Member Profile Greenwise Organic Lawn Care LLC 1638 Payne Street Evanston, Il 60201 (847) 866-1930 www.iamgreenwise.com by Meta Levin
Marc Wise loves
the outdoors. He always has. For several years he bounced around the United States, going to school, taking some time off and finally earning a degree in environmental studies, with a focus on ecology, from Prescott College in Prescott, AZ. Friends lured him to the Chicago area. He fell in love with the lakefront. His longtime frustration with large agricultural companies that had a negative impact on the environment drove him to start Greenwise, an organic lawn care company, providing sustainable options to business and residential customers. “It’s my way of making a difference,” he says. Wise chose an organic lawn care company in part, because he had spent some time working for one (Good Nature) in Cleveland, OH, an experience that made a big impression on him. “That was a huge factor,” he says. His concern about the environment started early. As a child, he spent a lot of time outdoors. “I always have had an affinity and love for everything alive,” he says. “I was very curious and tried to understand the environment at a young age.” To cap it all, he wrote his senior thesis about bio-diesel from former US Representative Dennis Kucinich’s office. Kucinich was running for president at the time and hired Wise as an intern. “He was another role model of people standing up for their beliefs,” says Wise. Wise started Greenwise in 2007. His girlfriend at the time helped him, as did a colleague from Uncle Dan’s, the store at which he had been working. To get his first customers, he posted fly56
ers at Whole Foods, green events and even snagged a feature story in the local Evanston “RoundTable.” His Uncle Dan’s co-worker had some landscape experience and came on as foreman for the maintenance division, while Wise developed the organic side. Now he employs about 35 people. “The people around Evanston embraced what we were doing,” he says. While his early maintenance foreman went on to other things, he has had several loyal employees who have stayed with him. Michael Kormanik is Greenwise’s Marceting manager. With the company since 2009, he started as an aerator, moved into the office and now has moved to his present position. “He is really key to our success,” says Wise. Dan Klindera has only been with Greenwise for less than a year, but already he has made his mark. “He is an amazing leader and makes Greenwise a happy place to work,” says Wise. “He gives good structure and guidance to the organization. Klindera is a certified arborist and serves as the company’s general manager. Senior landscape designer Tim Clough has been with the company for almost four years. He is, says Wise, “exceptionally versatile and talented. He has had a huge influence over the growth of our company.” Wise believes that it is important to give back to the community, especially in ways that support his mission statement. “Our company stands on three legs: profit, giving back to the community and collaborating and assisting nonprofits who are doing what we do.” To that end he collaborates with the Midwest Pesticide Action Center, donatThe Landscape Contractor October 2015
ing services to run a pesticide free pilot program at five city parks in Evanston. The action center provides educational materials. He also provides equipment, materials, labor and vehicles to help the Talking Farm in Skokie, which focuses on educating people about urban agriculture and food production. Wise joined ILCA this year, because he views it as an organization that does good things for the landscape industry. “There are a lot of amazing companies in the landscape industry, but also some who are not educated and don’t maintain best practices. ILCA betters the landscape industry.” Given a choice, he believes that most customers will opt for a sustainable alternative. “It’s my job to be able to deliver affordable and effective solutions,” he says. “Most people who come to us don’t want toxic herbicides and pesticides on their property. If we can lighten the footprint of the lawn, they will embrace it.”