By Craig Ruppert, Founder & Executive Chairman of the Board
People often ask me if I ever imagined Ruppert Landscape would become what it is today. The honest answer is no.
When I started the company nearly 50 years ago, I wasn’t thinking far ahead. In the early years, I was focused on making it through one season, one year at a time. Even after 10 years in business, our focus was still largely one year at a time. Growth wasn’t something we took for granted—it was something we had to earn every day.
It wasn’t until the early 90’s that we began creating formal long-term plans. And even then, every goal we put on paper felt like a stretch. I wasn’t always confident we could achieve everything we envisioned. But over time, something important happened. We set goals, worked towards achieving them, and then repeated the process. With each cycle, our confidence grew—not because the goals became easier, but because our team consistently proved what they were capable of accomplishing together.
Today, my focus remains much the same. I spend far more time thinking about how we execute this year than I do imagining where we’ll be in 3-5 years. What gives me confidence is knowing that we’ve consistently achieved things that once seemed like a stretch.
We’ve always enjoyed the challenges that come with growth, and the alternatives never seemed very appealing. If you’re not growing, you’re standing still or moving backwards. Most importantly, growth creates opportunity for our people. It allows us to provide new challenges, new responsibilities, and new career paths. We all want to have a career where we have a chance to learn, take on more responsibility, and earn more. That’s an important part of fulfilling our commitment to our number one value: Respect Our People.
While growth creates opportunity, it also brings change. That’s especially true today as we continue to grow, integrate new companies, invest in new systems, and adapt to the needs of our customers and employees. Change is a natural part of growth, and I’ve learned that the key to managing change successfully is having a strong culture.
Our culture has never been static. The way we work evolves as our company evolves, but the principles that define who we are remain unchanged. We treat people fairly, listen to one another, and keep our commitments. We build lasting relationships with customers and strive to exceed their expectations. We take ownership of our work and hold ourselves accountable. And we care about the communities where we live and work.
Those values have guided us for nearly 50 years, and they continue to guide us today. They also influence the partners we choose. We look for new partners that understand, respect, and support the culture we’ve worked so hard to build.
The future will undoubtedly bring more growth and more change. That’s something we can count on. What gives me confidence is knowing that while some things will continue to evolve, the values that define us remain strong.
Culture isn’t something that exists on a poster or in a handbook. It’s embedded in our leadership and demonstrated every day by the people across this company. It’s reflected in how we treat one another, how we support our teams, how we serve our customers, and how we hold ourselves accountable. Our values come to life through the actions of our people.
That’s why I’m confident about the future. We have a strong culture, a clear set of values, and an exceptional team of people who live those values every day.
Change will continue. Growth will continue. And together, we’ll continue building a company we’re proud to be part of.