|
Rhodes Robinson Recalls ESI's Past 27 Years
Environmental Services, Inc. (ESI) is the first independently-owned ecological company to be headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida. The company began when Rhodes and Sarah Robinson, who were already working in Jacksonville and knew the market well, made the decision to begin their company based on the multiple good business connections that they'd already made in the territory.  Rhodes shares, "Some people ask us if our business is to help use up our natural resources. We view our business in a different way. Development is inevitable. ESI helps our clients balance development with compliance with rules and regulations. These rules and regulations are designed to, in fact, protect our natural resources."
|
Gary Howalt Talks About 25 Years At ESI
Gary Howalt serves as a VP, as well as the Office  Manager in Jacksonville, FL, for ESI. Gary has been with the company since 1988 and says his job is anything but boring. "Ecology is a continually evolving industry where we work on multiple projects depending on the day. It's not boring at all." Gary recalls a job early on in his career where he was walking a property with several regulatory agency staff members and they encountered five or six rattlesnakes. Needless to say, he bought his first pair of snake boots soon after that experience. That wasn't Gary's last run in with rattlesnakes. He once discovered a rattlesnake stuck to a client's boots as they walked through a project site. Gary's favorite project during the past 25 years as an ESI employee is Queens Harbor. He worked in conjunction with the development company to help build the neighborhood and to this day continues to work with individual homeowners with their property permitting needs.
|
____________________________________________
Mike Wilson: 18 Years With ESI
 Mike Wilson has served as ESI's CFO for the past 18 years. Mike has always been a big believer in providing leadership training to ESI's staff. In fact, recently, Mike completed the John Maxwell Training and Certification Course with ESI owner Rhodes Robinson. They have thus far provided coaching sessions to staff at England-Thims and Miller, Inc.and UNF.
|
____________________________________________
Tim Hamilton: 27 Years With ESI
"One of my best friends from college, Mitch, called me one day back in August of 1986. He had just met Rhodes Robinson. Rhodes was doing a preliminary assessment of a piece of land that Mitch's company was looking at for a new office. Rhodes asked Mitch if he knew anyone who was good with plants and was "looking for a job." Mitch pitched my name. I called Rhodes that afternoon and asked if I could meet with him. He said, "What are you doing right now?" "We met that afternoon, had a good talk and Rhodes asked me when I could start. I replied that I had a few things that I needed to get in order. He said that was fine, "How about starting on Tuesday?" I agreed and he said to come on in and he would give me some information to get me up to speed."
|
