Dennis Dautel | CEO
Dennis is a recognized leader in the landscaping industry, with an outstanding track record of success spanning almost a quarter of a century. He was the founder and CEO of Clean Cut, Inc., which became part of LandCare. After growing Clean Cut to one of the largest companies of its type, with success based in large part on its unique style of management and client satisfaction programs, Clean Cut became the largest landscape maintenance subsidiary of LandCare after it went public on the NYSE.
Dennis is also Co-Founder and past CEO of faithHighway, which produced and licensed television commercials to churches around the world which have been seen by tens of millions of viewers over a decade, as well as providing technology services and applications used by over ten thousand church and ministries clients across the USA. Dennis holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from Kansas State University, as well as completing the “Birthing of Giants” graduate program at MIT. He is a four-time finalist of Inc. Magazine’s “Entrepreneur of the Year” award; his companies have been the recipient of more than 70 state and national Environmental Improvement Awards and have appeared on Inc’s list of the 500 Fastest-Growing Companies. Dennis currently serves on the Economic Board of Advisors at Kansas State University and has served as President of the Austin (TX) Chapter of Young Entrepreneurs, a past member of the Young Presidents Organization, and served Big Brothers for seven years. He also served the Texas Association of Landscape Contractors and Member of Associated Landscape Contractors of America and Mission America Coalition. Dennis is a private pilot and is married with four children.
Spencer Carlton | President/CFO
Spencer is a lifelong Austinite who has given generous amounts of time and energy to the old hometown. He’s worked with the Boys Scouts, served on the Caritas advisory board, and participated in Caritas food drives. (Caritas is devoted to helping the homeless.) At his boys’ high school, he’s been on the Board of Directors and, along with his wife, Dixie, twice taken on the demanding job of football Team Parent.
Their three football-playing sons—Brett, Reed, and Smith—are all in their 20s now; but whether the “nest” has emptied out is debatable. A pet conure (member of the parrot family) named “Bird” still lives there and so does a ridiculously energetic young lab. Spencer hunts, fishes, ranches, bikes, paddleboards, and exercises regularly. His favorite vacation was a trip to Belize where he went spelunking and dived the Great Blue Hole. Even when he isn’t participating in something active, he’s a big sports fan. He roots for the Longhorns (Texas is his alma mater), Cowboys, Astros, and the US National Soccer Team. Spencer is people-oriented. In his job, there is nothing he enjoys more than teaching others, helping them find success, and building a terrific work environment.
Educational & Professional Credentials:
- Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting – University of Texas
- Certified Public Accountant
Daniel Stagg | Regional Vice President South East
Daniel began working, weekends and summers, while he was still a kid in middle school. He wasn’t tossing newspapers, either; he was working cattle, felling trees, building fences, and doing other similarly challenging tasks. He was well-prepared for hard work when he reached the “real world.”
Daniel (who grew up wanting to be a forest ranger) has always preferred being outside. He’s been in the landscape industry since he graduated from college. His experience in the industry, his great integrity, and his easy, skilled way in dealing with others, have made him an invaluable leader. These days, he lives on a ranch with his wife, Michelle. They share the land with horses (Michelle’s passion) and dogs. In his free time, Daniel pursues activities like hunting, hiking, canoeing, and scuba diving. He is involved with his church, and quick to give a helping hand where it’s needed. Like many a good, native Floridian, Daniel spends fall Saturdays watching college football and yelling for the Gators. And—again, in good Florida tradition—he makes an insanely yummy key lime pie.
Jacqui Stenglin | Human Resources Manager
As a kid, Jacqui wanted to be a Spanish teacher. Then, in college, she spent an unforgettable six months studying in lovely Seville, Spain. She graduated and moved to Austin, where her Spanish landed her a temporary position at a landscape company; and she has been working with Dennis ever since. For many years now, she’s done this from her beloved hometown of Pittsburgh. She doesn’t teach Spanish, but she uses it nearly every day.
Jacqui has raised up two sons—John (22) and Matthew (19)—who have both gone off to college. (Happily the dog, Zoey, and cats, Blackjack and Mocha, have shown no interest in higher education.) Jacqui spends a fair amount of time doing volunteer work through her church. She is instrumental in the church’s annual “A Night to Remember,” which is a very special evening for special needs teens and adults; it has become a huge event. Jacqui also coordinates Sunday morning volunteers, goes monthly to visit with women in a halfway house, and—several years ago—participated in a mission trip to El Salvador. She’d like to take another mission trip in the future.
Jacqui also enjoys a good book, a spa or winery visit, bunco with friends, her small group Bible study, and evenings playing board games.
Educational & Professional Credentials:
- Bachelor of Arts in Foreign Language and International Business Magna Cum Laude – Gannon University
Nancy Achilles | Controller
Nancy has over fifteen years of experience in senior finance management positions, with over ten years of experience as a corporate controller. She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Accounting from St. Mary’s University and has been an active member of the Builders Owners Management Association, IFMA, and Chaparral Women’s Organization. She is married and has two children, and is active in Sunday School, PTA, and Girl Scouts.
Jenni Loufler | Payroll Manager, HR Administrator
Jenni is a Pittsburgh native who loves where she comes from. As a child, Jenni wanted to be a radio station DJ. She quickly realized that profession probably wouldn’t pay the bills so young Jenni threw away her radio DJ dream and decided that she would grow up to become a dentist with her own radio station, “Pain and Precision”, set up in her office so she could live her dream and make money. To this day, Jenni does not regret bypassing both outcomes as she loves working for Landscapes USA.
Jenni is married to her college sweetheart and loving husband of 26 years, Doug. Jenni and Doug share five children, two dogs, two grand dogs, and a grand cat (their children’s pets). Jenni began her undergraduate program at The Ohio State University and transferred to earn both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the University of Pittsburgh. There she studied Audiology and worked in that field until her first child was born. She spent the next 10 years at home raising her kids until the realization that putting five kids through college was going to be a bit rough.
Jenni is a football fan, but ironically she hates the Steelers despite living in Steeler nation. She gets a lot of flack around Pittsburgh for being a Cleveland Browns fan. She takes it in stride as she gets flack EVERYWHERE for being a Browns fan which is well deserved after their last few performances on the field. Jenni loves all things crafty as she enjoys spending her free time knitting, quilting, scrapbooking, and painting.
Jenni’s favorite thing about working for Landscapes USA is that she loves the versatility of getting to work with every office in our company. Being a remote worker can make you feel very disconnected from the rest of your work family, but not a day goes by that she doesn’t get to talk to people from all over the country and build those relationships that are necessary to function as a team. Working with LUSA has helped her grow as a person and in the position as she strives to reach the needs of each office. She enjoys that the position always brings about new exciting roles, so it keeps her busy and on her toes.
Diane Nguyen | Assistant Comptroller
Diane is a lover of education and helping children in need. When she was a young girl, she wanted to be a special education teacher. Diane received her Bachelor’s in Business Administration and Accounting from Tarleton State University. In December 2011, Diane became an accounting clerk for Faith Highway and ventured to LUSA in April 2013.
Diane is a proud mom of two boys and her dog Rocket. Her favorite thing about working for LUSA is being able to work with the awesome people we have at this company. Accounting is accounting – it’s the same everywhere. It’s the great people that she works with that make this job enjoyable and fulfilling. Diane plans on furthering her education in the future. She would like to study for and sit for the CPA exam which has been a dream of hers after receiving her bachelor’s.
Professional Credentials:
BA in Business Administration and Accounting
Tarleton State University 2011
Brian Hopper | Vice President Mid West
As husbands and fathers go, Brian is first-rate. He has been married to his high school sweetheart, Stephanie, for 23 years now. Their children are Caleb, 17, Claire, 15, and Patrick, 12. Charlie is the family’s canine member. Hanging out with this crew is Brian’s favorite activity.
He and Stephanie both grew up in the Oklahoma City area and are surrounded here by friends and extended family. Brian’s first job as a kid was mowing yards with his brothers. If the yard had a pool, and its owners furthermore allowed the boys to plunge in at their labor’s end, the owners got a discount.
Brian’s love for the hometown people and its quality of life has led to volunteerism. He serves on the United Way of Norman finance council, teaches 4th graders on Sunday at his church, and is a church elder. He also cheers for the local university, Oklahoma, which is his alma mater. His NFL loyalty lies farther afield with the Buffalo Bills.
Educational & Professional Credentials:
- Bachelor of Business Administration – University of Oklahoma
- Past Officer of BOMA
- Active Member of the AACO and IFMA
Eric Johnson | Chief Technology Officer
Eric Johnson has been a business leader and company officer for 35 years. Primarily involved in business processes and using technology to improve operations, Eric has used software development as a tool, and as the world of technology shifts and changes so quickly, it is important to move with it and discover how to stay ahead. Deep analytical knowledge of operations and processes is required to make a product valuable to businesses. Eric makes constant re-tooling of the use of technology a backbone of how he works.
Eric has been a co-founder in 3 successful technology startups and has been heavily involved in leadership and operations in each. He is expanding his business management skill as well as technology skills at an equal pace these day’s and venturing into franchise management is right on track for his goals.