Charles Vander Kooi - President

Jerry Gaeta - Senior Associate

Tim Saul - Operations / Associate

Tony Bass - Associate

Joe Palimeno - Associate

Gary Ostwald - Associate

Mark Borst - Associate

Chris James - Associate

Greg Ambrose - Associate

Ian Cooke - Associate

Charles Vander Kooi - President
Consulting, Seminars

Charles Vander Kooi wrote his first seminar over 25 years ago while on a plane to his very first speaking engagement. An instant success in front of an audience, he made an impact on people when he coupled his true-life experiences as a professional estimator and contractor with stand-up comedy and a little fire and brimstone. Since that first seminar, he has presented over 2,000 seminars and continues to average 80 programs a year in numerous industries around the world. One word of caution--if your name is Billy, or Bob, don't sit on the front row!
Charles has been involved in the construction industry for over 4 decades as an estimator and upper-management employee of companies as well as professional speaker and consultant. He has bid over a billion dollars in work over his career. As a private consultant, he has helped over 1,500 companies in their estimating/bidding systems and has lectured to over 200,000 people nationally and internationally. Constantly in demand, Mr. Vander Kooi speaks at an average of 80 trade Shows, conventions, and associations each year teaching his philosophy across the U.S., Canada, Latin America, England, and Australia. He consults with an average of 50 clients annually, assisting in and improving their performance. He has authored several books to the industry and his seminars are available on audio as well as video.

In 2003 he created HardScape Magazine. For this Charles envisioned a new magazine to serve as resource providing a knowledge base for hardscape installation while also addressing the business needs of companies doing the installing.

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Jerry Gaeta - Senior Associate
Consulting, Seminars

Senior Associate for Vander Kooi & Associates since 1994, Jerry Gaeta recently sold his design/build commercial landscape, irrigation and landscape maintenance firm he established with his partner in 1975. Jerry is a successful estimator who has bid hundreds of millions of dollars in landscape construction and maintenance projects, has consulted, and lectured for the Green Industry in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Bahamas, and Guam and is active in mergers and acquisitions in the Green Industry. He is a keynote speaker for leading industry organizations, associations, manufacturers and distributors on estimating and bidding, overhead recovery, managing work crews and other topics for the Green Industry and teaches estimating workshops. Jerry has written numerous articles for many trade publications. He has been instrumental in developing software for budgeting, estimating, and equipment management for Vander Kooi & Associates; Chairman for the development of the South Carolina Nursery an Landscape Certified Landscape Technician Program and was awarded in 1991 Nurseryman of the Year, the first landscape contractor to receiv this award.

In the early 1980s when I was still a contractor, work dried up just like today. New housing starts stopped, interest rates hit 21%, inflation broke double digits, and unemployment was 14%. I woke up one morning $120,000 in the red. To make a long story short, I hired Charles Vander Kooi, got my finances in order, cut almost 50% of our workforce and got my business back in the black. I took the Vander Kooi principles to heart and because I had such a comprehensive knowledge of these principles, Charles asked me to be his senior consultant not long after. I know what you are going through and know how to help.

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Tim Saul - Operations / Associate
Consulting

Tim Saul has been with Charles in the Denver office since 1997. In addition to coordinating all the seminar programs & consulting he also owns and runs a construction company with Charles in Denver, CO specializing in high end custom homes. Tim consults with clients as well as helps teach the estimating workshops.

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Tony Bass - Associate
Consulting, Seminars

Who is Tony Bass?

Tony Bass is an entrepreneur!

Tony Bass founded Bass Custom Landscapes in 1987 after completing his studies in Agricultural Mechanization at the University of Georgia. Tony grew that business to $4 million dollars in annual sales and more than 80 employees during peak season working from 2 locations in Central GA. Tony sold his landscaping company on June 30, 2006 and retired at 41 years old!

Tony has been awarded 2 US Patents for the equipment he and his Dad engineered to master efficiency in his landscape company. In 1998 this invention lead to the start of Super Lawn Truck, Inc an enclosed truck body designed specifically for landscaping. The Super Lawn Truck system is currently being used in landscape companies and government agencies in over one-half of the United States.

Tony has written 6 books including The Money Making Secrets of a Multi-Million $ Landscape Contractor, a 3-book management, marketing and planning system for contractors. He has also produced a number of audio & video training programs for the entrepreneur who wants to improve his business performance. Thousands of copies have sold.

In 1998, Tony joined the nationally known consulting group of Vander Kooi and Associates as their Green Industry Marketing Expert. This part-time delight gives Tony the privilege of leading seminars and working as a private consultant with small business owners on improving financial performance. Tony has delivered over 100 seminars to 20,000 green industry professionals.

Tony is married to the beautiful, Jo Lynn Bass. In May of 2001 they were blessed with the birth of their first child, Holly Savannah. The Bass Family grew by 30% in June of 2003 when Maxx Anthony was born.

Tony recently immersed himself in the pursuit of improving his skills in his favorite sport, racquetball. For seven days Tony and his family vacationed in the Caribbean Island of Aruba. Between huffing & puffing for useable oxygen, Tony was humbled as he received training from the current #1 racquetball player in the world and one of the world's best racquetball coaches. Tony says, "The easiest way to improve in anything is to learn from the best in the world in a particular field!"

Tony works as an appointed volunteer on the University of GA College of Agriculture advisory board and the Governor's Agricultural Advisory Committee. He works in economic development at his local chamber of commerce and speaks to school groups about career opportunities in the green industry.

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Joe Palimeno - Associate
Consulting, Seminars

Joe Palimeno has been an associate of Vander Kooi and Associates since 1998. He began his professional career learning the landscape construction business from the ground up, beginning with performing in the field, and eventually becoming sole owner of Ledden Palimeno Design Build Landscape Co.

After successfully implementing the effective cost recovery system and management approaches he learned from Charles Vander Kooi, his revenues and profits increased to the level of allowing Joe to travel the country making contractors profitable through private consultations, estimating workshops and Lectures.

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Gary Ostwald - Associate
Consulting, Seminars

Gary Ostwald (BSIE, MBA, PhD) is Associate Professor of Management at Eastern University in St. Davids, Pennsylvania. Previously, he was on the faculty of the University of Denver's Daniels College of Business where he taught leadership development courses in their MBA program. Dr. Ostwald is trained in industrial engineering, human resources management, and leadership development. He serves as a leadership coach, consultant, and professional speaker for garyostwald.com and for Vander Kooi & Associates, Professional Consultants and Speakers to the Construction and Landscape Industries since 1980 (vanderkooi.com).

Among others, Gary Ostwald's clients have included J.E.Dunn Construction Company (MO), Borst Landscape & Design (NJ), Golden Equipment Company (NM), Designs by Sundown (CO), McAsphalt Industries (Canada), Greener Pastures (TX), Gorman Brothers (NY), the Mechanical Contractors Association (MCA) of Eastern Missouri, and Associated General Contractors of America (AGC).

Gary has spoken for the Amity Foundation in China, the Professional Landscape Association of New Jersey, the Association for Experiential Education's International Conference, the Timberline Accounting Conference, and State Farm's Mountain States University Conference among others. He primarily speaks on the topics of Creating a Culture of Teamwork, Mastering Change from the Inside Out and High Performance Leadership. His book, Lead with Authenticity, was published in 2009 and is available from Vander Kooi & Associates or on-line from Amazon.com.

Gary has received the Diamond Award for teaching excellence at the University of Denver's Daniels College of Business. Formerly, he owned a property management company in Colorado and was a real estate broker and Certified Property Manager (CPM). Gary has held engineering and management positions in Fortune 500 firms, beginning his business career with 3M Company as an Industrial Engineer.

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Mark Borst - Associate
Consulting, Seminars

Mark established his business in Wyckoff, NJ in 1989 on a part time basis while earning his 4 year degree in Landscape Architecture from Rutgers University. Upon his graduation in 1993, Borst Landscape & Design became a full time operation. The experience Mark has gained from owning BLD has given him a diverse background in people management skills. Mark believes these skills have helped him successfully grow and manage his Design/Build/Maintenance Company, which has achieved revenue of $6 million dollars per year.

Mark served as past president of the New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association (1999-2000) and is responsible for the purchase and implementation of the "Certified Landscape Technician Test" in the state of New Jersey. Mark also credits his success to the implementation of the estimating practices of C8harles Vander Kooi, whom he feels helped him set and achieve his long term goals.

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Chris James - Associate
Consulting, Seminars

Chris joined Vander Kooi & Associates in 2004, and has since coached many companies on achieving their goals through The Vander Kooi System (MORS). He is the owner and founder of his own successful Landscape and Snow & Ice business and has been in both industries for over 30 years. He has been a member of SIMA since its inception. He is both CLT and CSP certified and teaches the following courses at Rutgers University: Successful Business and Pricing Strategies and Snow & Ice Management and Project Management. Since founding his company Snow & Ice Solutions in 1999 he has developed an extensive background as an expert witness in Snow and Ice Litigation. He has also worked with large public and private property owners/managers and highway authorities. Chris has worked with private contractors on single Snow and Landscape Contracts in excess of $5 million.

Chris thoroughly enjoys sharing what he has learned with contractors, facility and property managers.

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Greg Ambrose - Associate
Consulting, Seminars

Greg Ambrose became a member of Vander Kooi & Associates in 2007 to enhance the overall educational process for hardscape contractors. He is dedicated to the education of hardscape contractors in all segments of business and installation. He will achieve this thru specializing in hands-on seminars and sharing his various real-life experiences through one-on-one consultation, as well as speaking to groups, and conducting industry sponsored certifications.

Greg is an ICPI Level One Instructor who has taught more than 100 classes in over 27states. Since 1998 he has certified over 3,000 students. He also instructs ICPI Level 2 classes. He has Certificates from The NCMA and the School for Advanced Segmental Paving, as well as being an instructor for the school.

He has worked in various roles in the concrete paver industry since 1984. Prior to joining Vander Kooi & Associates, Greg spent seven years as Vice-President for a Cleveland-based hardscape company specializing in high-end residential and commercial applications.

He was Territory Sales Manager with Lafarge Corporation, as well as a former Hardscape Manager with Oldcastle/Belgard.

Greg appeared on 4 episodes of Discovery Channel's Hometime, as well as having offered how-to advice for consumers and contractors on radio. Greg has also enjoyed multiple speaking engagements on all aspects of hardscape installation.

"I believe in contractor education. It is the foundation for great pavements."

You can contact him by e-mail at: gtambrose@sbcglobal.net. Or you can find him online at www.HelpWithHardscapes.com.

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Ian Cooke - Associate
Consulting, Seminars

Ian Cooke presented his first "plant education class" nearly 25 years ago while studying Ornamental Horticulture in England. Ian has been involved in all aspects of plant propagation, garden construction, design, plant selection and education. He has received numerous awards from the Royal Horticultural Society for displays at their shows. His delivery is fast paced and sharply focused on sharing his understanding of fine horticultural practices he has observed around the world. Ian is renowned for asking incisive questions, that breakdown horticultural preconceptions, and reveal easy to implement solutions that increase profitability, reduce plant failure and create, by intention, more value for your clients.

Ian relocated from England to New York in the fall of 2000 to take on the challenge of American horticulture, here he spent over three years adapting his European horticultural finesse to better accommodate the northeast climate. This culminated in managing the installation of plant material on substantial, residential estates in Greenwich, Connecticut, and Long Island, New York. In 2004 Ian moved to Tennessee, as a senior manager and Head of Horticulture for a land development company and since 2006, as an independent horticultural consultant with a wide range of private and corporate clients.

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