OUR STORY

The First Shop: A small rented corner of a vacant lot became Great American’s first home. While it wasn’t fancy, it served as the breeding ground for the passion, dedication, and creativity that blossomed. It’s what you do with the tools you have that truly makes a difference.

Commitment to Learning & Growing: From the beginning, our earliest employees, including George Mazur and Craig Corbett, have grown alongside us. They advanced through the ranks as they honed their skills, ultimately stepping into leadership roles and teaching others that have come behind them. They continue to learn and grow at Great American today.

Forming Roots: With early success, we recognized our need to grow. We moved from Germantown to a farm in Monrovia and ultimately to our current space, which we purchased 8 years later, and began to form roots. With pride, we saw the growth that was possible and began to solidify our reputation as a landscape contractor that was committed to quality work, consistent communication and creativity. Our journey to success continues as we learn, sometimes the hard way, the importance of cultivating new skills everyday.

Our New Family: Alongside our ever-growing brood of children, we welcomed an influx of the Honduran workforce that became our other family. From this hard-working, dedicated crew, our skill set and outreach to other areas of the DMV became possible. Our reputation in the migrant community grew and we now boast crews from many Central and South American countries.

The Computer Age: We welcomed Kurt Brandenburg, our current Vice President of Operations, who quickly moved from a sales role to establishing our first job costing and estimating system, which persists today. Free from re-inventing the wheel with each job, we can focus our time on our processes, responsiveness and creativity.

By Popular Demand: Recognizing the importance of keeping these newly built gardens looking their best, we added our first maintenance crew to our team. Educating these hard workers in best practices, fine gardening methods and attention to detail has been at the forefront of our on-going training.

The Importance of Community: With roots that grow deep in this region, we established connections in our community – where we study, pray, shop and live. Sponsoring the Annual Heights School Golf Tournament – the institution that academically nurtured our sons – was an important step in supporting the community that has helped us thrive. Ever since, we have grown to sponsor Three Rangers Foundation Golf Tournament, numerous events at places of worship, Adoptions Together to Paths for Families and the “adoption” of our El Salvador friend Jonathan, as well as many other community initiatives.

Recognition in the Field: Kudos from our colleagues were heartfelt when we received our first Residential Maintenance Grand Award for Landscape Contractors Association MD • DC • VA. Becoming involved in an organization working to advance the success of our staff as professionals with education and training was crucial to our ongoing success and camaraderie in the green industry.

Leading the Pack: Understanding the importance of giving back, our dedicated leader, Kevin O’Neill, took on the role of President of the Landscape Contractors Association MD • DC • VA. We believe that education and certification establish a strong foundation of knowledge, respected by both peers and clients. Supporting others in their learning and growth is central to our values.

Expanding Our Services: Recognizing the industry’s trend toward blending indoor and outdoor spaces, we expanded our services to include outdoor styling, containers, and furniture. To provide our clients with a comprehensive outdoor experience, we acquired our first company and rebranded Exteriors Outdoor Styling, to meet all of our clients’ needs for outdoor living in one place.

New Digs: Committed to growth for the next generation, we eagerly acquired a beautiful 11-acre property, laying the groundwork for our future. This modern facility will support our crews, staff, and plant materials. With plans for a nature trail, pet-friendly play area, collaborative workspaces, and an outdoor conference room, we aim to create an environment that fosters learning, progress and collaboration.

40 Years of Creating Beauty: This milestone means the world to us, thanks to our hardworking team and your trust. We’re grateful every day for the chance to make your homes, schools, and businesses more beautiful. We put our hearts into everything we do, from design to craftsmanship to customer care. While we can’t predict the future, we’re excited to keep moving forward together and see where this journey takes us! We cant wait to see where you take us!