Ruppert Landscape employees were honored recently as the company presented its annual awards at a banquet held at the Hilton McLean in Tysons Corner, VA.
“We are honored to highlight exceptional individuals throughout our organization whose superior efforts and skills have benefited our customers and our employees,” said company president, Phil Key. “We are truly proud of each of them and what they’ve accomplished.”
Clyde Vadner Merit Award
This award is one of the company’s top honors and recognizes the individual who has contributed continuous, consistent, long-term hard work, dedication and job skill that has helped to shape the company. This year’s recipient is Angela Howes, branch manager in our North Carolina landscape management branch, who has been with Ruppert for over 15 years.
“Angela’s confident, outgoing nature and her ability to connect with people on a personal level make her a great leader, which is evident in the loyal team that she’s built around her,” said Bob Jones, president of the landscape construction division. “She took a branch that was struggling to make a profit and completely turned it around, paving the way for this upward trend to continue.”
Pictured (left to right): Bob Jones (President, Landscape Construction Division), Drew Dummann (Associate Branch Manager, Raleigh Landscape Management Branch/Angela’s husband), Joanne Howes (Angela’s mother), Angela Howes (Branch Manager, North Carolina Landscape Construction Branch)
Achievement Award
This award is also one of the company’s top honors and recognizes the employee who has made a significant contribution in 2018 through outstanding job execution and high-quality results. This year’s recipient is Collins Fitts, branch manager in our Gainesville, VA landscape management branch, who has been with Ruppert for over seven years.
“This past year, the Gainesville branch grew revenue in our core business of landscape management by 30%, was one of the company’s top performers in profit, and had the best safety rating in terms of cost per incident,” said Fred Key, region vice president in the company’s landscape management division. “While he himself does not take credit, humbly attributing this success to his team, these achievements are thanks in large part to Collins’ steadfast leadership and ability to grow and develop his team.”
Pictured (left to right): Maridith Fitts (Collins’ wife), Collins Fitts (Branch Manager, Gainesville Landscape Management Branch), Fred Key (Region Vice President, Landscape Management Division)
Distinction Award
This award is presented in appreciation for exemplary dedication and devotion to the principles and ideals of our company. This year, instead of honoring one individual, the Distinction Award was collectively presented to team members of the Virginia Landscape Construction Branch.
“In 2018, the Virginia Landscape Construction team has broken both revenue and profit records and successfully completed some of our largest projects to date, including DC United Stadium, The Wharf in DC, and Boro C in Tysons Corner,” said CEO Craig Ruppert. “All of these accomplishments are admirable in themselves, but none of this would have been possible without the exceptional coordination and teamwork that our Virginia team has exhibited.”
Back Row (pictured left to right): Nelson Guerrero, Kelly McGuire, Janelle Stewart, Josh Dombroski, Joseph Carbonara, Jose Luis Gamboa, Wendy De La O, Douglas Robb, George Collins, Mike Ryan. Front Row (pictured left to right): Dan Flake, Brad Matthews, Cristian Zelaya, Edwin Reyes, Bob Jones, Jim Tuzzolino, April Rose, Kelly Shaffer, Cale Bowers, Kurt Siemon, Herman “H” Savage.
Branch Impact Awards
These awards are given to the employee whose outstanding dedication and contributions have made a positive impact on their individual branch. This year, there were 24 recipients:
- Robert Wallace (area manager), a one-year employee, received the honor for the Alexandria, VA landscape management branch.
- Ariana Rizzo (business developer), a four-year employee, received the honor for the Baltimore, MD landscape management branch.
- Alvaro Aleman (field manager), a one-year employee, received the honor for the Camp Hill, PA landscape management branch.
- Luis Carrillo (enhancement manager), a one-year employee, received the honor for the Charlotte, NC landscape management branch.
- Deborah Simon (branch administrator), a one-year employee, received the honor for the Washington, D.C. landscape management branch.
- Sean Leak (field manager), a three-year employee, received the honor for the Forestville, MD landscape management branch.
- Charles Boxall (shop manager), a nine-year employee, received the honor for the Frederick, MD landscape management branch.
- Matthew Chavonelle (area manager), a one-year employee, received the honor for the Fredericksburg, VA landscape management branch.
- Joe Beretz (area manager), a 10-year employee, received the honor for the Gainesville, VA landscape management branch.
- Logan Eschbach (area manager), a two-year employee, received the honor for the King of Prussia, PA landscape management branch.
- José Orlando Amaya (field manager), a two-year employee, received the honor for the Laytonsville, MD landscape management branch.
- Karen Martinez (assistant branch administrator), a 10-month employee, received the honor for the Lilburn, GA landscape management branch.
- Peter Nakelski (area manager), a one-year employee, received the honor for the Mableton, GA landscape management branch.
- Kevin Wetzonis (enhancement manager), a 15-year employee, received the honor for the Raleigh, NC landscape management branch.
- Matt Jones (irrigation manager), a six-year employee, received the honor for the northern Richmond, VA landscape management branch.
- David Hensel (area manager), a two-year employee, received the honor for the southern Richmond, VA landscape management branch.
- Brian Kinsella (enhancement manager), a 10-year employee, received the honor for the Toughkenamon, PA landscape management branch.
- Jason Jenkins (area manager), a two-year employee, received the honor for the White Marsh, MD landscape management branch.
- Paulina Santamaria (branch administrator), a 13-year employee, received the honor for the Georgia landscape construction branch.
- Casey Cook (production manager), a two-year employee, received the honor for the Maryland landscape construction branch.
- Blake Smith (senior field manager), a four-year employee, received the honor for the North Carolina landscape construction branch.
- Chip Herring (field manager), an 11-year employee, received the honor for the Texas landscape construction branch.
- Edwin Reyes (senior field manager), an eight-year employee, received the honor for the Virginia landscape construction branch.
- Paul Pestun (director of business development), a six-year employee, received the honor for the corporate office.
Back Row (pictured left to right): Logan Eschbach, Paul Pestun, Blake Smith, Kevin Wetzonis, Brian Kinsella, Karen Martinez, José Orlando Amaya, Ariana Rizzo, Paulina Santamaria, Charles Boxall, Jason Jenkins. Front Row (pictured left to right): Edwin Reyes, Robert Wallace, Chip Herring, Casey Cook, Peter Nakelski, Alvaro Aleman, Deborah Simon, Matt Jones, Matthew Chavonelle, Joe Beretz. Not Pictured: Luis Carrillo, David Hensel, Sean Leak.