of Director