MEMBER PROFILE
Success means more than dollars at TNT Property Maintenance Ice Management Sector Group Committee and chairs the education committee of Waterloo Chapter. Began landscaping in teens Rob became involved in landscaping as a teen with his uncle in Toronto, who owned a landscaping company. He didn’t immediately turn that experience into his life’s career, instead going to Humber College to be a chef. After working in that industry for awhile, he missed working outside and his passion for plants brought him Rob and Linda Tester work hard for both their business and community. back to the landscaping By Allan Dennis industry. TNT began with Rob and his desire to have ob and Linda Tester of TNT Property his younger brothers join the company, resulting Maintenance measure their success in the acronym derived from Tester and Tester. not just in dollars, but in relationships His younger brothers chose to begin their own with family, community, staff, association and businesses. Gerald began Rede Solutions and provides design, engineering and project manbusiness. Since 1993, TNT Property Maintenance agement for international waterfeatures. Ken has served Kitchener-Waterloo and south- began Multi-Tester Electric and provides comwestern Ontario. A full service landscaping mercial electrical services in the GTA. TNT also and maintenance contractor, the company pro- renovated homes, but soon expanded full-time vides unique design/build outdoor spaces, lawn into landscaping. Linda came into the business and garden care, snowplowing service and with her economics degree, helping with the exterior repairs. books, marketing, and safety training. “Plants and working in the soil are not my favourite Give back to community activities,” says Linda. Rob and Linda are also “We try to give back to the community as much heavily involved in health and safety programs, as possible,” says Linda. When attempting to list both earning accreditation certificates through the groups that Rob and Linda give of their vol- the Construction Safety Association of Ontario. unteer time, they rely on each other to rememThe company has evolved into taking on ber the various organizations. The list includes larger projects and has expanded its line of cuschurches, school councils, schools, high school tom work. “I have lots of plans for the company, horticulture and construction classes and, of but I also believe in letting the market determine course, professional associations. where we go,” says Rob. With over nine years of involvement with TNT has a solid clientele in the winter snow LO’s Waterloo Chapter, Rob has just been named removal side of the business. “We actually cut its president. He served as the treasurer for most back on the number of clients in order to proof the nine years he has been on the chapter’s vide better service to them. At the same time, I board. He is also a member of the LO Snow and increased the rates to reflect our high quality ser-
vice. It allows us to provide high quality by not wearing out my staff.” In late April, the Chapter completed a greening project at St. Michael’s School in Cambridge. “It was great to have the organization and precision that comes with working with LO local members on these greening projects,” said Dennis Wendland, Evergreen School ground greening consultant, serving Waterloo Region Schools. “Thank you to the entire chapter for approving this partnership with Evergreen and a local school each year.” Rob and Linda highly recommend giving back to the community. “Not everything in one’s life should be about profit,” says Linda. They recount an example of the benefits in helping community through an experience they had volunteering to construct a church prayer garden. “We met so many great people during the construction, who are now friends. The end result for us was the amazing feeling we were left with. And, that’s something that money can’t buy.”
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