Management Team
Chris O’Donohue, |
Chris O’Donohue has over 15 years of experience in the landscape and horticulture industry. He founded The Great Canadian Landscaping Company in the year 2000. Chris holds the designation of a Certified Landscape Horticulturist in accordance with the Statutes of the Province of British Columbia and is currently completing his Certification as a Landscape Professional (CLP) with the BCLNA. A North Shore resident since he was a toddler and currently resides in Edgemont Village. He serves his community proudly through the ALSdirective.organd with Vancouver Coastal Health’s Edible Garden Project as a committee member of the Table Matters working group, which is responsibe for educating the communty about the importance of local food production. He has also served as the Vice President of The Royal Canadian Legion Branch #44 and was on the Board of Directors with TB Vets. In 2011, Chris was awarded “Business Person of the Year” from the North Vancouver Chamber of Commerce. In 2010, his company was awarded “Service Excellence” from the North Vancouver Chamber of Commerce. Chris is proud of his entire team of dedicated staff which contributed to these achievements. He works hard to ensure customer satisfaction through his continued improvement in education and systems that are implemented at Great Canadian Landscaping. |
Jason Black, |
Jason Black has over 25 years of experience in business management, specializing in marketing and business development. He owned and operated Newsagents (Global News) in Park Royal Shopping Centre for 13 years and thereafter worked as General Manager and Assistant Vice President for a large Vancouver based Property Management Company. Today, Jason is Vice President of Operations for The Great Canadian Landscaping Company and is responsible to attract and retain long-term quality clients for the company through the development and implementation of a marketing delivery system, staff development, support services and legal technical advice that fulfill the company’s marketing message and contractual obligations to clients and the company’s financial and strategic objectives. Jason has previously been President of the Park Royal Merchants Association, a Director of the Coho Festival and currently sits on the Executive for the West Vancouver Chamber of Commerce. |
Paul Buikema, |
Paul brings over 23 years of experience to the Great Canadian team. Starting in high school, the formative years were in the retail and wholesale nursery sector which fostered a good knowledge of plant ID, their growth characteristics and care techniques. Paul spent a half dozen years as a sales person for a local wholesale company representing numerous different product lines but mainly focused on IPM and fertilizing products. Currently Paul enjoys giving back to the industry as the BC Retail captain for the Landscape Industry Certified program, volunteer on numerous committees at the BCLNA (Fundraising, Landscape Advisory Group, Certification and Canwest show volunteer), tour leader for arborist walks at Riverview Hospital and is a formative and existing member of the BC Arborist Apprentice steering committee. Public speaking and delivering garden and landscape related seminars to garden clubs and other groups is also a strong interest. Spending the last 10 years running his own small landscape company has helped fine tune the skills and knowledge necessary to provide great client relations coupled with great landscape care and improvement.
Accreditations: ISA Certified Arborist, Certified Tree Risk Assessor, Landscape |
Helen Platts, |
Helen Platts has over 6 years of project management experience in large and small scale landscaping and construction and holds a Masters Degree in Business Management as well as a BA in Design and Applied Arts. She recently emigrated to the North Vancouver from Edinburgh in Scotland with her husband and is really enjoying life on the West Coast and all it has to offer. Now a Senior Project Manager for GCLC, Helen manages all aspects of landscaping projects from the initial scoping stages right through to the completion of the build. Helen has a passion for nature and the outdoors and loves working in the Landscaping Industry. She is very excited about making her mark on the North Shore and learning more about this beautiful landscape. |
Josh Long, |
Josh Long brings over 4 years of Landscape Design training in programs such as Google Sketch, Landscape Architect, Dynascape and Autocad. He creates Landscape design in both 3D and 1D Birdseye view. This process allows the client to see and imagine the final project in a reality other than just a plan. He came to the West Coast to learn more about Landscaping and also to enjoy the Mountains, Ocean and City life. He is very proud to be part of the GCLC Landscape Installation Design / Build Division
Josh is a graduate of landscape design, studying the design and development of commercial, institutional and residential landscapes. His education includes skills in drafting, computer illustration, design theory of both hardscape and softscape, as well as field construction experience. His academic tenure includes the completion of an Advanced Diploma in landscape design, Landscape Design Program Certificate of Positivo University, Brazil and course completion in art and photography. Joshs design inspiration is drawn from his passion for artistic expression and love of nature, which assist him in creating outdoor spaces both aesthetically pleasing and functional to the unique lifestyles of each individual client. |
Dalena Hogg, |
Dalena Hogg has been an office administrator for 19 years, with the last 5 years in an office management role. She has worked at Bosa Construction, Dick’s Lumber, BUR-HAN Services Inc., and 1-800-GOT-JUNK?. Dalena has experience in human resources, franchise systems, full-cycle bookkeeping and accounting practices, high volume accounts payables, accounts receivables, and payroll. Her passion for numbers, business, and economics began in high school in which her work experience was at an accounting firm. Dalena is responsible for managing the company’s books and for assisting the employees regarding labour relations. Dalena is also responsible for, and is dedicated to, high quality client care for the clients of The Great Canadian Landscaping Company. She very much enjoys and believes in a happy, healthy, pro-active, and a well knit community, as well as a beautiful horticulural looking and an environmentally friendly community. Dalena is thrilled to work at the Great Canadian Landscaping Company in North Vancouver where she lives. |
Satomi Oshida, |
Having grown up in a small town of Iwate Prefecture in Japan, Satomi had always been curious about the rest of our great world. She had an opportunity at the age of 16 to visit Canada and instantly liked Canada because of its cultural diversity. She was very good at English in school, and it was her dream to one day pursue her post-secondary education in a different language. She returned to Canada in 2005 to do just that and in 2008 made the Dean’s list for Academic Achievement in Tourism Management at Capilano University!
She jumped started her career in Canada, working as a Visitor Information Counselor at the North Vancouver Chamber of Commerce and Grouse Mountain to name a few. She likes that everybody in the west is laid back and not stressed like the people in Japan. She loves having both the ocean and mountain in one place, particularly the ocean because she grew up in the woods. She regularly walks and bike rides throughout our great city and when the opportunity arises, love to camp. |
Maintenance & Installation Team Leaders
Landon Giesbrecht, |
Steve Koonts, |
Omar Garcia, |
Heather Pelz, |
James Hume, |
Allen Fossheim, |
Christian Turcios, |
Monty Cantwell, |
Dogan Oenal, |
