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

Phil Steinhauer

Phil Steinhauer counts himself fortunate to have found his ideal career in the field of Landscape Designand Construction. “It was always artistic, but I just didn’t know how to make a career out of it at the time.”

 

During his high school years in Southern California, Steinhauer earned money working on gardening crews for a neighbor who developed apartment buildings. After a post-graduation move to Red Wing,Minnesota he parlayed that experience into a seasonal lawn mowing business, which he supplemented by turning his artistic talents to part-time work as a photojournalist for the Republican Eagle, the local daily newspaper.

 

Initially, Steinhauer studied art at the university of Wisconsin-River Falls, but the idea ofbeing anartistdidn’t feel right because he had always found inspiration from the outdoors. Spurred by the lawn mowing business, he tried a class in landscape design. That class sparked the idea that he could work outside and be creative at the same time.

 

When he started looking at schools his long family ties drew him to Colorado, but it was the college of Agricultural Sciences renowned landscaping design program that brought him to Colorado State University where he studied from 1980-1983.

 

He started his professional landscape design career at a high-end garden center in Westport, Connecticut where one of his first projects was planting trees on the grounds of Paul Newman’s home. He eventually returned to Denver, Colorado for a lot of reasons, his family history especially–his grandfather was superintendent of Parks for the City of Denver-designing many of the parks along with the state’s mountain roads.

 

Steinhauer started Designscapes Colorado, based in centennial Colorado in 1992. Over the past 30-years,the firm has grown to 170 full-time employees, a team that’s supplemented in the busy season with 120 H-2B workers.

 

As the CEO and sole owner of Designscapes Colorado, Phil Steinhauer has greatly impacted both the landscaping Industry and the community. His company started when he borrowed $500 to buy atruck; with perseverance and commitment to excellence, it has grown to be “one of thepremiere” landscape design, architecture, build, and maintenance companies in Colorado.

 

Mr. Steinhauer has dedicated his knowledge and time to the industry by serving as a board member for multiple organizations. As the former president ofAssociated Landscape Contractors of Colorado (ALCC), he assisted in the development of the Sustainable Partners Task Force and has been instrumental in the implementation of the program in our industry. He is also the Vice-President of the Institute of Classical Architecture and Art (ICAA)–Rocky Mountain Chapter. This allows him the opportunity to create an awareness of traditional and classical architecture and art values to society. As the Chair of the Colorado State University Landscape Design and Contracting Advisory Committee, he is actively involved with Colorado State University and the development of their environmental horticulture program.

 

Mr.Steinhauer provides valuable feedback to the college to ensure the academic standards of the program stay high. Serving as the President of the Cherry Creek Business Center Association is another way Phil has impacted this industry.

 

Phil Steinhauer has dedicated his resources and time to the community, giving back in as many ways as he can. Over the past 30 years, he has partnered with Denver Urban Gardens, Hope House, numerous silent auction donations to local schools, aided several Eagle Scout projects and donated a generous number of bicycles to the Johnson Boys & Girls Club of Denver.In 2018, the “Step up” program was implemented at Designscapes Colorado, which gives the opportunity to become a permanent residence to our legal H-2B employees. Mr. Steinhauer strongly advocates for the H-2B program and traveled to D.C. to speak on the issue and interviewed with The New York Times on the labor shortage in Denver and across the country. He provides opportunities and encourages all hisemployees to give back to the community. “Angels Among Us” is a program Designscapes Colorado has participated in, where 97 needy children at three Denver schools received employee donated Christmas gifts from their wish list and a winter hat, scarf and gloves set from the company. For 6 years, his company has volunteered at Clayton Early Learning, a program that grows fresh food to feed the children and families that don’t have access to produce within 5 miles of the school.