Pro Landscaper USA has revealed its inaugural list of The 50 most influential people who are shaping the US landscaping industry.

Rather than being determined by revenue, the list takes into account readers’ nominations and recognizes those who are actively contributing to the industry, speaking up on the issues that matter and helping to drive where the profession is heading. 

This could be through their businesses, industry associations, advocacy, innovation, education or by being a leading voice on the issues facing landscaping today.

It spans the breadth of the industry, from contractors and installers, to landscape architects and designers, to horticulturists and maintenance professionals.

“The landscaping industry is evolving rapidly, and The 50 gives us an opportunity to celebrate the people driving that change,” says content director Nina Mason.

“We wanted to look beyond job titles and follower counts to highlight those making an impact through their businesses, projects, ideas, advocacy and leadership.”

Here are Pro Landscaper USA’s The 50:

• Aida Curtis – principal, Curtis & Rogers Design Studio 
• Allen Compton – owner and principal, SALT Landscape Architects 
• Andrew Bray – executive vice president for government relations, National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP) & executive director, NALP Foundation 
• B. Scott LaMont – CEO and principal, EDSA 
• Barbara Deutsch – CEO, Landscape Architecture Foundation (LAF) 
• Ben Collinsworth – director of operational technology and sustainability, Yellowstone Landscapes 
• Bradley McCauley – partner and managing principal, Site Design Group 
• Carolina Jaimes – managing director, Enea Landscape Architecture 
• Christine Ten Eyck – founding principal, Ten Eyck Landscape Architects 
• Claire Lewis – director, UF/IFAS Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Program 
• Craig Ruppert – executive chairman, Ruppert Landscape 
• Dale Asplund – president and CEO, BrightView 
• David Anderson – professional practice professor, Department of Landscape Architecture & Environmental Planning, Utah State University 
• David Godshall – principal, Terremoto Studio 
• Deena Bell Llewellyn – founder and principal, Bell Landscape Architecture Inc 
• Denise R. Calabrese – executive director, Association of Professional Landscape Designers (APLD) 
• Edward Schatz, Jr. – founder and CEO, HeartLand 
• Elizabeth Kennedy – founder, Elizabeth Kennedy Landscape Architect, PLLC (EKLA)
• Evan Mather – principal, MIG 
• Frank Mariani – executive chairman, Mariani Premier Group
• Gretchen Wilson – co-founder, Dig Studio 
• Jim McCutcheon – CEO, HighGrove Partners 
• Jon Georgio – CEO, Gothic Landscape 
• Julie Bargmann – founder and principal, D.I.R.T Studio 
• Justin White – CEO, K&D Landscaping, Inc. 
• Kate Orff – founding principal, SCAPE 
• Kona Gray – principal, EDSA 
• Leigh Gevelinger – Owner at Coastal Vista Design, Inc 
• Mark Rios – founding principal, RIOS 
• Martha Schwartz – founder and partner, Martha Schwartz Partners (MSP) 
• Mia Lehrer – founder and president, Studio-MLA 
• Michael Van Valkenburg – founder and partner, Michael Van Valkenburg Associates (MVVA) 
• Mike Bogan – CEO, LandCare 
• Nicole Plunkett – co-president, Cotleur & Hearing
• Pamela Conrad – founder, Climate Positive Design 
• Phil Key – CEO, Ruppert Landscape 
• Raymond Jungles – founding principal, Raymond Jungles, Inc. 
• Richard Sperber – former managing partner, Sperber Landscape Companies
• Roberto Rovira – principal, Studio Roberto Rovira and professor, Florida International University
• Roscoe Klausing – founder and owner, Klausing Group 
• Ross Altheimer – principal and co-founder, TEN x TEN 
• Sean Laux – principal, Field Integration Group, LLC
• Stephanie Landregan – director, Altadena Green 
• Steven Chavez – founder and executive director, National Association of Minority Landscape Architects (NAMLA) 
• Thomas Woltz – owner and principal, Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects 
• Tiffany Beamer – co-chief executive officer and partner, OLIN 
• Tim Portland – chairman and CEO, Yellowstone Landscape 
• Tom Lazzaro – CEO, Down to Earth Landscape & Irrigation 
• Torey Carter-Conneen – CEO, American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) 
• Walter Hood – founder and creative director, Hood Design Studio 

Pro Landscaper USA’s The 50 will be celebrated at FutureScape USA | Florida on December 10 at South Florida Fairgrounds, West Palm Beach, FL.

Look out for Pro Landscaper USA’s full coverage of The 50 in the December edition.