Our Company

Core Purpose: To serve and encourage property owners by creating and protecting landscape beauty and order.

Core Values:
1) Spirit of Encouragement
2) In All Things Professionalism
3) Dedication to Plant Health Knowledge
4) Everyone an "Owner"

Core Vision: To be the best run Residential Landscape Management firm in Manhattan

Brand Promise: Provide Landscape Management services with knowledgeable and professional staff, quality products, timely service, and encouraging communication—all at a fair and competitive price that yields tremendous value to our clients.

  • Andrew Swarts | President
    President Andrew Swarts started with Growing Concerns as a plant health technician in the fall of 2007. He nabbed the opportunity to step into the lead role as president of the company in 2016, thus fulfilling the goal of his KSU business degree in General Management and Entrepreneurship. Born in New Amsterdam, NY (another East coast transplant) and growing up in Junction City, KS, Andrew developed his strong work ethic and ties to the landscape industry early on by mowing and trimming lawns when he was ten, and continued to do so even while working as a car detailer and supervising a floor-maintenance crew at Fort Riley - clearly hard work doesn't scare him a bit! He and his wife Rebecca (equally hard-working!) welcomed son James in late 2016, and besides running a company and being a dad, he enjoys working outdoors, fishing, playing not-so-great golf (his evaluation), and cheering on K-State and the Buffalo Bills.

  • Susan Schnieders | Support Staff
    Susan Schnieders (shneeeeders) has cared for Growing Concerns clients since 2004. Born in Lynn, MA, Susan grew up in Shawnee, KS and earned her B.A. in English from Kansas University (DON'T JUDGE!). Married to husband Pat in 1991, a same-year surprise start to the family (“honey, guess what?”) began with their first son, Patrick, followed by two more boys, Nick and Dan; then dogs, a cat, and three pet rats, although she would prefer goats and horses. Landing in Manhattan, KS by providence (actually by a long-deceased Nova) in 2000, three years in the insurance field preceded the founder's gracious dismissal of the Cat/Hawk rivalry to add her to the staff. Building client relationships and working with friends top her list of favorite aspects of the job. When not acting as communication conduit between the staff and clients, Susan enjoys gardening, canning, cooking, and having pun (pun totally intended).

  • Robyn James | Support Staff
    Robyn James has logged more hours at Growing Concerns than anyone (except Randy) as the accounting and compliance (think insurance, taxes, licensing, etc., EWWW) guru since its beginning in 1997. Born a California girl, she traded beach sand for Great Bend, KS soil at an early age . After surviving both climate and culture shock, she attended Kansas State University, meeting Randy and earning not only her degree in Family and Consumer Economics, but her MRS. when she and Randy tied the knot in 1986. She eventually left a banking career (but not her love of 70's & 80's music) to become a multi-tasking extraordinaire, simultaneously managing the company's books, raising three now grown daughters (Katie, Kara, Kylie), and maintaining a mini Noah's ark of horses, donkeys, cats, dogs, and 4H foster goats. Robyn loves working with everyone else's money, but off the job she enjoys horseback riding, dogfriend Frankie, online games (Spider Solitaire's a favorite!), and reading good books.

  • Merrill McClatchey
    Merrill McClatchey brings wisdom, maturity and a great sense of humor to the Growing Concerns staff. Serving GC as a part-time detailing and utility crew member, his favorite facet of the job is seeing the beauty and order resulting from a good clean up and shrub prune. His hard work ethic comes from having the most expansive amound of life experience of all the staff. From his Nebraska roots, Merrill worked as a farmer/stockman, served active and inactive reserves and holds the honor of a Vietnam veteran. He also spent 25 years teaching in Kansas after his Nebraska home farm was demolished by a tornado in 1985, retiring from teaching in 2015. He is married to wife Connie, and enjoys volunteering and spending time with his children and grandchildren when not in the field. We're very glad that Nebraska tornado brought Merrill to Kansas and that his retirement couldn't keep him at home. We're proud to have him as part of the team!

  • Justin Brock
    Crew leader Justin Brock joined the Growing Concerns team in 2014 after completing an impressive education at KSU, earning his B.S. in Agriculture (major in Horticulture, minor in Business, specializing in Landscape Management) and his M.S. in Horticulture (Woody Ornamentals). Growing up on a farm near Hunter, KS (2013 population: a crowded 57) probably ranks Justin as the most rurally-raised team member, though he has traveled as far as Nepal. Unfortunately, we haven't broken it to him that he can't earn frequent-flyer miles when he's doing his favorite part of the job, aerial tree pruning. A true Renaissance man, Justin enjoys hunting, fishing, baking, gardening and music (especially the smooth sounds of his MS192 Stihl chainsaw in the trees). Another favorite ground-level activity is slipping away to the family farm to work with his folks and siblings. Justin is truly farm to able.

  • Caleb McCarty
    Growing Concerns asked Caleb McCarty, Detailing Coordinator, to the party in 2017. A Manhattan native, Caleb earned his bachelor's degree in Horticulture with an emphasis in Fruit and Vegetable Production, with a minor in Biology and a secondary major in Natural Resources (say that five times fast!). In his role as detailing coordinator, he embraces the mission to bring beauty and order to clients' landscapes by battling weeds and leggy shrub growth (we gave him a cape, but he won't wear it). He and his wife, Melanie welcomed their first son, Joshua James, in January, 2018 so you can guess what his FAVORITE thing is! When not rescuing landscapes from the scourge of weeds and overgrowth, Caleb coaches basketball at Flinthills Christian School and plays as many sports as he can. No doubt Joshua will be throwing down "threes" in no time!

  • Jim Crosby
    Turf Application Coordinator Jim Crosby joined Growing Concerns part-time in 2016. Guess we passed the probationary period because he came on full-time in the turf department in 2017. Though born in Ft. Riley, it took him 13 years to get to Manhattan (come on Jim, it's not that far!) via Michigan and Council Grove. The K-State Wildcats finally got their claws into him in 2000, where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree. He also found wife Jasmine here, and they welcomed baby Stella in 2017. Jim most enjoys making clients happy with the services we provide, and is glad to be working outdoors. Off the job, Jim enjoys music by Led Zeppelin and Pearl Jam, playing golf and supporting Michigan football (guess the Wildcat claws didn't get in deep enough). He and Jasmine also love travel and have been to Italy, Mexico, Jamaica and the Bahamas.

  • Dan Schnieders
    For Dan Schnieders, (yes, the same Dan as in Susan's bio), work mimics life as he's the youngest full-time member of the Growing Concerns team and the youngest of three brothers. Dan started with the company doing utility work in 2015 almost right out of high school (a local Manhattan high graduate), but honed his knowledge and skills to move up to turf technician in 2016. His previous work experience with Wildcat Pet Resort prepared him for educated interaction with pets, so if you have a dog on your property, Dan's your man! Continuing the trend of working outdoors as the favorite aspect of the job, Dan also enjoys camping and hiking, especially with his best furry friend, Maya. In addition, he is fascinated with all things Viking and enjoys Irish folk music, and while he doesn't do any Irish dancing, he does do a mean "Carlton" (see 90's sitcom, "Fresh Prince of Bel Aire").

PROGRAMS