PRESIDENT ' S MESSAGE
PRESIDENT
VICE PRESIDENT
2024 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Chris Connors , MCLP Schumacher Companies West Bridgewater , MA
Miriam Hellweg , MCLP A Blade of Grass , Sudbury , MA
SECRETARY / TREASURER Andy McDuff , MCLP Landscape America , Inc ., Wrentham , MA
DIRECTOR
PAST PRESIDENT
MANAGEMENT TEAM
Johnny Kwasek , MCLP John Anthony ’ s Landscape Roslindale , MA
Karen Kerr , MCLP Harrison McPhee , Inc ., Millis , MA
M . Virginia Wood Peggy Benjamin Kristen Dreyer Carrie Martin Charissa Sharkey
MALP NEWSLINE is a publication of the Massachusetts Association of Landscape Professionals , Inc .
MALP NEWSLINE is published four times a year for the Massachusetts Association of Landscape Professionals ( MALP ) and is distributed free of charge to members . The purpose of the newsletter is to disseminate information to promote general standards and ethics in landscape contracting , as well as to foster research and share knowledge with its members . MALP is a not-for-profit corporation dedicated to communications between its membership and the industry . MALP believes the information in this publication to be accurate as of its publication date and is not responsible for inadvertent errors . The MALP and Massachusetts Certified Landscape Professional ( MCLP ) logos are trademarks of the Massachusetts Association of Landscape Professionals , Inc . Qualified MALP members and certified members only are permitted to utilize the logo . Logos for MALP and MCLP are available through the MALP office .
EDITORIAL Readers are encouraged to submit articles , announcements , review of products , or letters . Address correspondence to the attention of the MALP Newsletter Editor at the address below .
ADVERTISING For advertising rates and information , contact Carrie Martin at cmartin @ MLP-MLCP . org or at the MALP phone number below . Ads may be submitted as high-resolution pdf files . Discounted advertising rates are available to MALP members .
DISCLAIMER The views and opinions expressed in this newsletter are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the MALP .
Massachusetts Association of Landscape Professionals 67 West Street • Medfield , MA 02052 phone : 508.653.3373 info @ mlp-mclp . org • MLP-MCLP . org
MALP held its annual election of officers on November 14 , 2023 . The following are excerpted remarks from newly elected president Chris Connors , MCLP ..
“ Thank you to my fellow board members for working together as a great team . Your leadership and commitment have been key in keeping MALP moving forward .
Thank you also to Virginia , Carrie , and Kristen for all your help and great ideas . We are on solid financial footing thanks to careful management , members who support our educational events , and vendors who sponsor our meetings and publications .
I would like to welcome Johnny Kwasek , MCLP of John Anthony Landscaping to the board . Johnny has made many contributions on the MCLP Committee for years and was a big help at our recent Fall Field Day .
Lastly thank you for electing me MALP President . For those I have not had the pleasure of meeting , my name is Chris Connors , and I have been in the Green Industry for just over 25 years .
I started in this industry working for a small startup with my brother and business partner . What began as a small company quickly evolved and allowed me the opportunity to wear many hats . What I thought would
be a summer job developed into a passion and eagerness to learn more about construction , plants , soils , and everything in between . I was always amazed when talking to ‘ real pros ’ how they could walk around a site , name every plant , flower and turfgrass , and know what it would do in the landscape . I think that lit the fuse for me . And while I still have tons to learn , I can now tell the difference between an Azalea and a Hydrangea .
My hope is that this year we can continue the hard work already under way to enhance the MALP organization while partnering on the bigger stage with groups like NALP , and reinvigorate the MCLP program to build the awareness it so well deserves .
I encourage each of you to get involved . Reach out to a committee member , send in an idea for something you wish you could gain from being a part of MALP , or suggestions for more involvement with the younger generations . Reach across the table where you sit tonight and start a conversation about what is going on in your landscape world , or an issue you may be having . I think you will be surprised with the response and willingness to help . Ultimately this is our organization , and we need work as a team to lift each other up and do good work .”
MALP Newsline | Winter 2023 3