Hall Of Fame Inductees

 

The individuals nominated should have made a significant impact or positive influence that assures the future of our industry in the lives of generations to come.

 

Once nominated, an individual’s biography and photo are updated on the site, and he or she is placed in the polls for voting. At the end of the year the committee takes into consideration the votes and decides which candidates are inducted.

 

Those with a star (*) next to their name below were either inducted posthumously or have passed away since being inducted.

 

Nomination Qualifications

  • Person with integrity and passion
  • Minimum 20 years in industry
  • Someone who has developed  or invented  new technology
  • Has made contributions that resulted in change
  • Contributed to mankind’s needs in his field
  • Provided education and encouragement  with self-sacrifice
  • Changed the industry

Lebo Newman

Chairman of the Board, Signature Coast Holdings

 

Lebo began his career in the landscape industry after studying Architecture at the University of Tennessee. He moved to Southern California and then fell in love with the lush year-round landscapes of California and switched his concentration to the landscape field. Moving to Northern California in 1974.

 

Lebo’s companies were built on simple values such as ‘Do what you say’; ‘Be a Leader in all that we do’; and ‘Have a Passion for everything we do’. These values are what Lebo followed to be so involved in the Green Industry and its aspects of Certification, Water Management, hiring, developing and placing women in positions of leadership, educational scholarship promotion and many other industry leading areas.

 

Lebo was President of CLCA in 1991. The Press Democrat in Santa Rosa, Ca. once described Lebo as ‘an involved business-oriented community activist with a vision’. He is a CLCA Life Member, Allegiance Award Recipient. Auxiliary’s Knight of the Garter. Lebo has served on LEAF – CLCA’S Landscape Education Advancement Fund Board for over 25 years and created many scholarship funds both in the names of his companies and in honor of Industry leaders while striving to encourage others to do the same and keeping the Fund strong financially for years into the future. He feels it is very important to encourage and support young students to enter and learn how to thrive in our industry.

 

Lebo chaired the CLCA’s CLT committee that wrote and developed the Maintenance portion of the CLT test. The original test was performed in a trial run in Sonoma County while Lebo was the North Coast Chapter President.

 

Lebo has served on Golden Oak Cooperative that owns Landscape Contractor’s Insurance Services and Birch Financial. Lebo has performed duties for numerous CLCA chapters judging their Achievement Awards as well as serving as Master of Ceremonies for the programs. He has judged the CLCA State awards five times and served as their MC several times. He has also served as a Judge and coordinator for many CLT tests over the years.

 

Lebo has served the Green Industry continuously for over 46 years of leadership and educating Landscape Contractors. He has dedicated his entire career to the advancement of the Green Industry.

 

This recognition is well deserved.

 

Contributions to the Green Industry

 

Industry Involvement: Past Positions:

CLCA State President 1991 (California Landscape Contractor Association)

North Coast Chapter CLCA President 1983, 1984

Founding Board Member - Council for the Green Environment

Recipient of CLCA’s Allegiance Award

Recipient of CLCA’s Life Membership

Recipient of CLCA’s Auxilary’s Knight of the Garter award recognizing his support of women in the industry

Green Industry Council member

Building Industry Association (BIA), and Builder’s Association of Northern Nevada (BANN) Board Member both in California for 12 years and in Nevada currently for five years. Lebo works extensively on the Legislative Action Committee – lobbying the Nevada state legislature on water, building and landscape issues, interviewing and endorsing candidates that support the Builder’s Association issues.

 

Current Positions (as of 2020)

Golden Oak CoOp – Board Member, Past Chairman (5 year stint) and past Chair of Finance Committee

Landscape Contractor’s Insurance Services – Past President

Birch Financial Services – Founding Board Member, Chair of Finance Committee

Oakwood Insurance Company – Founding Board Member, Chair of Finance Committee

Landscape Education Advancement Fund (LEAF). Board of Trustees, Scholarship Program, Investments Committee Chair since 1991

Community Involvement: Past and Present

Volunteer Center of Sonoma Co. – President, 1998-2000

Santa Rosa Chamber of Commerce - Board Member for 10 years

Sonoma County Alliance - Board Member, 5 years

Leadership Santa Rosa (LSR) – Past Chairman and Board member for 5 years

Luther Burbank Rose Parade – Past Chairman and Board member for 12 years

United Way of Sonoma Co – Board Member for 3 years

City of Sebastopol Design Review Board Member – Past Vice Chair