Thomas Case
Assistant Director Of Grounds
Palmdale
Summary
Multi-tasking Assistant Director for Grounds known for creating positive workplace culture and high-performing teams. Determined and experienced in mentoring and challenging team members to meet and exceed University standards and incorporate best landscape practices to a shop of nearly 30 Grounds Workers.
Overview
44
44
years of professional experience
2
2
Certifications
Work History
Assistant Director of Grounds
California State University, Northridge
11.2023 - Current
- Currently managing the day to day scheduling and activities for Lead Athletic Field Groundsworker, Gardener/Pond Specialist, Lead Groundsworkers, Groundsworkers, Heavy and Light Equipment Operators, Pest Control Specialists, Lead Irrigation Specialist, Irrigation Specialists, Lead Landscaper, Landscapers, and various Support Staff;
- Reviews, assigns and processes MetaBIM work orders in order to maintain an effective grounds maintenance program while establishing priorities for grounds staff taking into consideration safety and other concerns; estimates labor and size of crew needed to efficiently complete grounds jobs;
- Plans, organizes, assigns, and supervises the work of grounds staff performing a number of functions including, but not limited to, landscaping, irrigation work, pest removal, event coverage, and basic construction;
- Interview, select, train, counsels, evaluate, motivate, and recommends corrective action as needed for employees assigned to Grounds Shop;
- Supervise planting activities, including propagation and cultivation of cuttings, plants, and shrubs; supervises the application of pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides to campus wide building and athletic facilities;
Grounds Manager
California State University Northridge
03.2022 - 11.2023
- Supervises the installation and/or repair of irrigation systems including new campus Smart Rain irrigation system; interprets construction drawings/plans and prepare layout sketches for irrigation systems;
- Makes recommendations regarding staffing and equipment needs to my Director in order to maintain a satisfactory level of service; prepares labor and materials cost estimates for grounds work;
- Arrange for and/or conduct trainings designed to enhance employee knowledge and skills; ensures grounds staff maintain certifications needed to ensure legal compliance and efficient
completion of work and sequencing of Grounds Zones; - Determine workload and schedules for equitable distribution of work for grounds while Groundsworkers implement procedures and standards for performance of grounds functions; ensures
maintenance of grounds vehicles and equipment and small tools - Order a variety of grounds maintenance equipment and materials; tests and evaluate proposed new equipment
- Establish, implement, and ensure adherence to work safety policies and procedures; ensure health and safety procedures are observed, conducts safety inspections and take appropriate action to resolve safety issues; responds to emergency call-outs as needed and takes appropriate action; Provides all injury reports and documentation to EH&S and assists in accident investigations;
- Meet with outside vendors/contractors to review project statuses and ensure compliance with agreed upon specifications;
- Work with other shops/trades to facilitate better partnerships in order to better accomplish tasks on campus;
- Coordinate quotes, coverage and staffing needs for campus events including Commencement, Big Show, Earth Fair, Soraya, Farmers Market and other USU events
Senior Account Manager
BrightView Landscapes LLC
03.2014 - 12.2021
- Hands-on working supervisor with a book of business covering the Antelope Valley, Bakersfield, and Ridgecrest with a book of business starting at under $500,000 yearly to over $3.1 million in less than four years
- Managing high-value existing and new business partnerships including Edwards Air Force Base, China Lake Naval Station, Lockheed, and Los Angeles County ISD, to deliver on objectives and maximize corporate revenue, support and awareness
- Build and dispatch routes for multiple landscape crews in multiple direct report locations
- Supervise one other account manager in Bakersfield, multiple production managers, irrigation tech's and overall labor force of nearly forty employees in all direct report locations
- Maintain irrigation, design irrigation plans, repair/replace irrigation from backflow to end of lateral lines and all valves, heads down to the nozzles
- Extreme familiarity with CalSense, WeatherTrak, Hunter, Rain Bird and various other irrigation controllers from standard to two-wire systems
- Managed quality site assessments (QSA's) including on site evaluations, scheduled and unscheduled job walks along with internal audits and customer surveys
- Coordinated with BrightView Tree Care division on one, three and five year plans on existing as well as new maintenance accounts
Account Manager
Pierre Landscape
03.2012 - 02.2014
- Managed book of business worth $750,000 across 18 high end residential and some commercial accounts in Malibu, Beverly Hills, Pacific Palisades and San Marino
- Managed the day to day operations of several landscape maintenance routes
- Personally did troubleshooting of irrigation problems, replaced valves, mainlines, and many other backflow, irrigation controller through to the heads and nozzles of all irrigation new and existing
- Personally dealt with a variety of personalities in our client base that included celebrities, professional athletes and other clients that presented an array of different needs and challenges
- Managed the labor hours and ensure accurate time keeping records for payroll to keep accounts profitable
- Managed all fleet repairs and inspections for my book of business
Delivery Driver
Pepsico Inc.
10.2009 - 03.2012
- Commercial delivery driver dispatched from the Mojave warehouse daily to run a route in various parts of the Antelope Valley
- Conducts pre-post-trip inspection on truck according to DOT requirements and promptly reports problems to the Fleet department
- Safely drove and maneuvered a truck having a gross vehicle weight of over 26,000 pounds in and around mini markets, gas stations, restaurants and stores
- Serviced all scheduled customers by the end of shift according to PBV and customer standards
- Unloaded, merchandised and rotated all product in all accounts to PBV and customer standards (e.g., filling shelves and coolers, building and stocking displays, making products look attractive on shelves, rotating products, refilling out of stocks, removing out of date products, removing/returning shells, etc.)
- Followed all DOT and FMCSA regulations
- Class A license certified with endorsements
Operations Supervisor
Builders Fence
04.1999 - 04.2009
- Began my career in Purchasing at the corporate office and transitioned to operations becoming the Operations Supervisor at the Sun Valley branch of a wholesale fence supplier
- Communicated with vendors domestic as well as in China, South Korea and the Philippines regarding inventory steel needs and negotiated prices to maintain profit margins
- Standardized inventory quarterly reporting and analysis and instituted corrective action for close-outs and out-of-stock items to keep inventory records current
- Ran the day to day operations of the Sun Valley branch including, will-call orders, fence webbing, paint shop, weld shop, inter-branch transfers and local delivery routes
Labor/Co-Owner
Case Landscaping
06.1980 - 04.2009
- Started with my fathers side landscape family business at eight years old working nearly every weekend and all summer through adulthood and eventual co-ownership of the company
- Managed grounds and maintenance for commercial/residential landscape maintenance
- Performed landscape maintenance for over ten years at the FAA facility in Palmdale and retrofitted all irrigation from manual valves to automated with irrigation controllers
- Provided on the job training for landscape maintenance crews
- Rebuilt valves, valve manifolds, backflows and all types of irrigation from galvanized pipe, PVC and including drip irrigation
- Made purchases of all irrigation supplies, fertilizers, plant material, vehicles and equipment
Education
EMT-1
University of Antelope Valley
Lancaster, CA 01.1998 - 1998.04
Some College (No Degree) - Criminal Justice/Horticulture
Antelope Valley College
Lancaster, CA 08.1990 - 1992.05
Skills
Inspection reviews
Landscaping and groundskeeping
Mediation
Performance tracking and evaluations
Staff management
Planning and scheduling
Maintenance scheduling
Rapport building
Team management
Loyal leadership approach
Certification
Qualified Applicators License
Timeline
Qualified Applicators License
12-2025
Commercial Drivers License- (HazMat, Doubles, Triples, Tankers)
08-2025
Assistant Director of Grounds
California State University, Northridge
11.2023 - Current
Grounds Manager
California State University Northridge
03.2022 - 11.2023
Senior Account Manager
BrightView Landscapes LLC
03.2014 - 12.2021
Account Manager
Pierre Landscape
03.2012 - 02.2014
Delivery Driver
Pepsico Inc.
10.2009 - 03.2012
Operations Supervisor
Builders Fence
04.1999 - 04.2009
EMT-1
University of Antelope Valley
01.1998 - 1998.04
Some College (No Degree) - Criminal Justice/Horticulture
Antelope Valley College
08.1990 - 1992.05
Labor/Co-Owner
Case Landscaping
06.1980 - 04.2009