TALKING WITH TITANS Talking with Titans: Bob Grover By Jill Odom


BOB GROVER IS THE FOUNDER AND CHAIRMAN OF PACIFIC LANDSCAPE Management, based in Hillsboro, Oregon. He has been working in the landscape industry since 1985 and has a bachelor’s degree in horticulture from Oregon State University. Pacific Landscape Management was acquired by Southfield Capital in 2021.


WITH 40 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN THE INDUSTRY, WHAT HAS CHANGED THE MOST IN THE INDUSTRY?


So much has changed. The landscape industry has become much more tech- nical sophisticated and pr


nical,, sophisticated,, and professional. When I star dm


I joined the largest landscape contrac in the Portland, Oregon, market and I was the 1st degreed horticulturalist


When I started my career out of college I joined the largest landscape contractor in the Po tland, Oregon, market and I was the 1st deg eed horticulturalist


y has become much more tech eer out off college,


to join that company. Today, most of our managers have either a bachelor’s degree or an associate degree in horti- culture or related field. We have become a pr


a profession ession rrequiriing pr ng profe


technical training and educ WHERE


INDUSTRYEVOLVE IN THE YEARS?


essionalism,


technical training and education. OULD OULIKE


With the growing concern o mental issues, landscaping s moving from beautification t onmental enhancement. La sequester carbon, clean surf and lower the heat island eff ndustry needs to embrace maximize the environmenta urban landscaping while co minimize the impact off our


HOWHASTHE BUSINESS C SINCE GOINGTHE PRIVATE ROUTE?


We we


WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE THE INDUSTRY EVOLVE IN THE NEXT 10 YEARS?


With the growing concern over environ- mental issues, landscaping services are moving from beautification o envi- ronmental enhancement. Landscapes sequester carbon, clean surface water, and lower the heat island effect. Our iindustry needs t embrace the need to maximize the en


onmental value of


ban landscaping while continuing to minimize the impact of our services by lowering the use of water, c and fuel.


lowering the use of wat , chemicals, and fuel.


HAS THE BUSINESS CHANGED


SINCE GOING THE PRIV TE EQUITY ROUTE?


Little has really changed oth growth trajec


for 25 y


Little has really changed other than our growth trajectory.We were outgrowing the Portland market and ne pand r as w


the Po tland market and needed to ex- pand regionally to maintain as we have been a growth c for 25 years. Gr. Growth keeps u provides opportunity for ou


helping us continue to exp


ionally to maintain our growth, been a growth company owth keeps us vital and


ovides opportunity for our team. Part- nering with Southfield Cap


Southwest. The op th


nia and the opportunity or our team


ha m a


fo p


ing with Southfield Capital helped us expand into Seattl


expand into Seattle and is now helping u


to expand into Cal- ififororn Sou


this has created ffo


has been tre- mendous and all are excited for those op- portunities.


30 The Edge //May/June 2025


WHAT TRAITS DID YOU LOOK FOR IN YOUR PRIVATE EQUITY PARTNER? Maybe a little arrogant, but we felt that the brand, systems, and culture that we had developed in our previous 20 years were unique and special. We chose Southfield Capital as they were interest- ed in helping us grow within our culture and systems. There are other good orga- nizations and systems out there, but we wanted to grow within ours and chose Southfield as they were committed to supporting us with that mission.


WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE OTHER OWNERS WHO ARE CONSIDERING PRIVATE EQUITY AS THEIR EXIT STRATEGY? What I would really suggest to people is to make sure you understand what your goal is. When I’ve seen other longer-term businesses sell a lot of times, it’s an avenue to retire. If you are looking to sell and you want to retire now, you might have a different plan and choose a different partner than if you want to do a true slow transition. I’ve seen a lot of examples of people who sold and left within a year, and their organization and their team and their brand suffered. So, we chose a partner where we could keep our brand and they want to invest in our brand and in our systems. That was very, very important to me, is to protect our brand and protect our team.


WHY IS FOCUSING ON SERVICE SUCH A CORE ASPECT OF YOUR COMPANY’S CULTURE? I believe outstanding service trumps perfect quality. Customers expect and assume that you will provide the product they seek. Great communication and the relationship that you develop is the true key to success. I’ve developed a catchphrase, “Just don’t suck at the landscape part.” This doesn’t mean you provide substandard product; it instead means the great relationship and loyalty you have with your customer has more to do with the service than the product you provide.


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