Josh Kiecker(left), who with wife Sarah owns and operates
Sculptured Earth Design & Building Landscaping, Delano, hasn’t forgotten
where his career began. It started
when the Cosmos native graduated from Central Lakes College in 2001, earning a Landscape
Technology diploma through the Horticulture program on the Brainerd campus. “It was a
great education, giving me the fundamental skills to get started in this
business,” he said, giving current CLC students some insight and whatever
advice they seek from one who has grown from laborer to foreman to business owner.
Josh and Sarah also gave $500 to Tim Drury (right), Akeley, as the 2012 scholarship
winner of their landscaping award. Tim had
prepared a design for the Kieckers, as well as an essay relating his
professional goals and qualities worthy of a successful career in landscaping.
“I came to
Central Lakes College to build on my knowledge from scratching the surface of
this profession,” Tim said. “I graduate this spring with a broader
understanding of it all.”
Josh said
he hadn’t planned to own a landscaping business when he graduated from CLC. “I
valued my time at CLC, and it prepared me as a foreman,” he said. “The more
designing I did and the more customer relations skills and experience I got, it
sort of evolved.”
Now in
their fifth year as business owners, the Kieckers have brought their respective
skills to the operation, as Josh designs and follows each project to completion
and Sarah handles payroll, pays bills, and applies her business administration
degree aptitude to keep things in the black.
This is the
third year for the scholarship, which reflects the respect Josh and Sarah have
for not only the CLC Landscape Technology program but also the forthcoming graduates.
“We enjoy getting student feedback on their goals in this industry, and their
ideas presented through the design contest,” said Josh.
Two other
students had impressive designs as well, he said. “They all were good. Design
is a subjective thing, and in looking at the entries I studied how each student
indicated the path fo accomplish design goals, resolving issues that were
important. Tim’s was the most aesthetically pleasing with a good, animated
explanation of the design.”
The
students vying for the scholarship this year worked off a site plan provided by
Josh, one which it turned out was property the Kieckers had purchased and which
included a drainage issue. “It was a foreclosure buy, just basically out in a
hay field,” Sarah said.
The couple spent a day at CLC,
providing each student in Advanced Landscape Design with plenty of positive
feedback and encouragement. And for Tim Drury, a well-deserved and
much-appreciated $500 check.
