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Team
Bill
The state of business software available for the landcare industry in 1989 was not very good. The only available products were designed for general contractors. They were slow, expensive, and did not fit the needs or requirements of landscape companies.
With a strong background in construction project management and real estate development, and working as lead estimator for a landscape company, Bill recognized the need for quality software in the industry. A bit of a perfectionist, he decided to tackle the project himself, building the early foundations of Asset. Now, 22 years later, his company is the industry leader and has literally transformed the businesses of Include’s clients, adding hundreds of thousands of dollars to their bottom lines and helping them thrive in even the toughest of economic settings. Having witnessed the transformational effect of his once modest software program that is now an industry leader, Bill wants to see it used in every contracting business in North America.
Bill is the lead visionary and oversees the development of new products and functionality to help Include’s clients thrive.
If Bill were on a reality TV show, it would be called: MacGyver: Escape from Computer Camp. Instead of using duct tape and a Swiss Army Knife, Bill can get himself out of any jam with a pivot table and the FASB (Financial Accounting Standards Board) standards.
Nanette
Nanette doesn’t sleep much. She’s too busy chasing her passions.
If you know her, you probably have a hard time figuring out where work ends and play starts; they seem to be one in the same. Volunteering in various capacities for PLANET (the Professional Landcare Network), including work on Executive Forum, GIE, SIMA, and serving as Chair of the Supplier Committee, might seem like a lot of work, but Nanette is obviously empowered by the opportunity to help other people’s businesses.
She started in the landcare industry in 1991 doing scheduling and account management for a design/build and maintenance company. She has been at Include since 1994 where she’s worked in every capacity (except coding), including customer service, sales, marketing, and operations. She now oversees all of those departments as the company’s vice president. Nanette loves her current position and describes it as true fit, probably because she is a big-picture person who loves a variety of challenges and interacting with diverse personalities.
An avid environmental steward, Nanette is a strong advocate of the Chesapeake Bay. She is also a self-described CrossFit fanatic, gardener, entertainer, and wine drinker who prefers the beach to the mountains and sunrises over sunsets.
If there was a reality show about Nanette, it would be called Wild On GIE and SIMA. Eat your heart out, Brooke Burke – our host takes you to the hottest spots at the annual conferences we all know and love.
Jody
Even after developing his own landscape design/build and maintenance company in high school, working as a landscape design consultant for a prominent residential design/build firm, and earning multiple prestigious awards for his projects from PLANET and other local landscape associations, Jody still manages to love what he does.
Jody joined the Include Software team in 2007 after becoming a quick study and power user of Asset™. Primarily, he focuses most of his time helping to find new companies that are looking to improve their business practices through the use of Include’s services, but he can also be found networking in the booths at industry trade shows.
Jody is very active in PLANET, serving on the Membership Committee and Design/Build Specialty Group, and the Howard County Chamber of Commerce. He was also the founding chair of the Young Professionals Network, and still continues to serve on their Steering Team. In 2011, Jody was also recognized as one of the 39 Finest Under 39 in Howard County.
Outside of work, Jody enjoys spending time with his wife and son. He coaches youth ice hockey for 5-9 year olds and, when time permits, plays golf.
If there was a reality television show about Jody, it would be called Dancing with the Scars. It’s riveting TV when ex-landscapers take to the dance floor to show off their weed-whacker ankle scars, dirty fingernails, and trusty Buck knife in their pocket.
Lisa
Lisa has been a member of the Include Software team since 2009. Prior to working at Include, her only exposure to the Green Industry consisted of a summer job at a local nursery making hanging baskets and planting mums during a blistering heat wave. After college, she had extensive experience in accounting, business management, and reporting in both large corporations and small businesses, where she was able to hone her computer software and technical skills.
Although Lisa plays a significant role as a member of the development team, she also resolves issues and assists clients in their learning and understanding of Asset.
As a member of PLANET and a hearty volunteer of various organizations, Lisa loves working with and helping people, and strives each and every day to provide superior customer service.
If there was a reality television show about Lisa, it would be called, It Is What It Is. When you’re not easily flustered and can handle any challenge, customer service is a great place to be.
Jenny
As a former employee in the Hospitality Industry, and someone whose family finds it hard to articulate what her job title actually is, Jenny knows how to multi-task, and she knows how to do it well.
Although she holds no prior experience in the landscaping field, she is passionate about Include, even if that means “staying home in her PJs and IMing the rest of the team all day,” as her daughter is fond of saying. She believes that she is lucky to work with people who she considers her friends.
If there were a reality television show about Jenny, it would be called, My Bag Full of Crazy. Jenny picked that name herself. We figure she’s referring to 1) her hectic schedule at work, 2) the Include headquarters, which would be a pretty good way to describe her coworkers, or 3) that bag of catnip she keeps in her desk drawer. We’re afraid to ask her to clarify…
Megan
The daughter of a successful landscape contractor (with uncles and a sister also in the business), Megan grew up around skid loaders, mowers and backhoes. With previous experience including property management, QuickBooks consulting, accounting, and bookkeeping have been a significant part of her professional life.
As a Support Specialist for Include, Megan’s duty is to work with the programmers to help clients resolve support questions and research concerns. Although she is new to the team, she knows her favorite parts of the job already: interacting with the clients and investigating issues to discover the resolutions they need.
If there were a reality TV show about Megan, it would be called Real Horsewomen of the Eastern Shore. Be honest, wouldn’t you love to see a horseback matchup between avid equestrians like Megan and the debutante “housewives” from TV?
Jenn
Jenn is a Certified Professional Horticulturist with Bachelor’s degrees in Horticulture and Environmental Science from Virginia Tech. She has a wealth of experience in the green industry, including 7 years as Recruiting Director for a major landscape company and 5 years as owner of her own consulting firm, which focused on recruiting and staffing for the green industry.
In 2007, Jenn was named one of Lawn & Landscape’s “Top 35 Under 35,” and from 2005 to 2010, Jen was Chair of the PLANET Student Career Days Committee. Currently, she is a member of Lawn & Landscape’s Insight Market Council and Chair of PLANET’s Industry Recruitment Committee.
Jenn is a Client Care and Implementation Liaison at Include Software.
If Jenn starred in a reality TV show, it would be called: Overachievers Anonymous. Follow the gripping tales of the young and the restless in the landcare industry as the scratch and claw their way to the top to see which one takes the helm of PLANET first.
Brief History of Include
Include Software is the 22-year old company behind Asset™, the leading business management software for the landcare and snow & ice management industries. Asset is a fully-integrated product that manages every aspect of your business and eliminates the need for other software programs.
Company Origins
With a strong background in construction project management and real estate development, and while working as lead estimator for a landscape company, Include Software founder Bill Seven recognized the need for quality software in the industry. So he designed Lbase Estimating, the first commercially-available, landscape-specific, PC- based product for the Green Industry.
Almost immediately, clients requested more functionality. Bill and the Include Software team revised and enhanced the software, adding routing, scheduling, and accounting components, becoming the first Green Industry-centered software company to provide Windows-based products in 1996, and a Palm-based data-collection solution in 1997.
With an increased demand to meet the expectations of an ever-changing marketplace, the team at Include Software has learned to carefully listen to clients and deliver products and services that are not only quality, but innovative, as well.
InTouch and Net Promoter Score of 8.7
In 2003, Fred Reichheld, a partner at Bain & Company, created a valuable system for calculating customer satisfaction. With a score of 0-9 and three established categories (Promoters, Passives, and Detractors), the Net Promoter Score asks one simple question: “How likely are you to refer this company to your friends or colleagues?”
Include Software has earned an 8.7, which places us in the Promoters class, an indication of a company with a loyal, enthusiastic client base.
Clients
Include serves clients throughout North America in several landcare fields, including landscaping contractors, architects, interior plantscaping, lawn and garden stores, nurseries, maintenance companies, and snow and ice management & removal.
Community
We are committed to the education and training of current and future professionals in the outdoor services industries through sponsorships and other beneficial donations. We currently support:
PLANET (The Professional Landcare Network) is an international association serving lawn care professionals, landscape management, design/build/installation professionals, irrigation & water management and interior plantscapers. We have donated $25,000 to the Academic Excellence Foundation, a committee that provides scholarships for students pursuing degrees in the landcare industry. As a supporter of PLANET’s Annual Student Career Days, a three-day competitive event among students enrolled in landscape management/horticulture programs in colleges and universities across the country, we have sponsored many programs and competitions, including the beloved “Internet Café.” We also participate in PLANET’s Green Industry Great Escape (formerly Executive Forum), which is an annual destination meeting for upper-level management, owners, and key personnel, and Include Vice President Nanette Seven serves as chair of the Supplier Subcommittee, a committee that creates new business and partnership opportunities.
GIE+EXPO (the Green Industry & Equipment Expo), an exposition dedicated exclusively to the Green Industry.
LCA (Landscape Contractors Association), an association that provides local resources to landscape professionals in the Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. area.
ILCA (Illinois Landscape Contractors Association), an association that pledges to serve as a forum for the free exchange of ideas among Illinois landscape contractors, their suppliers, and the government.
SIMA (Snow & Ice Management Association), a North American trade association for snow & ice industry professionals that raises awareness through networking and education.
ANLA (American Nursery & Landscape Association), a national trade association for the nursery and landscape industry that provides education, research, public relations, and representation services.
A Better Way, an interactive session hosted by Jim Paluch of JP Horizons that teaches individuals and organizations how to create a sustainable future.
Next Level Network University (NLN), an organization of progressive landscape companies that develop their businesses through collaboration.
