Ground Works Land Design, a Cleveland-based, award-winning, full-service landscape and design company, recently named Joseph Stark as marketing director and Adam Swank as director of technology. Stark onboarded in March of 2020, followed by Swank in December. Both new hires join the team from outside of the green industry and are uniquely qualified to support the company’s aggressive expansion plans.
“In the landscaping industry the saying goes, ‘always be hiring,’ but that typically pertains to seasonal crew members,” said Tony Nasrallah, president and founder of Ground Works Land Design. “Investing in our leadership team and placing an emphasis on technology will ultimately allow us to offer more to our clients, setting us apart from other businesses in our vertical.”
Both Stark and Swank are originally from the Cleveland area, specifically born and raised in Bay Village, Ohio, which neighbors the company’s office in Westlake, Ohio. Prior to joining Ground Works, Stark worked in the fast-paced Chicago media industry. He brings more than 10 years of marketing, sales, PR and communications experience to the table. A graduate of Ohio University’s Script College of Communication, Stark has worked with well-known spirits and luxury brands, including Rolex, Breitling, Porsche, Aston Martin, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Angel’s Envy Whiskey and Barrell Bourbon. His immediate responsibility is to increase the Ground Works digital footprint, with an emphasis on social media, and establish better outbound communication practices, including local media relations.
Swank, a 10-year technology veteran and Certified Scrum Master with expertise in digital transformations and Change Management, is responsible for designing the Ground Works Technology Roadmap. He’ll also play a large part in leading project teams and implementations and working closely with customers and partners to provide better service through enhanced technology. Swank has worked for multiple start-ups through “hypergrowth” phases that have resulted in buyouts collectively exceeding $275MM. He has lived and worked in Cleveland, Chicago and Boston before returning to Northeast Ohio.
Ground Works has made significant professional progress in the past 11 years and shows no signs of slowing down. The company finished 2020 19% ahead of 2019 sales, and aims to finish 2021 just over 23% above last year. In addition to the new marketing and technology positions, Nasrallah is actively hiring a landscape architect, account manager and enhancement sales representative to fill the company’s projected 2021 organizational chart.