Member Spotlight on Neal Beasley

Senior Project Manager

Landscape Architect, VA

ISA Certified Arborist

VA Certified Horticulturist

Timmons Group

1001 Boulders Parkway, Suite 300

Richmond, VA 23225

How many years have you been in this position?

14 years, 3 months at Timmons Group 12 years at the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden

How did you decide to pursue a career in the green industry?

Quite honestly, everything I’ve ever done in my life for payment has been in the Green Industry. I’ve just been blessed with opportunities to branch out into different sectors that have built my path to who I am today. I’ve lived my passion!

What path led you to your current position?

I started out cutting grass in my neighborhood, worked in a couple retail florists doing just about anything but mostly deliveries and making bows, installed residential irrigation and accent lighting in an affluent neighborhood in Richmond, worked in a retail plant nursery in Raleigh NC, maintained irrigation systems in the Washington D.C. area and started my post-college employment installing commercial landscapes until I landed my long term role at Lewis Ginter. These consecutive experiences in field jobs inform my daily decisions and communication now and every day. Lewis Ginter was an incredible building block for me to enhance my plant knowledge and understand the rigors of construction.

What is the best part of your job?

Moving from Lewis Ginter to Timmons Group allowed me to reach a broader range of communities where I can make a difference, improve the lives of others and leave this world a better place. Every project, every day is different with many unexpected needs and outcomes.

What are some unique challenges of your job?

Showing others what I envision! As designers, we explore the unseen world, creating the built environment in our minds and then making it visible. Fortunately, I have experts on our team that can help me with that. With sketching and computer software, we can do amazing things to show how our designs will look. What’s even more amazing is the evolution of design to a finished product and being able to look back at the visualization and compare the accuracy.

Landscape Architecture is about creating spaces. There are three design options for a street corner. The first pays homage to a former building located in the same location as the shown façade.

How many employees are part of your team?

Our core group is 12 extremely talented designers and I also have a few hundred other experts in the field of Engineering, Environmental and Structural to help me achieve success.

What’s an example of adversity you’ve faced and how have you overcome it?

I’ve been challenged both physically and spiritually having been handed a cancer diagnosis in the past. Thanks to a good doctor, treatment and a Christian faith, I see life through a different lens now. I love life, love people and appreciate all things around me.

Do you have a mentor in the industry?

Bryce Lane, professor at North Carolina State University. To this day, I don’t think he understands how impactful his knowledge, spirit and love of Horticulture was for me.

How did you come to serve on the VNLA Board?

During my time at Lewis Ginter, I had an active role with the “Beautiful Gardens” plant introduction program which was supported by the VNLA. Those efforts have ceased and after many years, I wanted to get back involved. After some discussion with Shellie, our Executive Director, we found a role that I thought would be good for me and others. Chairing and overseeing the State Certification program is where I am currently, and I look forward to growing certification across the State.

What are your goals as the Certification chair for VNLA?

We’ve already transitioned the exam from paper to computer which was a monumental accomplishment. Next is upgrading the tracking of CEU’s and streamlining the recording process. We have great ideas of modernizing the system and making it not only more accessible, but easier to manage.

What do you do in your free time?

No surprise here… gardening and just maintaining my yard. Athletics are behind me at my age so now I just watch the younger folks play sports. I root for my Wolfpack and the Dallas Cowboys mostly.

Tell us about your family.

Just recently celebrated my 25th anniversary to Paulette who delivered me three daughters, Bridgette (22) “the Artist”, Logan (18) “the Entrepreneur” and Aubrey Joy (11) “the Politician.”

What would your advice be for people entering the nursery and landscape industry now?

Be diverse in your endeavors, take advantage of opportunities afforded you and don’t be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone, in the spirit of learning something.

NEAL BEASLEY is a licensed Landscape Architect, Certified Arborist, and Certified Horticulturist with significant project management experience both in the field and as a design consultant. Formerly the Manager of Horticulture at the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden in Richmond, VA, Neal brings years of field expertise into the design community focusing on project coordination, elaborate planting design, site lighting, irrigation and administering construction support services for municipal, residential and commercial properties. Neal’s career objectives of contributing to all aspects of design and construction led him to a professional shift from the construction and maintenance environment in 2005 to the design community. As a result, Neal has worked with Timmons Group for the past fourteen years and has been an integral contributor to projects from Pennsylvania to North Carolina. With this experience, he has a broad perspective of regional design as well as site specific objectives. Combining this experience with his history gives him versatility and wisdom to propel projects to a successful completion.