Crowder's Landscaping, Inc. - Lutz, FL

A family-owned and operated premier landscaping business based on the belief that the needs of the customer comes first. At Crowder's, everyone is treated fairly and respectfully, has equal access to opportunities and resources, and can fully contribute to the organization's success.

The staff doesn't just work with one another -- they are a part of a diverse Crowder family. Crowder's managers and crew foremen are some of the best in the industry, and are required to take continuing education courses to ensure they are keeping up with the latest industry standards.

Before incorporating in 2013, Crowder's Landscaping was a sole proprietor conducting business in Tampa Bay since 2004 with only a three-man crew. Today, Crowder's consists of four divisions: Maintenance, Irrigation, Landscaping design/installation, and Landscape Lighting, with a minimum of forty members on staff. In 2017, Crowder's moved to their current location off Livingston Rd, cultivated a fully-operating nursery, and became a USF ITN best-value vendor for landscape services.

Services include commercial (property maintenance, new construction landscaping, forestry mulching, landscape renovations, irrigation, tree services, landscape design, landscape lighting), and community (landscape lighting, landscape design, tree services, irrigation).

In Lutz and throughout Tampa Bay, Florida, the Crowder's team worked on featured landmarks (Adventure Island, Busch Gardens, Serengeti Flyer, University of Tampa, Florida College, University of South Florida-Tampa), and communities (Starkey Ranch-Odessa, Steeple Chase-Palm Harbor, Sage Apartments-Lutz, St. Paul Catholic Church-Tampa).

Originally from the Peach State of Georgia, Patrick Crowder, Owner/Operator, grew up loving the outdoors and learned how to climb trees from his grandfather. Patrick attended the University of Georgia in 1999. After he graduated from college, his parents sold their Stone Mason family business and Patrick's childhood home and migrated to Florida for the sunshine and the beautiful Gulf waters. In 2000, Patrick transferred to St Petersburg College to complete a summer semester before pursuing his USF business major, where he met his wife, Kristina.

Law Firm of Roger "Rocky" Walton, P.C. - Arlington, TX

Since 1987, Texans needing help in personal injury and wrongful death cases have found a home at the Arlington, Texas law firm. For over three decades, the Law Firm of Roger "Rocky" Walton, P.C., has secured millions of dollars in compensation on behalf of injured clients and grieving families.

Rocky is one of fewer than three percent of personal injury trial law specialists in the entire state of Texas. While certified specialists can demand inflated fees, Rocky offers 100% free consultations and handles his cases on a contingency fee basis.

Rocky's primary legal areas are car accidents, commercial vehicle accidents, dram shop liability, motorcycle accidents, personal injury, premises liability, truck accidents, wrongful death.

Rocky earned the AV Preeminent rating, the highest possible rating that can be given by clients and legal peers, from Martindale-Hubbell by repeatedly demonstrating superior ethics, skill, and integrity. His high standing leads other attorneys to refer complex cases to him. In fact, approximately eighty percent of the lawsuits they take on are referrals.

Attorney Rocky Walton is a born-and-raised Texan with decades of experience handling personal injury matters. He began practicing law in 1973, and has collected millions on behalf of clients throughout the Arlington, TX, area. Not bad for a country boy who was told he had no shot of achieving his dream of becoming a lawyer.

Rocky Walton lived in Arlington since 1975 and was involved in the community, served on several voluntary community boards, member of the Arlington City Council and the Planning and Zoning Commission, served as president of the Wimbledon Homeowners Association, was Cub Scout Master of seven Cub Scout groups, and a baseball coach.

Humble Roots & Personal Inspiration

Rocky was born in a one-bedroom farmhouse in Brazos Point to teenage parents who dropped out of high school to help out on the family farm. At age two, Rocky and his parents moved to Cleburne, where they lived together in a house with an indoor restroom for the first time. Rocky’s father made the daily commute to Fort Worth where he operated heavy equipment for an excavation company. To this day, the work ethic of Rocky’s parents continues to inspire his own.

When Rocky was twelve years old, his family moved to Fort Worth so his father could attend business college. Always curious, Rocky picked up and read his dad’s Business Law book. The immediate spark he felt ignited his desire to become a lawyer himself. He delivered a 10th-grade speech class presentation telling his teacher and fellow students that one day he would be a politician and an attorney. He went home and told his family the same. “Rocky, you will never make a lawyer” was his grandfather’s response.

His grandfather’s comment gave Rocky a newfound determination to achieve his dream. He went off to college, where he met and married his college sweetheart, Sharon when he was only nineteen years old. Rocky never asked his relatives for a cent. He paid for school by working, taking out student loans, and receiving help from Sharon, who quit college to start working. Rocky’s determination paid off. After finishing law school with a J.D. from St. Mary's, he decided to get an advanced law degree from SMU Law School in taxation and securities. Only about two percent of Texas lawyers have advanced law degrees (LL.M.) in any area of law.

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR RETURNING OLBA RECIPIENTS

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CityOf.com showcases thousands of incredible businesses in more than 300 industry categories that are located in over 100 major U.S. cities. The Outstanding Local Business Award (OLBA) is given to locally-owned and operated businesses in recognition of their services to the local community and have met all of the Criteria listed on https://www.cityof.com/outstanding-local-business-award-badge

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