Giving Back

After this year’s awards banquet, I was approached by several people thanking me for donating my time to the CLCA. It caught me a little off guard. I had never really thought of it as a donation of time. Yes, it adds to my workload but, for the most part, giving back has just become part of my normal professional routine.

After further reflection, it reminded me of my dad. He was a full-time teacher, part-time police officer, and volunteer coach. Amidst these commitments, he still found time to be a great dad, raising my brother and me. I remember asking him why he wanted to be a police officer when he already had a job as a teacher. He answered that it was a great way to stay involved and give back to the community. Upon his retirement, he had taught for 35 years, served over 20 years in the police department, and volunteered for many years of coaching.

Not surprisingly, I feel the same way as my father when it comes to giving back. Donating time to the CLCA is my way of giving back to my community… my green

industry community.

Being a member of CLCA has helped my business exponentially over the years. Insurance, HR help, and contracts have all been invaluable resources. But CLCA has helped me most in offering me the opportunity to give back. Giving back and being involved positioned me to build relationships and expand my network, receive advice from CEOs of the largest companies in the industry, and get the support I needed to raise the bar in my craftsmanship. It has also increased my professional development and taught me how to manage people better.

I am so grateful to my mentor Richard Cohen for exposing me to CLCA and in return, I am exposing my employees. I have no doubt that they will benefit from it too.

My advice to you… get involved and give back to your professional community. I think you will find it will do more for you than you think.

~Sincerely, Dave, 2023 CLCA OC Chapter President