The Board of Directors of Akehurst Landscape Service has announced the appointment of John C. Akehurst to president of the firm effective immediately. He succeeds the late Brian E. Akehurst, 47, who held the position for nine years but died of a heart attack on July 6. Akehurst’s appointment comes in the 138th consecutive year of the Akehurst family horticultural business.
John said after his appointment, “While I grieve the loss of my brother Brian, who lead the company to what it is today, I am confident under my leadership I will follow in Brian’s footsteps and take the company to the next level.”
John Akehurst has been involved with the family business for more than 22 years as vice president of the firm’s interiorscape department. He started the division in 1992 and has won numerous awards for his designs and projects in the greater Baltimore region. In 2006 he won the Carville M. Akehurst award presented by the Maryland Nursery and Landscape Association for “his dedication and leadership to the association.” The same year he was presented with the David E. Laird, Sr. Memorial award by the Southern Nursery Association in Atlanta for his, “outstanding service to environmental horticulture.” In 2010, Akehurst served as the president of the Maryland Nursery and Landscape Association, which serves the $2 billion a year Maryland Horticultural Industry.
“I’ve been a consultant and friend to the Akehursts for more than 10 years, and can assure everyone that John is a capable leader,” said Ed Laflamme, LIC, with The Harvest Group, a consulting company.
Founded in 1876, the company is a privately held firm. John Akehurst, his brother William K. Akehurst, and cousin Jay F. Tarleton, are the fifth generation in one of America’s oldest family-owned horticultural companies. Akehurst is a full-service business serving the Greater Baltimore Metro region with landscape design/installation, maintenance, interiorscaping and snow/ice management services. For more about the company visit www.akehurst.com.
