Family business always looking for ways to improve

ThisWeek Keys to Success 02/16/2012

http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/Key-Bank-Keys-to-Success-stories/2012/02/Buck_and_Sons.html

As Buck and Sons Landscape Services celebrates its 40th year in business, it looks to the future, preparing the third generation of Bucks to run the family business.

“We’re moving to the third generation of Bucks running the company,” CEO Chuck Buck said. “When I was getting out of the Air Force, my dad asked if I’d be willing to get into business with him. My brother was still in high school at the time but he worked the summers and then when he graduated he started working with us fulltime as well.”

The brothers, Chuck and Steve Buck, are 50-50 owners of the company, taking the reins from their parents in 1986 when Charles Buck Sr. and his wife Marianna decided to retire. Today, Chuck’s daughter, Mandy Rhoades, and Steve’s son, Jared Buck, help to manage the day-to-day operations along with managers Pete Marsh and Mark Crumbwell.

“Right now I’m just going to keep on working, one of these days I’ll decide they’ve had enough of me – but for now my brother and I still plan on working,” Buck said.

According to Buck, the company was one of the first to utilize computer aided design for their landscaping design and development services. The company has continued to be innovative over the years, Buck said, looking for ways to improve productivity and simplify operations.

“We may not always be the first to new technology but we’re always trying to look at ways to simplify and improve, like the CAD system. We’re part of the green revolution with our green roof technology,” Buck said. “That’s something becoming more and more beneficial since it helps to keep water from going back into the sewer system, and its financial incentives are that you reduce your sewage run-off bills to the city.”

The company currently maintains two green roofs, one at the AEP building and another at the Miranova residential tower.

“More and more people are looking into green roofs. Last year we did the Westerville Highland Aquatic Center, we installed a green roof on that which got some national recognition,” Buck said. “The Dublin Methodist Hospital is going to have a roof top garden that we’ll install in spring.”

The economy has been challenging for Buck and Sons like it has been for most businesses, according to Buck, but in this line of work the weather has also been challenging.

“We’re around 35 employees right now, it may get up as high as 45 but without snow this time of year we’re about as low as we go,” Buck said. “We’ve always looked at any way we can to improve services to our clients.”

Buck said the company started with a single truck and two mowers, growing slowly through word of mouth and a lot of seven day work weeks.

“We grew slowly, a little each year, and I guess we just had really quality people and great clients, and that’s what we keep doing,” Buck said. “We have great people and great clients and we like to treat them both as family members. I take it very seriously that we provide our staff jobs, and make sure we provide the customer a quality product at a reasonable cost.”