End of Year Branch Managers Survey - Sit Down with CEPRA

It's that time of year again! As the holidays are time for tradition, we are once again closing out our year with words from our Branch Managers. This year, we asked each of the Branch Managers to highlight some of their team's best moments, and give thanks to specific members of our team or specific choices that truly helped the year go smoothly. They immediately stated that would be a hard thing to do, as each member is so valuable. Nonetheless, we rounded up a yearbook of our team's highlights, divided by branch. Take a look at what all we have accomplished!

 

Name: Danny Cravey   
Branch: Ocala

I want to give my thanks to the Ocala Enhancement Team - Brian, Damon, Angel, and Dakota. We had a new construction installation job, which is not common for us in Ocala, in a community that we have worked very hard to develop a relationship within. The Enhancement Team (along with the Irrigation Team) came in and did a great job. I received numerous compliments on the thoroughness and workmanship of the team. These were from the site management team that inspects new installs, on a monthly basis. Our team was professional and courteous to the other construction tradesman onsite. Thank you for your dedication to providing excellent service.

Thank you as well to the Ocala Irrigation Team - Dan, Harvey, Josh, and Logan. The irrigation team performed a $90k irrigation retrofit in an older community, a project that lasted several months. The community had spent “bad” money over the years on their irrigation and still had a very inefficient system. The guys installed and properly nozzled all new heads and moved and repositioned over half the heads. The property is now receiving adequate irrigation throughout and is ready to look at enhancement improvements over the next several years. Thank you for a job well done and giving the community the groundwork it needs to look its best.

I want to highlight Cody Wiley. Cody is always one of the first guys at the shop each morning. He does little things that most don't realize just to keep things rolling. For the majority of the year, he handled inventory on shop supplies and small tools. He also makes sure each crew has supplies. It's the little things and the consistency of doing them that really helps each day to get started on the right foot. Your efforts do not go unnoticed. Thank you.

 

Name: Jason Haydu   
Branch: Orlando Construction

I want to thank Efrien Fernandez. Efrien is the foreman on a job called 'Gamma' out at Epcot. This job is arguably the most complicated job we have ever faced at CEPRA Construction, and Efrien has taken the bull by the horns. He knows the key members of every other trade we are working with; he knows the job like the back of his hand; and he constantly gets compliments for his outstanding workmanship and attitude. CEPRA Construction could not do the complex jobs we do without Efrien!

Thank you, Luis Jimenez. Luis has the ability to run jobs more efficiently than I ever could have imagined. He has only been in this position for about a year in a half, and acts like a seasoned veteran. I can trust him with any job and a large workload. Not only does he have the job sequencing down to a science, but he does it with the best attitude on this planet. His team and customers absolutely love him! Thank you.

I want to give my thanks to Baltizar Vasquez. Baltizar has always been the type of person that never complains about anything. You ask him to come in at midnight to make a mainline repair, he is there. Currently, Baltizar is on one of the largest projects we have ever had as a company, and he has been doing an outstanding job. He has spent many hours learning the specifications and plans, to the point where he can comfortably discuss them with the customer. This is a trait not all foremen possess, and it really makes my life (and the lives of the managers that Baltizar works with) much easier! Thank you for your dedication to greatness!

 

Name: Chris Dennison   
Branch: Orlando Maintenance

Thank you to the Orlando Technical Services Team - Steve Moreno, Stephen Reynolds, Axel Soiza Rivera, and Angel Mori Matos - who switched out their rubber boots for a pair of steel toed leather boots for a couple of weeks to aid with the Hurricane Ian clean-up. Their work ethic and attitude during these couple of weeks was first-class, and with their help, we were able to get back to a normal maintenance routine much quicker.

On the note of Hurricane Ian, thank you to all the crews and managers who went down to our Southwest Florida branches to help with the clean-up. Several of them went after putting in 40+ hours of work on their Orlando job tasks and assisted with this clean-up over the course of a couple of Saturdays and Sundays. CEPRA is extremely fortunate to have such awesome, talented, and selfless managers that are willing to help out for the greater good of the entire company.

I want to highlight Ricardo Mena. Ricardo Mena has been with our team for almost 5 years, and he has been involved with many jobs and multiple routes. Ricardo started this summer on one of our largest site jobs and hasn't looked back. He knows the systems and processes, and provides great customer service. The client and developer on site both trust and appreciate the hard work Ricardo puts in day in and day out. The excellent work you put in is vital to our success, thank you!

Thank you to Gabi and Fernando Mora. Gabi and Fernando Mora are the backbones to our Enhancement division here in Orlando. From planting 60 foot palms to 4.5" annuals, these guys do not back down from anything. They have assisted us in growing our entire Enhancement team, not only in size but in knowledge. Without Gabi and Fernando on our team, we would not be able to do the quality of installation work that we have achieved these past few years.

 

Name: Justin Norris   
Branch: Sarasota/Tampa

Thank you to the entire Southwest Florida branch for coming together during the aftermath of Hurricane Ian. With efforts from not only our team, but surrounding branches, we were able to jump in full force and help the client and residents by clearing roadways, standing and resetting trees, and removing debris. Through working together 7 days a week and around the clock, the team was able to sustain the correct mindset and work together as a team. While storms can be stressful and unsafe, the team overcame the clean-up with no injuries or damages further occurred after the storm. Working with our customers on quick approvals, we were able to have all of our sites back to normal within 30 days, which was a win for all.

Thank you to Nick Wolf, Jason Chambrot, Rob Ferrante, and Trace Swartz. Nick and Trace both had crew leads that had personal damage from the storm making their homes uninhabitable. The two managers pulled together resources and were able to raise money in efforts of correcting the damage. This was a true sign that our customers are more than our customers. They are a partner with us. Multiple customers, from all around the state, came to help by giving funds for donation. Just goes to show you how important your relationship is with your customer, that you are not just cutting the grass for them. Thank you for stepping up when needed and organizing these fundraisers to take care of our team.

A big thank you to Tony Hamrick. Many instances, Tony has had to be the Superman for all three Southwest Florida branches. In the landscaping industry, irrigation emergencies can occur at any moment - and these things can't wait to be addressed during typical landscape service hours. While we designate on-call technicians, there are times when an emergency comes up and more are needed. Tony has stepped up to the plate multiple times, without being the designated on-call technician, to visit the community after hours and correct the situation. What more, Tony has gone out of his way to learn new systems and train himself in the field to repair these emergencies when they occur. This is most notable in new construction sites, as newly installed irrigation systems often have unseen damage that requires immediate repair once the systems are live. Tony is constantly working to improve his skills, and overcoming obstacles to allow the Communities we service to function. We would not be the team we are today without team members like Tony.

 

Name: Kevin Montalvo   
Branch: The Villages

I would like to thank Paul Ruth's and his crews for stepping up during the October flower changeout. His whole team committed to working long days - and many, even weekends - to ensure we could get the flowers installed and beds prepped in the timeframe we were given to complete the changeout. The team pulled together and dealt with numerous schedule changes, but always got the task done that day and didn't quit until that job was finished. Your commitment did not go unnoticed.

The whole Villages branch came together to get jobs cleaned up after Hurricane Ian. Everyone, from managers to irrigation and spray techs to crews, shifted what they normally do, to clean parking lots, remove debris debris and pick up over 600 cubic yards of dead palm fronds. The ability of the team to prioritize the work in areas they were sometimes unfamiliar with, along with weird hours, showed the commitment to providing the best service to our customers. Everybody worked hard so that we could get through the task and get back to our normal routines in a matter of a couple days. Thank you.

Thank you, Rene Melo, Jr., for pushing yourself this year to grow and learn. Your dedication to CEPRA along with your great attitude, willingness to help and ability to teach others, will give you so many great opportunities in the future. You were given many extra tasks, many of them not part of normal maintenance, and you always figured out a way to get it done with a positive attitude.

Conclusion

As always, it takes a team to achieve great results. As our teams finish off the year with their families, we want to extend our sincerest gratitude to each and every customer, trade partner, and supporter, for which our company would not exist if not for your support. And to our CEPRA team, thank you for showing up and giving your CEPRA best every day. We truly appreciate all that you do, and thank you for the difference you make. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!