2022 Industry Award Recipients

Each year, NCNLA recognizes the contributions of outstanding individuals and businesses in North Carolina’s green industry. The recipients of the 2022 NCNLA Industry Awards were announced during the annual meeting held at Green & Growin’ on Jan. 19, 2023.

Established in 1999, the Jerry Ragland Young Landscape Professional Award recognizes an outstanding young person in the landscape business.

★ Perry Jordan has had a long professional journey with Arbor Enterprises. He began working at there as a maintenance supervisor in 2010, created and managed its irrigation division beginning in 2013, was promoted to general manager in 2018, and then purchased the company in December 2020 — renaming it Arbor Landscape and Irrigation. A Johnston County native, Perry is a licensed landscape contractor, licensed irrigation contractor, Certified Plant Professional and Wastewater Surface Irrigation Operator. Outside of the workplace, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Kayla, and sons Luke (9) and Colton (11).

Why he was nominated

» NCNLA Awards Committee

Thank you to the NCNLA Awards Committee for taking the time to review award nominations and select the 2022 recipients.

Margaret “Phil” Campbell

Kirk Davis

Tony Evans

Chad Gragg

Jeremy Shaver

Nick Waddell

A great boss, Perry is focused on horticultural integrity, as well as serving the community and taking care of his clients and employees. In keeping with the mission of Arbor Landscape and Irrigation, Perry maintains his NCNLA membership and handles maintenance of the Veterans of Foreign Wars post in Pittsboro, NC, at no charge. He donates to cancer charities for client causes and also recently helped some employees with personal medical needs.

What has been the most rewarding part of your career so far?

One of the most rewarding aspects of my career has been the opportunity to purchase Arbor Enterprises after starting as a supervisor at the company 13 years ago. The long days and sacrifices are a real part of the process. The second part of that reward, if it were broken into two equal parts, is that with the help of my family, excellent clients and great employees, my first years as a business owner have been truly successful and overwhelmingly fulfilling.

What advice would you give to someone interested in the industry?

The best advice I can give to someone interested in this industry is to have patience. Find a good mentor you can work with, and stick with it — success doesn’t happen overnight. I also recommend educating yourself and learning about all the different fields in the green industry. Expanding your horizons can really help you discover your true passion.

Established in 1978 by Oakland Plantation, this award is given to individuals for outstanding service to the nursery and/or landscape industry.

★ Hugh Crump began his career working for a large commercial landscape firm prior to finding his niche in the small, boutique-style residential arena. Greatly enjoying the individualized, collaborative nature of residential work, Hugh further honed his craft with the creation of Greenline Design. He is a registered landscape contractor and lifelong North Carolinian.

Why he was nominated

Hugh recently exited the NCNLA Board of Directors after serving for six years, including his three years on the executive track. As the busy owner of a small landscape design firm in Charlotte, NC, serving on the board was a tremendous time commitment, but Hugh knows the importance of having dedicated leaders who give freely of their time to serve our industry. He served during some difficult times in the association’s history, including during the COVID pandemic, during which funding was extremely limited and staff turnover was high. Hugh is rarely ruffled and always displays a positive energy, and his steady and thoughtful voice helped guide NCNLA through those challenging times. He also is an extremely talented designer who, along with his team, continues to elevate our industry’s standards.

Our relationships with trade partners and clients are so important to me. It’s very rewarding to earn the trust and respect of clients who believe in our vision. They depend on us to act in their best interests, and I don’t take that responsibility lightly.

What advice would you give to someone interested in the industry?

This is a super interesting question that I’m asked very often. My response is usually very basic: Answer your phone and do what you say you’re going to do. I also encourage newcomers to work to establish relationships with people in the industry — especially with local nurseries, growers and product suppliers, who possess a wealth of knowledge, are usually willing to share their insights, and are keenly interested in the growth and development of others in the industry. Another great way to fast-track your growth is to become a member of NCNLA. Don’t wait until you’re bigger or more established — the sooner you get involved, the greater your knowledge base becomes. Knowledge is power, but knowledge is also the greatest sales tool.

Established in 2004, this award recognizes an individual’s outstanding contribution to the association and industry, and more specifically, their involvement in program development and execution.

★ Lee Ivy is director of the Agricultural Institute and assistant director of academ ic programs in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at North Carolina State University.

Lee taught in the Depart ment of Horticultural Science at NC State from 2012 to 2021. He also co-advised the Horticulture Competition Team and co-hosted the Na tional Collegiate Landscape Competition in 2015 and 2022. A graduate with horti cultural degrees from the University of Tennessee and NC State, he is a licensed landscape contractor, a Certified Pesticide Applicator and a member of NCNLA.

Lee co-authored the book “Landscape Design, Installation and Management,” published by Goodheart-Wilcox.

Lee is always willing to lend a hand and step up to promote the industry. Instrumental in bringing the localized version of the landscape field day to North Carolina in 2020, he used the event to engage with an entirely new group of students, introduce them to the green industry and spark their interest in the field. Supported by a wide variety of local and national green industry members with whom Lee has made connections over the years, the event was a great success.

Lee is extremely involved with the undergraduate students at NC State University (and formerly at Sandhills Community College) to get them real-world experience and industry knowledge, both through his teaching and by serving as a lead for the NC State University National Association of Landscape Professionals Competition Team. He is always looking for ways to help the industry bring new generations into the field, and most recently has been working on a doctoral degree focused on the implications of online versus face-to-face education for horticulture students.

Lee is also always willing to help solve current and potential future problems in our industry. For instance, he has stepped in as an interim educational advisor to the NCNLA Board or Directors while Joe Neal was on sabbatical for a year, served on the NCNLA Education Committee, and pitched in as a speaker for Green & Growin’. He also has been working on a grant and project with Wayne Buehler to address the challenges of Spanish-language training related to pesticide licensing. He is truly committed to growing our industry’s future.

What has been the most rewarding part of your career so far?

God has blessed me with the opportunity to be part of a community in which people care about each other and have a genuine desire to see others — and the industry as a whole —succeed. Connecting students to meaningful life paths and helping others reach their goals are super fulfilling aspects of my career. Challenging myself to find creative solutions to obstacles is also very rewarding. But I would say the most valuable aspect of my career is having met so many people who turned from acquaintances to friends, and now have become lifelong friendships. So many of the rewards from being in this industry are related to professional networking and encouragement from other educators, industry professionals and upcoming leaders. I have gained much more from this industry than I have ever given, and I am grateful for those who have mentored and encouraged me over the years.

It takes courage to introduce yourself to new people and participate in industry-related organizations and events, but participation in smaller groups is the portal to network engagement on a larger scale. So many people in this industry know each other and are willing to share information and strategies for success. In order to tap into that counsel, you have to courageously engage with people at every level of work, management and leadership. So take that step to connect, and you’ll likely find a treasure trove of wisdom and experience — and you’re sure to gain a friend or two along the way.

Established in 1994 and named for the longtime executive director of the North Carolina Association of Nurserymen, this award recognizes qualified young men and women for outstanding service in the field of environmental horticulture and their inspiration to others starting out in the field.

★ Brian Groves is the project manager at Panoramic Farm, located in Marshville, NC. After graduating from Virginia Tech in 2013 with a Bachelor of Science degree in aerospace engineering, he received his Master of Science degree in aerospace engineering from NC State in 2015. With his engineering background, Brian brings an unusual perspective and a unique set of talents to the industry, as it relates to automation and equipment integration.

Brian is also the founder and CEO of Pallet Tower LLC, the daughter company of Panoramic Farm. Pallet Tower is a patented product that helps streamline the packing, shipping and selling processes into a single one-way system.

Why he was nominated

Brian plays a key role at Panoramic Farm, helping the company increase efficiency and production capacity.

What has been the most rewarding part of your career so far?

The most rewarding part of my career to this point has been the relationships I have been able to make and the collaborations that have ensued. This industry is all about relationships, and everyone is so quick to share. The best part of the job is getting out and visiting with customers, vendors and other nurseries and seeing how they innovate. That is truly fun for me!

What advice would you give to someone interested in the industry?

I would recommend taking a tour of a nursery or greenhouse. This industry can seem simple from the outside looking in, but as soon as you get a peek behind the curtain, you realize there are lots of complex systems going on in the background. So much science (and art!) is needed to be successful in the green industry nowadays — and that means we need people from all types of backgrounds. Once you take a tour (Panoramic Farm is a great option!), you will get to see how friendly this industry is, and you will be certainly drawn into it!