WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO BE IN THE GREEN INDUSTRY? WHAT EDUCATION AND/OR
EXPERIENCE PREPARED YOU FOR YOUR JOB?
As long as I can remember, I have been a part of the Green Industry. One of my earliest memories was helping my Dad spray hydroseed off the tower into a field. Growing up, I visited countless jobsites and loved being around the equipment. When it was time for my first paying job, I started landscaping. I was finally one of the guys.
I worked through high school and after bouncing a little in college, ended up at MSU and finished with a Bachelor of Horticulture. Upon graduation, I started my career. I’ve been extremely blessed to have a career that has been very diverse.
I spent a summer in a nursery… a summer doing irrigation on a golf course… several winters moving snow… six years as an owner… more than a decade in design/build… more than a decade in sales… and now I’m working in administration, management, and leadership. All of these together have built a career.
And through it all were the people. So many people. People to teach… to inspire… to help me up… to push me forward. I started here because I could build cool stuff and stayed because of the relationships.
DESCRIBE HOW YOUR BUSINESS IS UNIQUE IN COMPARISON TO OTHER BUSINESSES OF THE SAME TYPE.
I work for Troy Clogg Landscape Associates (TCLA). We are a snow removal company that builds and maintains beautiful properties when it is not snowing. My title is Director of Support, which is perfect because it means I can “support” the people around me. I do this in many different ways and every day is different.
The main reason that I work at TCLA is our shared purpose of Transforming Lives. We use our passion (the landscape and snow industry) as our tool. The lives we strive to transform include our employees, our clients, our vendors, and our community. The phrase “Transforming Lives” can seem a little intimidating. However, our belief is if each of us does our part, together we can.
PLEASE COMMENT ON BUSINESS AND PERSONAL ETHICS – YOUR OWN AND THOSE OF THE INDUSTRY AS A WHOLE.
“Often the dignity of labor is more important than the fruits of labor.” I read that quote in a cowboy magazine when I was fifteen and have never forgotten it. And I believe it. I believe in working hard and doing great work. I appreciate those who work hard and do great work. And that work can look extremely different.
And the mantra written in my hat is “love the work.” It was a slip of the tongue one day at football practice. What it means is too many people live for the big moments in life. The celebrations. The vacations. The big moments. I believe it's important to enjoy the big moments but we need to love the work. Love the grind. We need to do this because most of us spend much of our lives in the grind. If we can find joy in the work, if we love it, we will live a life filled with love. We will live a full life.
WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE PLANTS? WHY?
I have to be honest. I spent a long time in the hardscape part of our industry and my plant knowledge has diminished over the years. I’m a little embarrassed but I am a pro at “what paver is this?”
I still love Redbuds, a plant for all seasons. I like Katsura trees and their showy yellow fall color. I love the smell and texture of lavender. Concolor Firs are my favorite evergreen, but the next one to be planted in my yard will be a Chamaecyparis nootkatensis. And I’m looking forward to planting a butterfly garden with my daughter, Savannah.
WILL YOU SHARE A STORY THAT READERS CAN RELATE TO, A LESSON LEARNED, OR A FUNNY ANECDOTE?
As I grow older, I gain a greater and greater appreciation for the people who have spoken to me throughout my career. I owe so much to so many and the only way I can think to thank them is to try to do for others what they have done for me. With that in mind, here are a few stories.
While I was at MSU, I would go home many weekends to work. I typically would get home late on Friday night, ready for an early Saturday. Each Friday, when I arrived home, my Mom would miraculously whip up a dinner as I would go sit with my Dad. He would turn off the TV and would ask me, “What did you learn this week?” I would give him a quick rundown of that week’s highlights and then ask him, “What did you do this week?” He would tell me about his week at work (as a landscape foreman and operator). We would talk like this for a while and I would always have a list of questions when I returned to campus on Monday morning. These conversations were critical in my education because it helped me learn the “whys” with the “hows”.
Another story involves Dr. Bob Schutzki, MY college professor. As the last summer of my college career was approaching, Dr. Schutzki helped me secure an internship in Denver. A few weeks before I was scheduled to go, my previous employer, Donn Vidosh Sr., called and offered me a job. He promised twice as much money, twice as many hours, and a chance to work a premier project in Northern Michigan. I made an appointment with Dr. Schutzki to discuss my dilemma. I thought it was a no-brainer and I was headed to Northern Michigan. Dr. Schutzki quietly listened and then calmly responded, “Adam, you are going to work your whole life. Go to Colorado and have fun.” I went to Colorado and it is one of my favorite memories.
WHAT NOTEWORTHY SUCCESSES AND FAILURES HAVE YOU EXPERIENCED?
Somewhere along the line I learned about identity. The lesson goes something like this.
Many people allow their feelings to direct their actions, which in turn impacts their identity. They feel a certain way so they act a certain way and because of how they acted, people (and the individual) thought of them a certain way.
In the book “Resilience” by Eric Greitens, he writes about turning that on its head. Do the work to figure out your identity then act in a way that is consistent with that identity and you will ultimately feel that identity.
That identity means to be who you are, not what you do. There have been a few times in my career when I got that messed up. I allowed my feelings about what I did to control how I felt. And when that was taken away, it took me a while to get back to good.
I was self-employed, which was a goal of mine. I ultimately sold my equipment (the only value in the company was my equipment and me) and got a job. My identity, and the pride that went with it, was gone. I was just a landscaper. It hurt for a while.
Then, I came across the lesson. Landscaper is not my identity. It is what I do. I am proud of my profession and my industry, but I try not to let it define me. Who I choose to be as a person is my identity. I would like to say that I have this lesson down, but I’m still learning.
WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR PERSONAL HOBBIES AND INTERESTS?
My other job or hobby is a high school football coach. I coach at South Lyon High School and have been there for 12 seasons. I love this and look forward to Friday nights in the fall. We have built a great program that is about much more than wins and losses. I have a five-year-old daughter and since she has been born, my time on the sidelines has dwindled as I don’t want to miss her growing up. Although I am not at practice every day, I find other ways to make an impact.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUES CURRENTLY FACING THE MNLA?
I believe the most important issue facing the MNLA is people; the number of people in or entering the industry as well as the development of the people in this industry.
The stigma of what the Green Industry is needs to change. I think it can change if those of us who live and work in this industry learn to be confident telling our story.