 |
 |
|
Meet our Staff | Landscaping Contractors | Batavia, Downers Grove, Glen Ellyn | Grant & Power
Grant & Power Landscaping Employee Profiles
| |
|
Management |
Gene R. Grant Jr.
CEO, Registered Landscape Architect
|
|
Employed at Grant and Power since: Started the company
in 1978
Family: Gene has three children,
Regina, Victoria, and Timothy.
Education/Awards/Certifications: Registered Landscape
Architect
Favorite part of job: Gene's favorite part of his job
is developing people in the company. He believes in giving people the room
they need to become the best they can be. He enjoys seeing the young people
in our organization grow, mature, and develop themselves into the leaders
of the company. It is very rewarding building an organization and team in
which all the players are working as one.
Favorite plant/design style/element: Gene's favorite design
style is an English Garden- A formal backdrop with large groupings of informal
colors.
The best aspect of the business is seeing the eyes of a new Grant
& Power customer after their dream landscape has been completed for
them. That makes all the hard work worthwhile. |
Beverly Grant
President |
|
Employed at Grant and Power since: 1990
Hometown: Originally from St. Charles. Bev now resides in San Clemente, California due to health reasons.
Family: Bev has three grown children, Victoria, Regina and Timothy. Bev enjoys yoga, movies, concerts and family barbecues.
Education/Awards/Certifications: Bev has an Illinois Real Estate License and has taken several law classes.
Favorite part of job: Customer Service. Bev contributed signifacantly to the growth, professionalism and success of Grant & Power, and she loves caring for the special needs of the customers, as well as the welfare of all the associates at Grant & Power.
Favorite plant/design style/element: Hydrangea and Iris - Bev loves more natural landscapes. |
Jan-Gerrit Bouwman
Senior Landscape Architect, Sales Manager, Partner |
|
Employed at Grant and Power since: February 1998
Hometown: IJmuiden, The Netherlands and currently lives in Woodridge
Family: Jan and his wife, Wanda, have three sons, Alexander and twins, Benjamin and Nicholas. Jan enjoys traveling, spending time with his family, photography, sports, stamp collecting, long distance biking and is very involved with his church.
Education/Awards/Certifications: Jan received his master's degree in Landscape Architecture, Plant Ecology and Vegetation Science at the University of Wageningen in the Netherlands. He has been working in the green industry for 25 years and is a registered Landscape Architect in the state of Illinois and a member of ASLA. Jan has assisted over 4,500 homeowners with their landscapes selling over 22 million dollars worth of landscaping in the last 20 years. He has received Gold, Silver and Bronze Awards at the Cavalcade of Homes. He continues his education by attending industry seminars and has had 15 years of management training.
Favorite part of job: Jan loves working with both customers and colleagues. He enjoys helping customers with their needs and leaving them satisfied, happy, smiling and proud of their environment.
Favorite plant/design style/element: Seatwalls, firepits. Favorite plants include perennials, grasses, and serviceberries. |
Scott Hutchings
Vice President Operations, Partner |
|
Employed at Grant and Power since: 1994
Hometown: Morris, Illinois and currently lives in Oswego
Family: Scott and his wife, Heather have a daughter, Ava and a son, Nolan, as well as, two dogs, Zak and Mia.
Education/Awards/Certifications: Scott has taken several College of DuPage courses in criminal justice and ornamental horticulture. He is ICPI (Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute) Level 1 Certified Concrete Paver Installer.
Favorite part of job: He loves working with people to accomplish set goals.
Favorite plant/design style/element: Natural design style, natural stone, favorite plants include serviceberry, gro-low sumac, and oak leaf hydrangea. |
Sharon Zipse
CFO, Vice-President of Customer Service, Partner |
|
Employed at Grant and Power since: May 1995
Hometown: Quincy, Illinois and currently lives in Geneva
Family: Sharon has four children: Jill, Dianne, Chad and Stacey, and nine grandchildren: Nikki, Stephanie, J.D., Abby, Charlie, Nathan, Natalie, and twins, Ben and Maya. She enjoys spending time with her children and grandchildren, working out, doing craft projects, and cooking.
Education/Awards/Certifications: ILCA Awards committee
Favorite part of job: Sharon enjoys talking to clients on the phone.
Favorite plant/design style/element: Year round interest |
| |
|
|
| |
|
Sales Department |
Shawn Pawlak
Vice President Commercial Sales Division |
|
Employed at Grant and Power since: September 2007
Hometown: Kalamazoo, Michigan and currently lives in Aurora
Family: Shawn has family in Michigan. His mom is a 5th grade teacher and his dad owns a landscape design/build company. His older brother Aaron is a pilot and his younger sister, Lauren, is currently going to school for interior design.
Education/Awards/Certifications: Shawn received his BBA degree from Western Michigan University focusing on sales and business marketing.
Favorite part of job: Working with people from start to finish, watching the project progress and to meet and exceed expectations in the end.
Favorite plant/design style/element: A weeping Japanese maple used near a waterfall or pond. |
Audrey Wilson
Sales Consultant
|
|
Employed at Grant and Power since: 2000
Hometown: Oswego, Illinois
Education/Awards/Certifications: Audrey has several
certifications in sales, management and landscape related
courses including ILCA design and plant identification courses and Unilock paving installation.
Favorite part of job: Audrey enjoys working outdoors and
creating beautiful and functional landscapes for her clients home.
Favorite plant/design style/element: Creating seasonal colors and textures that compliment the customers home and lifestyle. Favorite plants include
ornamental serviceberry trees, roses, and ornamental grasses. |
| |
|
|
| |
|
Design Department |
Sarah Grabowski
Landscape Designer |
|
Employed at Grant and Power since: March 2007
Hometown: Downers Grove, IL and currently lives in Wheaton, IL
Family: Sarah has a sister who lives in Bowling Green, KY and her parents and brother live in Downers Grove, IL. She lives with her bunny Fudge.
Education/Awards/Certifications: She recieved a BS in Landscape Horticulture and Design from Purdue University and a Floral Shop Management Certificate from the College of DuPage.
Favorite part of job: Sarah enjoys seeing the whole process, from the design on the paper to the final installation, she enjoys the transforamtion that takes place while making the space more enjoyable to the client.
Favorite plant/design style/element: Sarah enjoys a more contempary design style, using linear elements to create a unified, more formal look. Some of her favorite plants are Hydrangeas, Iris, and the Katsura Tree. |
Caroline "CJ" Mouradian
Landscape Designer
|
|
Employed at Grant and Power since: March 2007
Hometown: Downers Grove, IL
Family: CJ and her husband Mark currently live in Naperville with their two furry children Cowboy and Wally.
Education/Awards/Certifications: She recieved an Associate of Arts from the College of DuPage and completed her certificate in Landscape Design/Construction.
Favorite part of job: CJ loves to let her creativity flow and give people a place to "get away" in their own yard.
Favorite plant/design style/element: Her favorite design styles are landscapes that incorporate four seasons of interest and have a very natural and inviting look. Some of her favorite plants include Oak Leaf Hydrangea, Butterfly Bush and Serviceberry. |
Kathy Richardson
Landscape Design Captain, Marketing Coordinator
|
|
Employed at Grant and Power since: May 2004
Hometown: Winfield, Illinois and currently lives in Elburn
Family: Kathy lives with her husband, Jim and their pets: Sid Ficious the punk rock fish and boxer puppies Kira and Logan.
Education/Awards/Certifications: Kathy received a BS degree
in Horticulture and Landscape Design from the University of Illinois. She is a member of the Asssociation of Professional Landscape Designersand has taken ILCA
design and plant courses as well as Chicago Botanic Garden Symposiums and
Morton Arboretum seminars.
Favorite part of job: Kathy loves that she can be creative
and loves creating new and beautiful spaces for people to enjoy.
Favorite plant/design style/element: Natural designs,
perennial gardens, natural stone. Favorite plants include fothergilla, viburnum,
roses, and serviceberry. |
| |
|
|
| |
|
Residential Maintenance |
Rita Gorra
Residential Maintenance Sales Manager |
|
Employed at Grant and Power since: January 2003
Hometown: Herne, Germany and currently lives in Warrenville
Family: Rita has been married to her husband, Carl, for 8 years. They live with their four cats, their Newfoundland, Katie, and a leonberger mix, Jeannie.
Education/Awards/Certifications: Rita has 18 years experience in the horticultural field. She worked at a conservatory, managed wholesale greenhouses and was a purchasing agent for a nursery. Rita has also attended courses at College of DuPage including greenhouse management, landscape design and business management.
Favorite part of job: She enjoys challenges and problem solving. Customer service is very important to her.
Favorite plant/design style/element: Rita enjoys outdoor activities, old time farming methods, and meeting people. She helps people 'grow' their outdoor garden rooms. |
| |
|
|
| |
|
Office Staff |
Loretta Bernahl
Accounts Payable, Customer Service |
|
Employed at Grant and Power since: February 2006
Hometown: Geneva, Illinois
Family: Loretta and her husband, Bob, have been married for 30 years. They share their home with her mother Lois, son Robb and daughter Lindsey. They enjoy spending the weekends together and playing with the king of the house, Bucky, a three-year-old Shih Tzu.
Education/Awards/Certifications: Loretta plans on attending the College of Dupage for landscape design.
Favorite part of job: Working with all the co-workers and continuing to satisfy customers.
Favorite plant/design style/element: English gardens with lots of lavender. |
Nadine Blankenship
Office Manager |
|
Employed at Grant and Power since: January 2003
Hometown: Forest Park, Illinois and currently lives
in Wheaton
Family: Nadine and her fiancé, Phil, keep busy
with her three daughters, Monica, Ronna, and Melissa and
not to forget their 6 ½ pound Min-Pin, Duke.
Education/Awards/Certifications: Nadine has been working
for 6 years in the landscape industry and plans on taking accounting classes.
Favorite part of job: Nadine loves knowing that hard
work makes a difference at Grant & Power Landscaping whether it's
working with a customer or co-worker.
Favorite plant/design style/element: Perennial gardens
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
Production Department |
Veroni Boylan
Administrative Assistant |
|
Employed at Grant and Power since: September 2006
Hometown: Maastricht, the Netherlands and currently lives in Oswego
Family: Veroni and her husband, Mike, have two sons, Jonathon and Timothy. They enjoy watching them participate in their high school and college sports, soccer and swimming.
Education/Awards/Certifications: Veroni completed her high school education in the Netherlands and focused on languages, history and geography. After completing additional studies in the administrative/secretarial field, she has worked in an office environment in both the Netherlands and the U.S.
Favorite part of job: Working together with all the people from the different departments and seeing how everybody's part ultimately creates a beautiful environment for the client.
Favorite plant/design style/element: A natural looking landscape that includes milkweed, columbine and phlox in combination with various grasses.
|
Craig Labudde CLT, CTP-CSL
Project Manager |
|
Employed at Grant and Power since: 2004
Hometown: Freeport, Illinois and currently lives in Wheaton
Family: Craig lives with his wife, Penny, and has two children: Stephanie and Katie.
Education/Awards/Certifications: Craig is a Certified Landscape Technician (CLT), a Certified Turfgrass Professional - Cool Season Lawns (CTP-CSL) and he is a ICPI (Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute) Level 1 Certified Concrete Paver Installer. He earned an AAS degree in Ornamental Horticulture from Kishwaukee College and has a BS degree in Plant and Soil Science with a business minor from Southern Illinois University.
Favorite part of job: Craig enjoys helping clients to achieve the landscape environment of their home that they have always wanted and seeing the gratification on their face when it is finally done.
Favorite plant/design style/element: Natural wooded plantings with outcropping stones. Also, using sumac, dogwoods, witchhazel, and ferns. |
Katie Parkhurst
Project Manager |
|
Employed at Grant and Power since: March 2006
Hometown: Sugar Grove, Illinois and currently lives in Aurora.
Family: Katie lives with her husband, Dan and dog, Sargent.
Education/Awards/Certifications: Katie has 8 years of landscape maintenance experience. She is a certified Chicago Wilderness burn crew member and has a Class A CDL. She will be taking her CLT (Certified Landscape Techician) exam this summer.
Favorite part of job: She enjoys meeting with customers and the crews and the people she works with.
Favorite plant/design style/element: Fall color and seasonal container planting. She likes ornamental grasses, tiger eyes sumac and witchhazel. |
Nick Reeter
Mechanic |
|
Employed at Grant and Power since: July 2007
Hometown: Dakota, Illinois and currently lives in Aurora
Family: Nick has two brothers, both civil and mechanical engineers in Rockford, and one sister that works at MetLife in Freeport. His parents are grain farmers in Dakota.
Education/Awards/Certifications: Nick attended Kishwaukee College for Diesel Tech.
Favorite part of job: Nick enjoys working with so many wonderful people. |
Wes Rolseth
Project Manager |
|
Employed at Grant and Power since: 2000
Hometown: Wheaton, Illinois and currently lives in St. Charles
Family: Wes has four children: Wes Jr., Joelynn, Sarah and Jesse.
Education/Awards/Certifications: Wes has taken courses through International Society of Arboriculture, Illinois Arborist Association, Majuet for Arboriculture, Unilock, College of DuPage, Aspen Valley Landscape Supply, Aquascape, Kichler Lighting and FX Luminare Lighting. He is an ISA certified arborist.
Favorite part of job: Outdoor Lighting and custom pond construction
Favorite plant/design style/element: Wes's favorite design style is one that incorporates a water garden and outdoor lighting. Favorite plants include witchhazel, ginko tree, swamp white oak, and many different species of water lilies. |
| |
|
|
| |
|
Foremen |
Jose Alverez
Construction Foreman |
|
Employed at Grant and Power since: 2005
Hometown: Michoacan, Mexico
Family: Jose and his wife live in Carol Stream
Favorite part of job: He enjoys all aspects of landscaping especially hardscapes.
|
Filberto Abad
Construction Foreman
|
|
Employed at Grant and Power since: 1985
Hometown: Guerro, Mexico and currently lives in Hillside
Family: Filberto and his wife, Patricia, have four children:
Valentine, Rosa, Patricia, and Filberto.
|
Epigmenio Beltran
Construction Foreman |
|
Employed at Grant and Power since: 1997
Hometown: Chicago, Illinois and currently lives in Cicero
Family: Epigmenio lives with his wife, Luce Perez, and
has children on the way. |
Gabriel Beltran
Commercial Maintenance Foreman |
|
Employed at Grant and Power since: 1997
Hometown: Morelos, Mexico and currently lives in Cicero
Family: Gabriel and his wife, Vicki, have three children:
Luc Maria, Eyamia, Alondra.
|
Jesus "Veinte Dos" Campos
Yard Supervisor
|
|
Employed at Grant and Power since: 1986
Hometown: Tilzapolta Morelos, Mexico and currently lives
in Schiller Park
Family: Jesus and his wife, Bertha, have four children:
Miguel, Lupe, Noe, and Kenya.
Favorite part of job: Working with plants.
|
Nicolas Correa
Maintenance Foreman |
|
Employed at Grant and Power since: 1997
Hometown: Michoacan, Mexico and currently lives in West
Chicago
Family: Nicolas and his wife, Evangalina, have six children:
Guadalupe, Jose A., Elizabeth, Andrea, Andres, and
Eduardo.
|
Salvador De La Berrera
Construction Foreman |
|
Employed at Grant and Power since: 2005
Hometown: Guerro, Mexico
Family: Salvador and his wife have two sons.
Favorite part of job: He enjoys all aspects of his job.
Favorite plant/design style/element: Salvador likes all design styles and plants. |
Javier Gomez
Construction Foreman |
|
Employed at Grant and Power since: 1993
Hometown: Morelos, Mexico and currently lives in Streamwood
Family: Javier and his wife, Gloria, have three children
:Javier Jr. (5), Wendy (3), and Daniel (1).
|
Jose Gomez
Construction Foreman |
|
Employed at Grant and Power since: 1993
Hometown: Morelos, Mexico and currently lives in Hillside
Family: Jose and his wife, Maria, have three children:
Laura, Jessica, and Alex.
Favorite part of job: Building brick driveways
|
Jose Ortega
Maintenance Foreman |
|
Employed at Grant and Power since: 2006
Hometown: Mexico
Family: Jose is married.
Favorite part of job: Pruning and trimming
Favorite plant/design style/element: Hydrangea |
Ignacio "Cowboy" Reyes
Maintenance Foreman |
|
Employed at Grant and Power since: 1988
Hometown: Fresnillo, Mexico and currently lives in Chicago
Family: Ignacio has two children: J.R. and Rosa.
|
Luis Reza
Commercial Maintenance Foreman
|
|
Employed at Grant and Power since: 2002
Hometown: El Paraiso
Family: Luis has four sisters and one brother.
Favorite part of job: He enjoys estate and commercial maintenance. |
|
|
|
Products
