About Us

Summit Landscape Management, Inc. (SLM) was formed in 1998 by Michael B. Verhulst and Bill VanderVelde. Mike and Bill had been working for two different local landscape companies when they met and began to discuss their futures. After this first meeting they met again one week later to discuss the possibilities of forming a partnership. Following this meeting they decided to form SLM. They immediately began searching for snowplow customers. On October 31, they purchased 2 new Ford F250’s and set the trucks up with full snowplow systems. Mike & Bill put together a projected business plan and a profit & loss statement for the first two years in business. They took this information to a couple of local banks with little success. Finally they found a bank that would work with them on financing the original lawn maintenance equipment.

SLM has continued to grow from that first winter of two plow trucks and one shoveler. Mike and Bill have always pursued quality commercial and residential customers. The goal is not only to meet the customer’s needs but to exceed them. SLM started with one lawn maintenance crew. “We want to be able to service a customer’s account from the initial construction to the year round maintenance.”

Since 1998, SLM has grown into four lawn maintenance crews. SLM has one full time lawn care technician (fertilizer programs), one full service Irrigation technician (under-ground sprinkling), and multiple landscape crews. In 2004 they started a completely new company – Summit Tree Service, Inc. (STS). With the addition of the tree company and the irrigation crew, SLM can now truly provide the full landscape management package. We can now clear the lot, install irrigation and landscape, and maintain the landscape needs that may arise. In the spring of 2005 they purchased another landscape company, Kelder Management. With the purchase of this company, we gained a great wealth of knowledge and customer base.

The growth at SLM has been steady over the past seven years. With addition of the Tree Service they are now looking long term with the purchase of the property at 2600 Sanford SW in Grandville. SLM feels that with the added new space they can be more efficient in the mornings and with a showroom we will be more effective selling to new construction clients.

It will continue to be the goal of SLM and STS to provide quality services at competitive prices. We want to be the single phone call needed for all of our customers needs. Each year we will continue to pursue new customers, yet at the same time maintain the quality service provided to our current customers.

Mike, Bill, Bob, and Brian look forward to the future. We are excited about the potential with the Tree Service and the continued possibilities with the landscape company. We anticipate that we will be able to provide many more quality job opportunities for our community, with the addition of the Tree Service and a continued growth of the landscape company.

Michael Verhulst - President

Bill VanderVelde - Sec/Tres

Bob Kelder - Production Mgr/Sales