Interview with Jerry Schill, President and CEO of Schill Grounds Management
The Commercial Landscaper Podcast
Release Date: 05/28/2025
Interview with Lukas Iraola, Principal of Home Keys Landscaping and Home Keys Team of Compass Real Estate
The Commercial Landscaper Podcast
Lukas is a 33-year-old entrepreneur based in Washington, DC, where he leads a real estate team generating $75 million in sales annually. In addition to his real estate ventures, he is partnered with a development team working on $15 million in new construction projects set to hit the market in 2025. Lukas also owns a landscaping company which he has successfully scaled since acquiring it in 2023, quadrupling the size of the business $500,000 in revenue to $2 million in revenue. Passionate about supporting his team, Lukas developed a program within his landscaping company to educate employees...
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Interview with Jon Gohl, Director of Client Experience in Aspire Software
The Commercial Landscaper Podcast
Jon Gohl, Director of Customer Experience at Aspire Software joined the company in its infancy 10 years ago and has helped hundreds of clients adopt new software, embrace change, and leverage defined processes and procedures to maximize the efficiency of their united output. In his current role, Jon leads Aspire’s strategic advocacy efforts, including Aspire in Universities, providing software to complement industry-specific degree programs, and Aspire Ambassadors, engaging with and leveraging relationships with our customer champions. Jon is a member of NALP’s Foundation Board and...
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Interview with Sabrina Dunham, Co-Owner of Dunham's Lawn Care LLC
The Commercial Landscaper Podcast
Sabrina and Ryan met in 2010 while they were students in college at Wright State University. In 2015 they were married and a year later Dunham's Lawn Care was born. She graduated in 2012 with a Bachelor’s degree in Business from WSU and again in 2018 with a Master's degree in Health Education from The University of Cincinnati. Sabrina has always had a passion for entrepreneurship and today she shares that same passion with Ryan. Sabrina and Ryan work together to oversee the general operations of Dunham's Lawn Care.
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Interview with Tim Ryan, Executive Director of The Lighthouse Group
The Commercial Landscaper Podcast
Tim Ryan is the Executive Director of The Lighthouse Group, one of the principal lighting designers at the Lighthouse Design Studio, and the professional photographer capturing the beauty of the group's finished projects. With over 27 years of experience in the industry, Tim began his journey by integrating lighting into his landscape designs, eventually transitioning full-time into the outdoor lighting business after discovering the magic and transformative power of illuminated garden spaces. Since joining Lighthouse in 2015, he has been a passionate advocate for advancing the craft and is...
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Interview with Paul Fraynd, CEO and Partner of Sun Valley Landscaping
The Commercial Landscaper Podcast
As CEO of Sun Valley Landscaping, Paul Fraynd leads the company’s growth and strategy while maintaining their core values and operating in a way that would make his Mom proud. Starting his business while completing his business degree at Creighton University, Paul purchased a $50 garage sale mower and employed his Mother as one of his first part-time employees. He takes these early lessons and now applies them to grow his team of 70 landscape professionals. Over his 22 years in the industry, Paul has been a part of hiring hundreds of people from all backgrounds. He is...
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Interview with Ryan Drake, Vice President of J.F.D. Landscapes, Inc.
The Commercial Landscaper Podcast
Ryan Drake is the Vice President of J.F.D. Landscapes, Inc., a family-owned and operated full-service landscape company based in Northeast Ohio. Founded in 1989 by his parents, Joe and Natalie Drake, J.F.D. Landscapes has grown into a trusted name in the industry, combining expertise with a deep commitment to quality and community. Ryan's journey in the landscape industry began early, spending summers and winter breaks working for the family business from 2007 to 2014. After earning full-time industry experience, including a tenure with a large national landscape firm, he returned to J.F.D....
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Interview with Chris McTyre, President of Green Ridge Landscaping, Inc.
The Commercial Landscaper Podcast
Prior to his acquisition of a Commercial Landscaping Company in 2022, Chris had a successful career in Finance, spending the past twelve years in consulting, mergers & acquisitions (buy and sell side transactions in the petrochemical space). He co-founded Salem Oak Vineyards in 2013, produced several award-winning wines, and helped grow the business to $750,000 in sales. He continues to serve as a strategic partner to the winery. Chris has also built a successful real estate portfolio over the past ten years transacting on $2.5 MM in single family real estate and raw land development....
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Interview with Rich Stockdale, CEO & Founder of Oxygen Conservation
The Commercial Landscaper Podcast
Rich is a transformative leader and pioneering environmentalist on a mission to Scale Conservation. Armed with a PhD in data science, Rich combines relentless commitment with visionary thinking to redefine our relationship with the natural world. He founded Oxygen Conservation in 2021 and has rapidly built it into one of the world’s most impactful natural capital portfolios, valued at £150 million and actively transforming almost 45,000 acres into thriving ecosystems for people and wildlife. Rich is determined to make natural capital as a mainstream asset class, with the ambitious target of...
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Interview with Darrell Turman, Vice President at The Patio Experience
The Commercial Landscaper Podcast
Darrell Turman is a leading outdoor cooking expert and consultant based in Colorado, specializing in the design and installation of custom outdoor kitchens. With decades of hands-on experience and a deep passion for fire and gas-based cooking, Darrell helps homeowners transform their backyards into high-performance culinary spaces. Whether it’s designing the perfect grill island, curating premium appliances, or managing full-scale outdoor kitchen builds, Darrell brings a rare blend of technical expertise, creative vision, and real-world experience to every project. His work seamlessly...
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Interview with Andrew Martin, President of Urban Landcare
The Commercial Landscaper Podcast
Andrew Martin, founder of Urban Landcare, has worked in the landscape industry for 25 years, including 20 years in San Diego. After obtaining degrees in Business and Horticulture, Andrew was recruited by the largest landscape maintenance company in the country, Valleycrest. His primary experience includes managing large-scale, high-demand landscapes, such as military bases and master-planned communities. His career has spanned landscape management for commercial and industrial properties, residential estates, HOAs, hotels, and apartment buildings. After gaining valuable experience in...
info_outlineJerry Schill founded Schill Grounds Management in 1993, and as CEO he sets the strategic vision for the company and makes executive and financial decisions that drive profitable growth and scale.
Beginning in 2020, Jerry partnered with Argonne Capital to proactively drive consolidation in the highly fragmented commercial grounds management and snow and ice removal industry by acquiring independent privately held businesses that add contiguous geographic expansion for Schill.
Jerry has three decades of leadership experience, and he believes in running the business with family values, integrity, respect and honesty. He also holds leadership positions with industry professional organizations including serving as an active member of the Accredited Snow Contractors Association’s Government Affairs Committee and the Ohio Landscape Association’s Snow and Ice Committee.
Jerry earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management from Glenville State College. He is also the founder of Holiday Feast, an annual event that provides free meals for thousands of people in the Cleveland area. Jerry’s contributions to the industry were recognized when he was chosen for the National Leadership Award by SNOW Magazine and Lawn & Landscape Magazine.
Connect with Jerry!
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jerry-schill-2b010b1a/