C. Alan Skoog earned a degree from the University of Nebraska in February 1965 and immediately began work as a landscape designer in a prominent landscape nursery in Lincoln, NE. In September 1966, he moved his young family to Chadwick, Illinois to manage a nearby nursery. In 1969 he and his wife Mary Ann started Skoog Landscape & Design. Mary Ann has since performed the company accounting functions.

Then and now they felt that the design portion was so important to their client's successful projects that design was included in the company name and symbolically shown as the compass in the company logo.

Throughout the ensuing years additional services were added. First hydroseeding, then a shop and land for both container and in ground nursery were added, along with lawn irrigation. In 1974 Skoog Landscape & Design was the first area company to offer the service of designing and installing automatic lawn irrigation systems. Since then systems have been installed for major companies such as John Deere, J.I. Case, ALCOA, Modern Woodmen of America, as well as many residential systems and athletic field irrigation systems in Rock Falls, Newman, Sterling and Pekin, Illinois.

A move was made in 1978 from the home to a mobile office on property purchased in '76, out next to a shop. In 1980 an additional large equipment building and eight lots were purchased that adjoined previous properties.

In 1988 their son, Andrew, joined the company. Since then Andrew has directed all crews constructing client's projects. Andrew graduated from Mississippi State University with a specialized degree in Landscape Construction. His course of study ranged from landscape architecture and construction procedures to business management. A university-required internship was primarily with Lied's Landscape Design and Construction, Sussex, Wisconsin, a nationally respected design/build landscape firm. Andrew holds an Illinois Pesticide Operator's License. 

A home across the street from other properties was bought and converted into a multi-story office in 1991. That location is still the central headquarters for all of the business operations.

Alan's education, qualifications and experience met the requirements for licensing under the provisions of the 1992 Illinois Landscape Architect Act and his subsequent acceptance into the prestigious American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA).

Also in 1992, Jessie Quimby joined the staff and developed into our lead landscape construction crew leader. His aptitude for detail and artistic perfection takes Alan's landscape architectural visions and turns them into reality.

Again, in 1992, Sauk Valley Sod & Landscape, Sterling, IL, was purchased. The design and construction of water gardens, fence installation and Bomanite© imprinted concrete, were added to the menu of services. At that time, Skoog was the only company providing decorative concrete services in northwest Illinois. An extensive demonstration garden was installed at the Sterling facility in '92-'93, featuring countless examples of Bomanite© imprinted concrete.

In 1993, at the request of the Sterling water company manager, Skoog began the installation of water mains and has subsequently installed several miles of ductile iron mains, as well as providing maintenance and repair services. These services required the purchase of larger tandem dump trucks and an excavator, which now allows for heavy excavation and hauling services, along with directional boring for underground services.

The addition of TurfTreet liquid lawn care service was added in 1998 by the purchasing of two Thermogas businesses. An up-to-date, State of Illinois licensed facility, was built in Sterling. It features computer controlled mixing equipment along with an IEPA approved containment system.

April 2007 brought Julie TerHark to the firm. Julie is a 2007 landscape design and construction graduate from Kishwaukee College. She has joined Alan doing design and sales. Of particular enjoyment for Julie has been working with the client throughout the entire process of design and continuing through to the implementation and construction phases of the project.

Believing in continuing education, company personnel joined eleven other companies in Illinois to participate in the weekly, year-long training sponsored by the Illinois Landscape Contractors Association and JP Horizons consulting group. Staff participate in countless ongoing industry seminars and educational events.

Giving back to the community we serve is also important. Andy has served on his church's council and as chairman of the building committee. He is a licensed EMT and served on Chadwick's volunteer fire department since 1989. He is a member of the Carroll County 911 Board, Cub Scout leader and a basketball coach for boys in the Chadwick-Milledgeville area.

Alan has served on the volunteer fire department since 1967. He has been an active member of the Chadwick Lions since 1966, and provided treasurer duties to his church for several years. He served on the Carroll County board and was the founding president of the Carroll County Economic Development Committee.

More about the Skoog family business

Read "A Family's Business" from Pro Magazine.