Larry and his wife Kathy founded Ryan Lawn & Tree in 1987. With a degree in forestry and experience in urban forestry and restaurants, Larry combined his love for the outdoors, lawns and trees and his background in restaurants. This challenged him to start a lawn company that was built on relationships with customers. The second lesson was to take an industry of seasonal jobs, hire college graduates with degrees in horticulture and turn the jobs into full-time professional positions. Lastly, making RYAN employee-owned has really helped RYAN stand out with its commitment to the customer and quality.