When it comes to being recognized as one of SIMA’s Best Places to Work in Snow & Ice, three industry leaders — Jeremy Darling of JC Grounds Management in Danvers, MA, Ted Lucia of Lucia Landscaping in Roseville, MI, and Albert Tedesco of AJT Management in Westwood, MA — shared what the award means to their teams and how it shapes their company cultures when they sat down with Anthony Brown of Dig-It Rentals, the 2025 Best Places to Work award sponsor. Check out their whole conversation in the video.
For all three companies, the award goes far beyond a plaque on the wall. It’s about validation, pride, and a shared sense of purpose.
Darling said, “It means a lot to a lot of these guys because what we do is so unique in the industry… it gives them a sense that we’re doing things right here and we’re being fair and providing a great environment for our employees.”
For Lucia, the recognition hit home on a personal level: “It means a lot, especially coming from someone that started doing snow and ice management as a young kid… Real companies are created and recognized by culture, and culture is based on people. It’s the lifeblood of your company.”
Tedesco echoed that sentiment, emphasizing family: “When we found out that we won the award, everybody was very excited. I think we have a good work culture here. Everybody here is more like family.”
Each company sees the award as an opportunity for reflection and growth — a way to understand what’s working and where they can improve.
Darling explained, “We have to get [our employees’] input — their honest input — and that helps to qualify for it. It helps us make sure that we’re doing things right… It gives us some areas to be able to fix our plans and adjust to make it better for them.”
Lucia added that recognition reinforces his company’s commitment to excellence: “We need to deliver on what we’re promising. The recognition speaks to that — when we set out a goal, we want to win the goal and be top notch. We want to be one of the best in the world.”
And for Tedesco, it boosted morale across the board: “It was definitely a morale booster. Everybody was excited… Internally, it was huge for us. And of course, it’s going to help us outside too, just having people see what we’re all about.
In a competitive labor market, all three leaders agree the award has tangible impact when it comes to retaining and recruiting great people.
Darling noted, “It certainly helps us to retain people for sure… Most of our employees, even our seasonal employees, we have like a 95% retention rate.”
Lucia sees it as a badge of credibility when hiring: “They like to see that they are about to join a team of individuals that is an award-winning company. It’s a benchmark.”
And for AJT, long-term loyalty speaks volumes. Tedesco shared, “A lot of our employees have been here for 10 plus years… When people see that you’re a CSP and now you’ve got Best Place to Work, it kind of just helps.”
The recognition doesn’t just inspire teams — it also strengthens how these companies present themselves to clients and new hires alike.
Lucia shared, “We’ll put it on our website… During demonstrations with clients, we go over some of our recognitions to let them know what type of company they’re working with.”
Tedesco added a creative touch: “We use it on LinkedIn… We had jerseys made that said ‘Best Place to Work 25’ on the back with the SIMA patch on the arm… It just shows because we take pride in what we do.
Each leader emphasized that the Best Places to Work program offers value to companies of all sizes.
Darling said, “Even if you’re a smaller company… you’re judged against people that are in your class. You're able to really compare yourself to them, and gives you feedback on what you’re doing for your employees and what their sense is on it.”
Lucia urged his peers to take the leap: “Everyone should be applying for the recognition… if they're trying to achieve more, elevate their company. At the end of the day, we're only as good as how we serve our clients. And that all starts with people. So if you want to elevate, if you want to be more successful, I think not just applying but acting in a way consistently that shows it.”
Tedesco agreed: “I would tell them definitely to apply. I think it’s going to help boost the morale inside the company and then help them outside.”
From Massachusetts to Michigan, these leaders share one belief: great companies are built on great people. Recognition like Best Places to Work in Snow & Ice isn’t just an award — it’s a mirror reflecting the strength, pride, and purpose behind every plow, every plan, and every person who makes the work possible.
Thank you to Dig-It Rentals for sponsoring the 2025 Best Places to Work in Snow & Ice. Learn more about Dig-It at digit.rentals.
Applications for the 2026 Best Places to Work in Snow & Ice award will be available in early 2026.