Barry L. Cohen - Chairman
Barry Cohen is president of The Celtis Group in San Jose, California. He served as President and Chairman of the Board of the California Landscape Contractors Association (CLCA). He also served as President and Chairman of the Board of the CLCA Welfare Insurance Trust (TRUST) and is currently a director of Golden Oak Cooperative Corporation. Mr. Cohen earned his Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from CAL/POLY, San Luis Obispo. His thesis was on the landscape industry in California. The main thrust of his MBA program was in the application of business practices in the Horticultural Industry. In 2004, Barry completed his PhD in Philosophy with an emphasis in Agriculture and Horticulture from Columbia Pacific University, Montana.
Nelson L. Colvin - President CEO/CFO
Mr. Colvin started in the landscape industry in 1964 working for Valley Crest Landscape, Inc. (the largest commercial landscape company in the United States with gross annual sales exceeding $700,000,000) doing cost accounting and estimating. After several years he became the Assistant Branch Manager for the San Fernando Valley Branch. In 1973, he owned & operated Colvin Sprinkler Co., a full service landscape irrigation company, until selling the company in 1976 when he joined American Landscape, Inc. as Chief Estimator, and Vice President of Sales and Marketing. In 1985 he joined the California Landscape Companies as President of California Landscape, Inc. and General Manager of all divisions. He was responsible for all administrative operations along with sales, marketing and all safety programs. In 1994 he joined the CLCA Welfare Insurance Trust as Director of Safety and Executive Director. With the formation of Golden Oak Cooperative Corporation, the successor to the TRUST, he became President/Chief Executive Officer. He also serves as Secretary/Director for LCIS, and as Treasurer/Director of the California Coalition on Workers Compensation.
Keith Walton - Vice President / Secretary
Keith Walton is President of Land Care Inc., a landscape company in Southern California involved mainly in construction of new model homes. He also owns Chapman Woods Nursery and a landscape architectural firm. Mr. Walton served for several years as Chairman of the CLCA Welfare Insurance Trust, the predecessor of Golden Oak Co-op Corporation. Instrumental in the creation of LCIS and Birch Financial, Inc., Keith has served the association over the past 30 years looking out for the insurance needs of the landscape industry. He has vast knowledge of the financing needs of the Employer Members.
Our Directors:
Jon Alsdorf
Richard Angelo
Ronald Dietz
Lebo Newman
Timothy Nord
Frank Quaresma
Mickey Strauss