Marty Grunder Miamisburg City Schools and MVCTC Partner in Education
This year, Miamisburg High School, Miami Valley Career Technology Center, and Grunder Landscaping Company (GLC) partnered to offer an agricultural education program at MHS.
The course is offered to grades 9-12 and includes learning how to conduct wildlife and plant surveys, and how to produce bedding, vegetable and flowering plants. Students will become knowledgeable about landscape design, equipment maintenance, and participate in training at local parks. All students will also become members of FFA, the premier youth organization preparing members for leadership and careers in the science, business and technology of agriculture.
Q. How did you get into landscaping?
A. I started GLC in 1984 with a $25 lawn mower bought at a garage sale to pay my way through college. I graduated from the University of Dayton with a degree in business in 1990 and have been at GLC that entire time.
Q. What do you enjoy most about the landscaping business?
A. You are growing plants and people. It’s a service that people need and appreciate. We help our clients have beautiful, peaceful offices and places of business and homes as well. It is very rewarding.
Q. What inspired you to get involved with the Miamisburg High School agricultural satellite program? A. The “seed” was planted by our president, Seth Pflum, in 2017. Former Miamisburg City Schools Board of Education Member Joe “Zak” Idzakovich and his wife Nancy were longtime clients of GLC. They were aware of our struggles to find good, reliable workers. Joe, who was also involved with the Miami Valley Career Technology Center, Seth and myself spoke often about MVCTC and the need for youth to learn a trade. Seth shared with Joe how he went to a trade school and how he participates on a board for a trade school.
Those conversations between Seth and Joe led to meeting Nick Weldy, superintendent of the MVCTC and, as they say, the rest is history. Thanks to “Zak” and Nancy, we are following the path we were set on. We want to give back to our community and continue this partnership in Zak’s name. We care about Miamisburg. This is our 30th year here and 39th year in business. It is a great community with great people.
Q. What would you say to a student looking to pursue a career in landscaping or agriculture?
A. It’s about a lot more than cutting grass. At www. grunderlandscaping.com we do all sorts of neat things. There are great careers here. We have numerous people working for us who started out on the crew and are now in major leadership positions. We have a great culture. It is fun and rewarding.
Q. What are your goals for your partnership with the Miamisburg High School Agriculture Program? A. First and foremost, just to let your people know that landscaping is not just cutting grass. It is about a lot more than that.
MHS Agriculture Program teacher Tia Louiso said, “Mr. Grunder and Mr. Pflum have been such a monumental force for the Miamisburg-MVCTC program so far.
They both have helped in so many ways already. Recently, Grunder Landscaping donated a storage container to the program to allow for us to expand our space. I am so grateful for their choice to invest in these students!”
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