Martin started the company in 2001 after graduating from Purdue University with his Bachelors in Landscape Design and Horticulture. Like most small businesses he began the company by not only selling the work, but also performing it. He started the business as a small 2-man operation and it has since grown steadily over the years to now employ over 45 people.

Martin has been married to Katie for more than 15 years now and has 2 great kids, Audrey and Jonathan. He has always enjoyed working outside and building projects since he was younger. Martin’s biggest reward is to see a project that the team at Martin John envisioned and developed go from a blank canvas to the final product to a satisfied client for years to come.

Over the past 35 years, Jim has worked in the green industry from hands-on labor to management positions. He has a degree in Ornamental Horticulture. His passion for the horticulture field created opportunities to work in many aspects of landscape construction and maintenance. Working throughout the Chicagoland and Milwaukee areas, Jim has found great satisfaction with helping people to achieve their best while helping the company prosper.

In recent years, the sport of triathlon caught Jim’s attention. He has been competing in various triathlon events for several years. Jim is married to his high school sweetheart and has been together for nearly 40 years. They have a son who they are very proud of.

Chuck became interested in Landscape Architectural Design and was influenced growing up in the City of Chicago surrounded by great examples of architecture, urban planning, and park/estate landscape design. He has a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture degree from Syracuse University. In addition to formal studies and education, he traveled and studied garden design in England & Scotland. Chuck is a Licensed Landscape Architect in the States of Illinois and Wisconsin.

When Chuck is not working, he has a passion and interest in traveling locally or internationally. During these trips, he combines his passion for photography and hand renderings & sketching.  He enjoys biking and hiking, is a voracious reader of classic American History, and is involved and volunteers for several organizations.

Greg’s first summer job was cutting grass in the 7th grade! He’s been in the industry ever since. He graduated from Iowa State University with a degree in Business Management. Greg has over 30 years of industry experience in residential/ commercial landscape management and snow/ice management. In his free time, he enjoys working in his yard and riding his Harley. Greg has 3 children Amanda, Tyler, and Austin.

Trace is a certified Landscape technician. He has been in the landscaping industry for nearly 40 years serving in both landscape construction and maintenance. In his free time, he can be found working on his guitar collection (while watching NASCAR with a cold one).

David is celebrating his 38th year working in the landscape industry throughout Chicago’s North Shore. He attended Northland College where he studied plant science and environmental studies. He also studied Ornamental Horticulture at The College of Lake County. He has worked in many aspects of landscaping including plant health care, maintenance, design, construction, and client relations. In 2001, David became an Illinois Certified Nursery Professional and is also a 3-time time Illinois Landscape Contractors Association award-winning Designer.

David has been together with his wife Shelly for 12 years, has a wonderful adult stepdaughter, Genevieve, and has a 6-year-old dog from South Korea. In his free time, when he is not working on his own garden, David enjoys making music with Shelly; he plays guitar and piano, she sings and plays the flute. They also like to host occasional grilling and ‘jam sessions’ with their musical friends.

Jacob first became interested in landscaping as a kid because of scouting. He graduated from Southern Illinois University with a degree in Landscape Horticulture specializing in Design. Jacob has over 20 years of industry experience residential design and landscape management. In his free time, Jacob can be found working on projects in his garage, or out camping and 4 wheeling with his family.

I came to the USA wen I was 15 years old and my first job was working with my dad in a landscaping company, most of my relatives work in the same industry, I am happily married with 3 daughters. We love family trips and camping. My wife thinks is funny that I come home from work just to work some more in our garden because it relaxes me.

Tyler has spent 2 decades transforming North Shore clients’ outdoor landscaped spaces into spectacular special event venues, which nurtured his love of designing curated green spaces alongside his passion for customer service, technology and the building trades. He strives to learn or create something new every day, and takes joy in the seemingly endless fountain of knowledge that the landscaping industry offers.

Tyler is fluent in both English and Spanish and enjoys the ability to use both languages most days. In his free time, you can find Tyler playing music, involved with activities at his church, or working on some type of carpentry project.

Years ago, I lived in northern Wisconsin and I had a friend who had a lawn mowing business. He somehow picked up a bigger new property to maintain, the old, run-down local cemetery. Since my buddy was basically a one-man company, he was begging me to come help him at the cemetery. I told him no several times. I kept saying, I didn’t know how to use the machines or do any landscaping. I didn’t want to get up at the crack of dawn every morning but I really didn’t want to work in that creepy old cemetery by myself every day. He finally talked me into it and soon I was flying around on a riding mower, listening to my Walkman while I cut the grass in the big rear fields, line trimmed around all the trees and stones, pruned bushes, and created flower beds. Pretty soon the cemetery didn’t look old and run down anymore and I found myself hooked on landscaping. I eventually moved back to Northern Illinois as I grew up in Highland Park. I caught on with a small Lake Bluff landscape company and going on 34 years later I haven’t looked back!

I now live in Libertyville with my phenomenal wife Mary, our two grown up boys Brian and Sam, who with his wife Skylar gave us our first grandchild, Peyton the Wonder Boy, three years ago. Peyton keeps us busy but so do the five dogs, fifteen chickens, four birds, and two cats. It is pretty crazy and hectic but we wouldn’t have it any other way.