Meet Our Board Members and Advisors
Ben Rippy President Ben Rippy is a native to the Charlotte area and established Carolina Greenscapes in 2010 evolving from a small family lawn care service. He has always been passionate about the industry, with a business model that strives to offer affordable yet superior maintenance and construction services for residential and commercial landscapes. Special interests include drainage, landscape construction and project management. |
Todd Smartt vice president Todd began his career in the landscape industry in 2008 after working as a project manager for a local homebuilder. He has been a client relations manager at Terra Green from the beginning. As a client relations manager he works closely with a variety of clients including residential, commercial and HOA accounts on landscape maintenance and property improvement projects. Todd joined the CGIN board 2 years ago of helping promote professionalism and education in the Green industry. He enjoys the challenge of working alongside clients to constantly improve their landscape elements. |
Sandy Cochran Executive Director Sandy Cochran has been the Executive Director of Carolina Grounds Management Association since 1994 and Carolina Green Industry Network since its conception. Working with the association, Sandy is in charge of the membership records, newsletters, mail-outs, annual Trade Show/Pesticide Seminar, communication, and numerous other responsibilities. Sandy has enjoyed getting to know a wide variety of green industry personnel over the years. |
Art Keeter Art began his career in the green industry in 2005 when he returned to Union County after 26 years of government service. As the owner of KC’s Lawn Service, his mission is to provide customized lawn treatment and seeding services to folks in Union and Mecklenburg Counties who care about keeping their lawns healthy and beautiful. Art joined the board in 2019 with a desire to help foster comradery and the sharing of knowledge among members of the industry. He has a Bachelor of Science Degree and an MBA, and lives in Wingate, NC with his wife Susan. |
Jeff Keziah Jeff is a Charlotte Native. Been in the heavy equipment and turf industry for 25 years. Currently branch manager at STI |
Our Extension Office Representatives
Steven Capobianco Extension Agent - Mecklenburg county Steven Capobianco is the Agriculture/Horticulture Extension Agent serving Mecklenburg County. He received his BSA in Agricultural Education from NCSU |
Debbie Dillion Extension Agent - union County Debbie Dillion is the Agriculture & Natural Resources Horticulture Extension Agent serving Union County. She received a BSA in Landscape Design & Urban Horticulture from the University of Arkansas and a MS Horticulture Science from Virginia Tech. Debbie worked in Extension for over 22 years in Virginia and in Union County since September 2015, providing educational programs for consumers, Extension Master Gardener Volunteers, commercial horticulture producers, pesticide applicators, and the nursery and landscape industry. |