As an experienced business leader, George Fechter has witnessed over 30-years of success from contractors partnered with LINC and TEGG. These companies service the Electrical and HVAC industries and acted as the model for LandOpt.
George was proud to serve as Board Chair and Vice Chair respectively for those companies, but he was always interested in finding another market in need of moving from the cottage industry to a managed process.
After six months of investigation George met Dan Sterns, a registered landscape architect and Penn State Professor, who introduced him to Dan Eichenlaub, owner of a Pittsburgh based landscape contracting company. LandOpt was founded with the mission of empowering a select group of highly qualified, regionally-based landscape contractors with a powerful portfolio of business systems to dramatically improve their growth, profitability and productivity.
Buddy Kelly has dedicated his personal career to the HVAC Industry, as CEO of Piedmont Air Conditioning in Raleigh, North Carolina. As an executive officer for a commercial service based business, Buddy has the experience and background to well advise LandOpt in their path to success.
Buddy began his career in 1970 for the International Playtex Corporation, after two years in the United States Naval Reserve. He worked as a plant manager and superintendent. After several years he moved to Piedmont Air Conditioning Company as the Manager of Sales and Production. Because Piedmont was a licensee of LINC, Buddy was able to professionalize the company through personnel policies and structure. It is because of that direct experience that Buddy has the unique background as a LandOpt Board Member.
As the Owner of Air Experts Heating and Cooling, with two locations in Raleigh and Myrtle Beach, North Carolina, Paul Mills has the unique experience and background to advise LandOpt as a Board Member.
Before purchasing Air Experts in April of 2009, Paul was General Manager for Service Experts in Raleigh for many years. Before he was promoted to General Manager, Paul spent several years as the Sales and Marketing Manager for that company, where he successfully positioned Service Experts, Inc. as the leader for HVAC services in that region.
Paul joined the LandOpt board during the first quarter of 2010 and his insight into service based businesses has consistently counseled LandOpt toward the path of sustainable growth and long-term success.
Dan Stearns has dedicated his professional career to enhancement of the exterior environment through quality landscape design, construction, and stewardship. As a registered landscape architect Dan has practiced in Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and North Carolina. Since 1989 he has focused on elevating the level of professionalism in the landscape industry, as a Professor at Penn State University, educating and preparing students to be productive and creative leaders in the Green Industry.
Dan’s participation in the founding of LandOpt was an opportunity to continue his service to the industry, by providing contractors the necessary tools to grow their business and increase profitability. Through the application of efficient business and operation systems licensee companies are better positioned to compete and prosper. It is Dan’s view that professional, well-informed contractors create a healthier exterior environment that is both functional and aesthetically appealing.
Tim’s career is dedicated to developing tool sets that automate and educate the landscaping industry. As the President/CEO, Tim presides over the LandOpt team to develop technology and identify best practices that improve customer service. While setting the business direction and overseeing day-to-day operations at LandOpt, Tim’s knowledge of education, technology and the landscaping industry has laid the groundwork for LandOpt’s success.
Tim earned a bachelor’s degree in Landscape Contracting and a master’s degree in Education from Pennsylvania State University. After graduation, he worked as a contractor planning and designing landscapes. With his experience in landscaping and background in education, he then spent 18 years implementing systems and developing software that supports the landscaping service industry.
As the owner of a successful landscape contracting company for over 30-years, Dan Eichenlaub has experienced first-hand the growing pains of the Green Industry. Being involved in state and national trade associations has given Dan a unique perspective.
As landscape contractors seek to grow their businesses, he noticed that solutions are not readily available. There is tremendous potential for sales growth and profitability to companies that have the best systems. His participation in founding LandOpt was to provide the opportunity to make a significant leap in systems improvement and integration that he had sought over the years.
Now, licensee companies partnered with LandOpt are worth more, make more, and operate more smoothly with proven processes and systems. Dan’s involvement in LandOpt as a Board Member and licensee has helped him achieve his business goals and build a legacy.
