Signature Landscaping acquires Reno Lawn & Landscape

Fresh off their acquisition of Reno Lawn & Landscape, the owners of Reno-based Signature Landscapes are looking for more growth opportunities.

Among the possibilities are more acquisitions if the right opportunities arise, say Signature owners Lebo Newman and Rick Clark.

The combination of Signature with Reno Lawn & Landscape creates a company of 240 employees 140 from Signature, 100 from Reno Lawn and widens the companies' product offerings.

In the past, Newman said, Signature's focus has been on installation and maintenance of landscaping for commercial customers while Reno Lawn has focused largely on residential customers.

"It's a good marriage," says Newman. Financial terms won't disclosed by the privately held companies.

The deal came together this summer as Jeff Fisher, the president and chief executive officer of Reno Lawn, started looking for other opportunities.

Clark and Newman knew the Reno Landscape team well, partly because they'd worked together as volunteers in the Nevada Landscape Association, and put the acquisition together in a couple of months. It closed in early August.

Other than Fisher, who will begin to step away, the rest of the Reno Lawn team will remain with the merged company, Newman said.

And that, Clark said, dramatically adds to the strength of the company as it creates a deep pool of experienced managers.

The companies will continue to operate under their individual names, and both will maintain separate facilities Reno Lawn at 850 Maestro Drive in south Reno, Signature at 324 Vine St. near downtown.

It's possible, Newman said, that the combined company might open a Carson City yard to meet the needs of a growing customer base.

Signature Landscapes was launched in 2001 by Clark and Newman, who also own landscaping operations in northern Nevada. Reno Lawn & Landscape was founded in 1983.