JOHN COSTELLO

OPERATIONS MANAGER
Certified Landscape Professional Certified Landscape Technician Certified Arborist

Top performing and hands-on professional offering verifiable experience in all facets of landscape
maintenance with a practical expertise in tree and plant healthcare and turf grass management.
Highly skilled at managing and developing personnel with well developed organizational and management aptitude
and ability to identify work plans, consider priorities, forecast problems, and envision strategic solutions. Able to utilize all
assets and resources available, as well as maximize employee productivity and performance to achieve company goals
and objectives. Exhibited competence in challenging assumptions as well as in developing models, methodologies,
framework, and solutions at the executive level while considering cost efficiency. Areas of expertise include:

OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT PROJECT MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT EMPLOYEE RELATIONS STAFF
TRAINING QUALITY ASSURANCE COMPLIANCE MANAGEMENT CUSTOMER SERVICE RISK MANAGEMENT
MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS

- Selected and hired as Lawn Care Applicator responsible for the development of Fertilization and Weed
Control program into a separate job cost center.
* Managed more than 1100 acres of Turf grass in Multi-States.
-Launched the Tree Care Department and Irrigation Department; hired and developed personnel to manage
and develop depts that are generally subcontracted within the industry.
* Tree/PHC - 2.2M Sales
* Irrigation - 1.1M Sales
-Effectively employed talented managers within the ranks and developed maintenance operations; found
opportunities to assign them to decision making positions and aided in developing their talents and skills as
managers.
* Instrumental in hiring or promoting 98% of key managers at LCM providing counseling and
guidance on a daily basis.
-Brought key components to the continual growth of the company while sustaining profitability.
* Affected minimum average of 15% growth annually
* Acted as key instrument in the development and management of all snow removal services in
excess of $8.4M in sales contributing to more than $31M in total gross sales company wide.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

LANDSCAPE CONCEPTS MANAGEMENT, INC. -GRAYSLAKE, IL

VICE PRESIDENT & BRANCH MANAGER-CORPORATE OFFICE
1988-2009
-Managed and Maintained Base Maintenance client portfolio in excess of 1.2M consisting of Multi-Family,
Commercial, Retail and Corporate Clients.
-Administered and directed to up to five account managers and six department managers with direct reports in
Turf, Tree, Irrigation, Enhancements, Operations and Administration departments.
-Distributed new clients to account managers and reviewed hour budgets to ensure effectual use of labor and
overall account profitability for their portfolios.
-Monitored all departments to identify inefficiencies and proposed modifications for weekly discussion in
operations meeting.
-Responsible for Ypsilanti, Michigan branch office to train and guide the new branch manager.
-Reviewed and provided approvals to all personnel's proposals for inside and outside sales.
-Rendered assistance in educating personnel and developing their estimation skills and expertise in reviewing
proposals to become competitive bidders in the marketplace.
-Granted consent to all billing from Grayslake and Michigan Branches and assisted with all other branches.
-Aided CFO in seeking out and resolving any financial items from a manager/client dispute to customer
satisfaction issue.

-Participated as member of the "Executive Team" of Planning and Development; evaluated performance of all
branch personnel and proposed pay increase when appropriate.
-Furnished discipline and reviewed all planned measures with all managers for all personnel.




EARLIER CAREER

HEATHER RIDGE GOLF COURSE/HEATHER RIDGE DEVELOPMENT CO., GURNEE, IL

ASSISTANT GOLF COURSE SUPERINTENDENT


-Directed daily activities of the golf course, such as Turf Grass Management, Irrigation Management, as well as
plant and tree care.
-Organized schedules and performed daily maintenance activities together with 3-4 seasonal laborers.
-Repaired and maintained sophisticated greens equipment.

EDUCATION

COURSEWORK IN BUSINESS MANAGEMENT I AND II; ENTOMOLOGY; SOILS; TURF GRASS I AND II; AND PLANT I.D.
COLLEGE OF LAKE COUNTY, GRAYSLAKE, IL

PROFESSIONAL TRAINING

O.S.H.A. Job Safety Training
Illinois Department of Agriculture- Pesticide Training
Illinois Society of Arboriculture (ISA)
Climbing and safety training Certification Training, Arborist (CA)
Planet Certified Landscape Professional (CLP)
Planet/ Illinois Landscape Contractors Association (ILCA)
Certified Landscape Technician-Exterior (CLT)
Numerous personnel management seminars, including conflict management, decision making, financial, and
purchasing seminars

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

Certified Landscape Professional, Professional Landcare Network (PLANET)
Certified Landscape Technician, Illinois Landscape Contractors Association (ILCA)
Golf Course Superintendents Association Member

AWARDS AND HONORS

Industry award winners for Planet and ILCA Landscape awards for excellence in landscape maintenance and
special projects
Interviewed in The Chicagoland Gardener for A client profile feature article
ACTIVITIES

Former Band Leader of: The Blues Monkeys
Plays Softball Bears/Cubs Fan Rides Motorcycles