The second annual, free virtual conference takes place Feb. 16.

Jobber released the full agenda for the second annual Jobber Professional Development Day, a free virtual conference for home service pros taking place on Wednesday, Feb. 16. Jocko Willink, Navy SEAL veteran, best-selling author and entrepreneur, joins a packed lineup of mall business experts including ABC's Shark Tank star Daymond John, who will kick-off the event. Sarah McAllister, founder, director and CEO of GoCleanCo and social media influencer with more than 2.2 million Instagram followers, has also been added to the roster.

Registration for the event is now open: jobberpdday.com. Jobber PD Day 2022 will feature live sessions and networking opportunities, organized into three tracks: People; Profit, presented by Visa; and Process, presented by NiceJob. Attendees will gain practical tips from industry experts and other home service professionals on how to strengthen their businesses, overcome common day-to-day challenges, and boost their leadership skills.

"Jobber PD Day is built around providing useful and actionable advice for home service business owners, regardless of their size, industry, or where they are in their entrepreneurship journey," said Sam Pillar, CEO & co-founder of Jobber. "Attendees will learn from a diverse and powerful lineup of inspiring speakers with very different backgrounds and paths that all led them to become leaders in their fields."

Willink will deliver Jobber PD Day's closing keynote session, "Lessons from a Navy SEAL," that explores the Extreme Ownership Leadership Principles every business owner and team leader can use to achieve success in business and in life. Willink is the co-author of the #1 New York Times bestseller "Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win" and "Dichotomy of Leadership." He also hosts the top-rated Jocko Podcast and co-founded Echelon Front, a premier leadership consulting company, where he serves as CEO, leadership instructor, speaker and strategic advisor. His session will draw on his 20 years of experience as a Navy SEAL and outlines the four laws of combat and how a victory mindset can help you achieve your goals.

McAllister is a serial entrepreneur committed to creating forward-thinking, female-led businesses. McAllister has been running her own businesses since she was 20 years old. As founder, director and CEO of GoCleanCo, she has invaluable real-world experience building and marketing a successful home service business from the ground up and leading the BleachPrayLove #CleaningArmy of social followers. Sarah is often featured in publications such as Business Insider, Parade, The Globe and Mail, Bustle, and more. Her Jobber PD Day session, "How to Build a Strong, Business-Winning Brand," presented by Visa, will explore the impact of brand on a service business, tips for working your brand into marketing and day-to-day operations, standing out and connecting with customers and more.

Jobber PD Day will feature 20+ speakers that include a variety of subject matter experts and entrepreneurs across an array home service industries, including:

To register for Jobber PD Day and to see full agenda, click here.

The changes follow the passing of Board Chairman Michael Kropp Sr. in December 2021.

Primera announces the death of Board Chairman Michael Kropp Sr., who passed away at 54 on Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2021. Kropp served on the Primera Board of Directors since 2014 and as Chairman since 2019.  

"Michael will be remembered as an exceptional leader, dedicated to the success of our cooperative, but most importantly, he'll be remembered by many as a friend," said Primera CEO Jeff Braun. "Michael led the Board with a tremendous passion for making Primera a leader in our industry. His forward-thinking and vision for what success could be for our Member-Owner and Supplier partners was a driving reason I chose to join Primera. Michael has left his mark on our industry, our Cooperative, and we are all grateful for his invaluable contribution. He will be genuinely missed by all who had the privilege to call him a collogue and friend." 

Leading Primera through its next chapter, Bob Windsheimer, vice president and COO of Walker Supply Inc, has been named Board Chairman. Windsheimer has served as part of the Primera Board and Executive Committee over the past eight years in different roles, most recently as vice-chair.

In conjunction with Windsheimer's appointment, Todd Griebe, director of procurement at Target Specialty Products, has been appointed vice-chair. Griebe has served on the Primera Board over the last five years and joins the Executive Committee.

"You strive for your Board of Directors to be a microcosm of your membership. You are looking for diverse experience, knowledge, and perspective when assembling the leadership team, and I believe Primera has established a best in industry Board of Directors to help oversee and elevate our Cooperative," Braun said. 

Paul Smith, president of Sigma Organics, will remain as board treasurer, while Allan Smith, owner of Atlantic Golf and Turf, will stay as board secretary. Andy Keeton, national turf product manager at Ewing Irrigation; Frank Lopes, owner of Turfnology; and Bob Hartman, turf director at Central Turf & Irrigation, will continue to serve in their respective director roles.  

These new construction product announcements lead the company’s 2022 product rollouts.

Kubota Tractor Corporation recently added two new excavators to its lineup: the K008-5 conventional tail swing excavator and the all-new U10-5 minimal tail swing excavator.

These new construction product announcements lead the company’s 2022 product rollouts, and while the K008-5 will replace the -3 model with various upgrades, the U10-5 takes an all-new spot in the U Series minimal tail swing lineup. Both new models will be available at authorized Kubota dealerships early this spring.

The K008-5 and U10-5 offer single-level maneuverability with hydraulic adjustable track widths that contract to fit through tight spaces easily like doorways, fence gates, inside buildings, hallways, elevators and more.

On the K008-5, the tracks adjust down to 2 feet and 4 inches, and the U10-5 contracts to 2 feet and 6 inches. Then, when the operator wants to widen the tracks, the tracks widen out to 2 feet and 10 inches or 3 feet and 3 inches, respectively. 

Each new compact excavator features surprisingly wide working and digging ranges for their compact frames. The K008-5 has a working range that includes a digging depth of 5 feet, 8 inches and a bucket breakout force of 2,205 pounds. The U10-5 extends to a 5-foot, 11-inch digging depth with a bucket breakout force of 2,337 pounds.

“Our new excavators are ideal for tight, confined spaces, and with the U10-5 being a minimal tail swing model and both excavators featuring retractable tracks, they are ready to work in even the narrowest spaces on the job site,” said Patrick Baker, Kubota construction equipment product manager. “With the new K008-5 and U10-5, we now have a broad offering of 13 compact excavator models across the 1-to-8-ton weight classes, and now feature more flexibility among the conventional and minimal tail swing lines. All of our -5 generation models are solidly engineered and outfitted with more customization to keep customers working efficiently and comfortably.”

The company’s first ever lawn mower delivers as much torque as a typical gas-powered machine.

The Milwaukee M18 FUEL 21” Self-Propelled Dual Battery Mower delivers cut quality and more max torque than 200cc gas competitors, meeting the performance needs of the landscape maintenance professional.

“When we set out to develop our first mower, we focused on designing a solution that could outperform gas mowers and deliver a superior cut quality. Leveraging our M18 FUEL technology, the electronic package delivers the power to maintain blade speed in demanding applications without bogging down while also offering instantaneous throttle response on both blade and drive motors for ultimate control,” said Tony Buxton, senior product manager for Milwaukee Tool. “We will continue to deliver innovation to the Outdoor Power Equipment market through extensive user research combined with our technology leadership in battery, motor, and electronics.”

Harnessing the power of Milwaukee’s POWERSTATE Brushless Motor, the M18 FUEL 21” Self-Propelled Dual Battery Mower delivers elevated power levels and more max torque than a 200cc gas engine to meet the needs of the professional landscaper. The REDLINK PLUS Intelligence allows the mower to achieve an instantaneous throttle response for blade and drive motors, increasing control and productivity.

The mower delivers ideal quality of cut with a true 21” cut capacity and optimized steel deck design. Featuring 3-in-1 capability for bagging, mulching and rear side discharge, the M18 FUEL 21” Self-Propelled Dual Battery Mower reduces missed blades of grass and clumps compared to competitive mowers. For added functionality, the mower is designed with a single point height adjustment to easily change between cutting heights and cover a wide range of grass species. Rear wheel drive paired with variable speed self-propelled functionality gives users more control during use. Furthermore, front and side lights deliver 180° visibility to increase awareness and precision while mowing in low light situations.

 To meet performance expectations in certain high-demand applications while maintaining system compatibility, the M18 FUEL 21” Self-Propelled Dual Battery Mower requires the simultaneous use of two M18 REDLITHIUM batteries. While using the self- propelled function at 3MPH and removing 1” of most types of grass, users can expect up to 60 minutes of run time on (2) fully charged M18 REDLITHIUM HIGH OUTPUT HD12.0 Batteries.

These new tools are fully compatible with the entire M18 line.

OLS landed Bulks Landscape Supply, Edgefield Plant & Stone Center and Parker Hardscapes.

Outdoor Living Supply, a distribution platform for outdoor living products with a focus on hardscapes, has acquired Bulks Landscape Supply, Edgefield Plant & Stone Center and Parker Hardscapes. These acquisitions will extend OLS’ reach into both existing and new key growth markets.

The companies will continue to operate as independent distributors focused on natural stone, manufactured stone, pavers, bulk materials, and other related outdoor living products and accessories. The partnership with OLS will enable them to strengthen their sales and distribution capabilities and provide access to opportunities in new and existing geographies.

“I am thrilled to welcome the Bulks Landscape Supply, Edgefield Plant & Stone Center and Parker Hardscapes teams to the OLS family,” said Brian Price, CEO of OLS. “We ended 2021 with tremendous momentum and are well-positioned for accelerated growth in 2022. The Bulks and Edgefield acquisitions strengthen our current footprint and capacity in the Atlanta and North Carolina markets while Parker Hardscapes provides us with an exciting entry into Nevada. We are looking forward to working with these new team members to kick-off this next phase of growth."