Steven Whalen: President / Sole proprietor – Mr. Steve Whalen has been in the landscape industry in Dallas for over 28 years. Mr. Whalen is a Texas native and a graduate of the University of Texas. Over the last almost thirty years, Steve has made sure Thousand Oaks has grown and succeeded due to strong product quality, customer satisfaction and a “word of mouth” ideology which has left Thousand Oaks with steady growth and an incredible customer retention record. Steve is also a licensed chemical applicator as well as a licensed irrigator. Steve remains a hands-on leader in the management of Thousand Oaks in its day-to-day and long-term operations.
Chris Hodge: Vice President of Business Development – Chris has been in the Landscape industry in many aspects for over fifteen years. Mr. Hodge started out being the sole proprietor of his own company providing residential and commercial landscape maintenance to the North Texas area while growing in services to full construction providing landscape and hardscape installation. Chris has been a leader in the DFW area over the last ten years in commercial landscape maintenance management, operations as well as sales. Chris is the lead maintenance estimator at Thousand Oaks and participates in “key” account management as well.
Jeff Hilz: President of Operations – Mr. Hilz has been in the landscape industry for over twelve years. Jeff’s experience includes golf course management as well as commercial landscape account management. Jeff is a Texas Certified Chemical applicator with the Texas Department of Agriculture. Also being a Texas native, Jeff graduated Southeast Missouri State only to come back to Texas to join the landscape industry and become a leader of Thousand Oaks management team and play a key role in the operations department while overseeing the functions of all other departments.
Ben Wardlow: Director of Landscape Construction and Development – Ben takes the lead in the construction and development department which also includes irrigation and all new landscape installation both commercial and residential. Ben is a Texas native and graduated the University of North Texas in 2002. In Ben’s years of experience with landscape design and installation he has also obtained his credentials as a licensed irrigator and backflow tester
Donna Alexander: Office Manager – Donna is the Thousand Oaks office manager and full charge bookkeeper. With over thirty years of bookkeeping experience, Donna is on her seventh year in the landscape industry. Donna is certified in Human Resources and OSHA compliances and is a key part in managing the rest of Thousand Oaks’ office staff.
Colby Grob: Irrigation Manager – Colby is Thousand Oaks irrigation manager and designer. Colby brings nine years of commercial and residential irrigation experience along with five years of landscape and lighting and 3 years of commercial maintenance and landscape experience. Originally from Arizona, Colby is one of Thousand Oaks many licensed irrigators and is also a licensed backflow prevention assembly tester. Colby coordinates operations in both commercial and residential irrigation installation as well as maintenance.
Don Howard: Landscape Designer/Estimator – Don designs and creates complete outdoor environments which include landscape, hardscape, outdoor kitchens and fireplaces, arbors, pools and water features. Don is Thousand Oaks Chief Landscape estimator as well as a project manager. Don has been in the landscape and irrigation industry for over ten years and has over twenty years of design experience as well as sales, marketing, and is an accomplished photographer.
