LPU: Speakers
David Agee is the "Commercial Design and Engineering Lead" for SiteOne Landscape Supply and has over 30 years of experience in the hardscape industry, specializing in modular retaining wall design and construction. He has worked with all the leading SRW systems in both residential and commercial applications. David has also been developing highly accurate bidding processes that combine preliminary structural wall designs with a custom takeoff app.
Joe is a sports turf installer for SST. He is responsible for overseeing crew operations and making sure that projects run smooth and seamless. Joe has been with SST for over 15 years and has a vast knowledge of the synthetic turf industry.
Dr. Mark Andrew Czarnota is an Associate Professor (60% Extension, 20% Research, 5.0% Teaching, 15.0% Service) in the Department of Horticulture at the University of Georgia, Griffin Campus. His job responsibilities include supporting the nursery and landscape, Christmas tree, floriculture, small fruit, and orchard floor management industries with weed control problems they encounter. He has been involved in the Plant Science Field all his life. He has held positions in landscape maintenance, commercial nurseryman, nursery sales, and as a laboratory technician among his many years of schooling. He received a B.S. degree in Agriculture specializing in Plant Science from the University of Delaware, M.S. in Agriculture specializing in Weed Science from Virginia Tech, and a Ph.D. in Floriculture and Ornamentals Horticulture specializing in Weed Science from Cornell University. As an extension specialist, he works closely with the agricultural chemical industry, federal government, and local grower groups to try and solve weed problems. As well as fielding questions from the industry, Dr. Czarnota work includes publishing weed control information in University fact sheets and bulletins, popular articles, scholarly publications, as well as performing applied and laboratory weed control research. He has generated over 1.5 million in grant money and donations. Major research interests are anything related to weed control research. Other research interests include finding additional Christmas tree species for Southern Christmas tree growers, herbicide formulations, growth regulators, invasive weeds, and natural plant products. In his personal life, Dr. Czarnota has been married for 29 years, has 2 children (23 and 19), and 4 dogs. His major hobbies include maintaining a weedy garden, trying to stay in shape (biking, taekwondo, and weight training), wood and metal working, and enjoying time with the family!
Nick is an experienced M&A Advisor specializing in due diligence, tax and financial modeling, and deal structuring for private equity and corporate clients. With a finance degree from Auburn University and both a law degree and MBA from the University of South Carolina, he pairs a deep understanding of deal structures and regulatory nuance with the practical know-how to scale and operate complex organizations. Prior to joining 3PG Advisors, he worked at Ernst and Young, where he led cross-border transactions, M&A execution, and operational integration initiatives. Nick also held various roles in finance and strategy at Shaw Industries, a Berkshire Hathaway manufacturing company.
Ben has developed operating systems and implemented key strategies that have propelled several businesses to profitability, market leadership, and successful transitions including Scapes Landscape, one of America’s top 100 companies. Ben’s lean production expertise is unparalleled, having spent several years working with the nation’s largest landscape provider deploying their lean initiatives on a national level. He has been to virtually every landscape market in the U.S. implementing lean on a cultural and practical level. A long-time industry leader, Ben exhibits a down to earth practical approach to consulting. He is committed to simple solutions that drive results. With a passion for operations; systems-based management strategies and lean thinking, Ben is positioned to guide others in pursuit of their vision.
Adam Edgar, SiteOne
Adam Edgar is currently a Category Manager at SiteOne Landscape Supply who manages several categories in the Irrigation and Outdoor Lighting line of business. He has been with SiteOne for over 4 years, previously as a member of the supply chain procurement team. He is the category leader for drip irrigation, glues and solvents, enclosures, clamps, outdoor audio and holiday lighting and enjoys spending time in the field educating and supporting branches.
Bikash Ghimire, UGA
Bikash Ghimire is Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist in Ornamental Plant Pathology at the University of Georgia. My background includes PhD and postdoctoral training in disease epidemiology, fungicide resistance, fungal genetics and genomics, with a focus on integrating chemical, biological, and host-resistance strategies for sustainable disease management. At UGA, my research and extension program centers on the diagnosis and management of ornamental plant diseases, while providing research-based training and support to stakeholders and Extension personnel in the state..
Dirk Hessman, Hunter
Dirk received a BS in Turfgrass Management and Plant Science from Mississippi State in 1992, from there he began his career as a Class A Golf Course Superintendent for 10 years before going to work for Aquarius II Irrigation and then starting Southeastern Irrigation as a repair company for the next 10 years. Dirk then spent time in Distribution for over 10 years as a service technician before being hired as a Field Service Manager for Hunter Industries in the Southeast region for the last four plus years where He has enjoyed helping and teaching others in the industry with the knowledge, I’ve accumulated over my 35+ years working outdoors with nature and irrigation.
Dr. Shimat Joseph is an Associate Professor in the Department of Entomology at the University of Georgia. His research focuses on the management of existing, emerging, and invasive insect pests in turfgrass and ornamental systems, grounded in the principles of applied insect ecology.
Commercial Sales Manager
Tim has over 30 years experience in the green industry and has been with Siteone for Fifteen years located in Memphis, Tn. but supports the South East Region focusing on irrigation. Tim has worked many positions within that 30+ years including Irrigation Contractor, Distribution Branch Manager, Outside Sales Rep and now is the Commercial Services Manager. Tim was the Region 8 Irrigation trainer for 6 years till 2024 and holds several certifications with The Irrigation Association. Currently living just South of Memphis in Southaven, Ms. With his wife Pam and has two grown Step-sons.
Dr. Heather Kirk-Ballard is an Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist in Sustainable Urban Landscapes within the Department of Horticulture at the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES). In her role, she is developing education and Extension programming that emphasizes environmentally friendly landscaping practices with a strong focus on climate resilience. Her work promotes biodiversity in urban landscapes, encourages the use of native plants, and advocates for the use of permeable materials in hardscaping and water conservation techniques. Additionally, she supports efforts to reduce stormwater pollution, chemical use, and food waste. Dr. Kirk-Ballard is also interested in understanding the impact of planned vegetative plantings on reducing the heat island effect in urban areas. Through her programs, she aims to educate students, communities, professionals, and policymakers on designing and maintaining landscapes that not only enhance urban aesthetics but also contribute to environmental sustainability, biodiversity, and climate resilience.
Donna Jones heads up sales at Ace Resin and has been instrumental in the development of resin bound permeable surfacing in the UK for over 25 years. She brings a deep passion for the landscape industry and sustainable solutions, and she is excited to introduce Ace Resin's permeable surfacing to the USA market. Donna is dedicated to advancing best practices through a strong commitment to education, innovation, and quality, ensuring best practice in the Landscape industry.
Contractor Account Manager
Josh LeGrett is a Contractor Account Manager with Rain Bird with over 10 years of industry experience. He enjoys utilizing Rain Bird’s current product portfolio, technology and innovation to help contractors increase efficiency, effectiveness, and profitability.
Eric Marlowe is UGA Cooperative Extension Agent, Gwinnett County
Rolando Orellana is currently the Urban Water Management Agent for the University of Georgia’s Center for Urban Agriculture, located at the Griffin campus. He is an Urban Agriculture Agent with an emphasis on water efficiency and sustainable irrigation practices in urban landscapes around the state of Georgia. Orellana conducts education, research, and demonstration efforts on current irrigation technologies, as well as working with industry professionals, homeowners, and researchers. He has also been a key member of the team to design and construct the innovative irrigation demonstration site at UGA-Griffin for education and research efforts to improve urban water conservation.
Gloria brings over 20 years of in-depth experience, including financial consulting, auditing, Controller/CFO roles, public accounting, and banking. Her ability to navigate the complexities associated with strategic planning, business planning, and upholding M&A values is only rivaled by her fierce commitment to protect a client’s quality of earnings. A featured speaker for the Aspire software company, Gloria is a licensed Certified Public Accountant (CPA). She is a food and wine enthusiast, trained in martial arts, and loves to travel with her husband Nathan.
Bryan, Pfaff, NDS
Bryan Pfaff is the Specification Manager for NDS in the Southeast. He has worked in this role with NDS for over 6 years and his primary responsibilities include supporting design in the areas of stormwater drainage, value engineering drainage structures and lending design support in the areas of product size and selection. Bryan has worked with engineers and specifiers in a civil support role working on infrastructure and ground support products and has over 18 years experience in this type of work. His background includes working with chemical construction materials, cement and concrete design work, and sales and marketing of residential construction products. He has a background in product development with a degree in Mechanical Engineering and a Masters in Business Administration.
Dr. Bodie Pennisi is a professor and statewide Extension landscape specialist in the Department of Horticulture at the University of Georgia. She is the Vince Dooley Endowed Chair of Ornamental Horticulture. Dr. Pennisi is responsible for planning and coordinating a statewide Extension program to support the professional landscape industry and conducting applied research with emphasis on sustainable landscape practices.
Turfgrass Weed Scientist
Ben Pritchard, originally from East Tennessee, earned his Ph.D. in Turfgrass Weed Science under Dr. Jim Bros.
SiteOne Landscape Supply
Recognized leader in the hardscaping industry with years of experience in porcelain paver installation.
Irrigation Training Lead
John has been with SiteOne for eight years, primarily based in Murfreesboro, Tennessee and the greater Nashville Area. Over that time, he has served as a Customer Service Representative, Department Manager and Assistant Branch Manager all with a focus on irrigation and outdoor lighting. Over the past two years he has worked as the Irrigation and Outdoor Lighting Specialist covering Tennessee, Arkansas, and Mississippi. He has also taken on the role of Irrigation Training Lead for Region 8. While not at work he is enjoying life with his wife and three children in Bell Buckle, Tennessee.
Owner of The Pruning Guru, certified Georgia Nurseryman and a Georgia Certified Landscape Professional, both through UGA.
Originally from Guayaquil, Ecuador, Sergio has graduate degrees in Horticulture and PlantBiology from Louisiana State University and Rutgers University, respectively. Throughout his career, he has gained experience in golf course management, horticultural pest management, landscape maintenance, lawn care and ornamental plants installation. Currently he works for the University of Georgia as the Agriculture and Natural Resources Agent in Clayton County.
Kenneth Stibler is a technologist and economist with a deep passion for solving complex problems. A five-year Vistage member, he was part of the founding team at an AI startup...two years before ChatGPT. Today, Kenneth leads Reyvism Analytics, a consultancy that builds tools—from simple dashboards to satellite-image-powered systems—that make complex tech practical for leaders who need to adapt and stay competitive.
Amy Sulka partners with business owners and sales teams who want to grow revenue, scale effectively, and close more business. While Sandler is best known for world-class sales training and coaching, they also work at the leadership level to improve accountability, sales management, and overall performance. From tactical improvements to full sales transformation, Amy helps businesses build the structure, skills, and strategy to drive sustainable growth.
Ken started his first business fresh out of college with 1,000 dollars and a pickup truck and went on to own and operate 3 of Atlanta’s most successful landscape companies including Scapes Landscape, which was one of the top 100 landscape companies in America. Scapes was acquired by ValleyCrest in 2008. Ken served for 3 years in leadership at ValleyCrest Landscape Maintenance. Ken went on to start Envisor Consulting, a nationally recognized consulting group that is focused on developing landscape business leaders. During his 30+ year career, Ken Thomas and the Envisor team have developed the keys to success in the landscape industry. An astute businessman who is not afraid of digging in the dirt, Ken knows the secrets and systems of thriving landscape operations. More recently, Ken spent 2 years as the interim COO at the Greenery Inc a 60-million-dollar regional company serving the low country of SC, GA and North Eastern FL. Ken is a true visionary with a down to earth approach. Today Ken is passionate about helping business owners overcome their obstacles to business success.
Michael Tous - The Paver Profession (El Profesor de Adoquines)
Michael started Grass Masters, Inc., with a high-school friend in 1989. He attended classes at Rutgers University in Landscape Design and Plant ID, and quickly identified an interest in outdoor living and took patio installation classes. He has over 30 years of experience in the hardscape industry. Michael is an ICPI certified instructor and is fluent in both English and Spanish. Mike has been a longtime supporter of MAHTS, dedicating his time and expertise, instructing courses for his industry peers. Mike holds both ICPI and NCMA certifications and over the years has led a variety of Hands-on training skills in both the English and Spanish languages. Michael sold Grass Masters in 2023 and continues sharing his experiences and expertise He has a passion for this industry and teaching techniques that will definitly keep you interested!
Rob Trawick is UGA Cooperative Exension Agent, Cobb County
Phillip Vines is a passionate and determined plant breeder, and his primary research objective is to develop superior seed-propagated turfgrass cultivars that can be used for home lawn, recreational, athletic field, and golf course turf throughout the world. Phillip’s experience includes breeding and evaluating turfgrasses for disease resistance, decreased input requirements, drought and salinity tolerance, and enhanced turf quality characteristics. His research interests include exploring and developing advanced breeding methods that can be integrated with traditional breeding strategies to increase efficiency of cultivar development. Advanced breeding methods include, but are not limited to, classical genetics and genomics-based techniques for marker-assisted selection breeding strategies and high-throughput phenotyping techniques. These methods will be important components for a successful, modern turfgrass breeding program
Turfgrass Extension Specialist
Dr. Waltz joined the UGA Turfgrass Team in 2001 as a Turfgrass Extension Specialist. He has state-wide responsibilities in all turfgrass management areas, including turfgrass water management. Additionally, he serves as an ex officio board member for the Georgia Urban Ag Council. He also serves the golf course industry through the Georgia Golf Course Superintendents Association. Clint is well published in scientific journals and makes regular contributions to the newsletters of the State’s trade associations. Furthermore, he makes numerous presentations to turfgrass professionals from golf course superintendents to homeowner groups. Clint has been responsible for the turfgrass website www.GeorgiaTurf.com.
