Ben Collinsworth, CEO
Ben began his professional commercial landscaping career in 1999, but his interest in the business began very early. Starting at the age of 12, Ben cultivated that interest through job experience with both residential and commercial properties. After founding Native Land Design in 2001, Ben has continued to be actively involved in the company's growth and development.
Ben earned a Bachelor's degree in Horticulture and Landscape Architecture from Texas A&M University. He has proven to be an active member of the landscape and professional communities with strong involvement in multiple organizations; including the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), Austin Home Builders Association (HBA), National Home Builders Association (NHBA), Professional Landscape Network (PLANET), and the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA).
Ben and his wife currently live in the Cedar Park area with their two children.
Stan Johnson, President
Stan has 30 years of landscape experience including all aspects of landscape construction, maintenance, interiorscape, irrigation, golf course and greenhouse operations. His background includes 10 years as Director of Landscape Operations for Las Colinas - a 12,000-acre master planned community in Irving, Texas, as well as 12 years with TruGreen LandCare in Austin and Houston.
Notable projects Stan has completed include: Williams Square in Las Colinas, which included the planting of twenty two 25" caliper Live Oaks; the Canal Walk in Las Colinas; and the Las Colinas Flower Clock. He has won numerous national and state awards for landscape maintenance projects, including the Arboretum in Austin. He also supervised the installation on Michael Dell's house in Austin, as well as the Motorola campus on Parmer Lane, Austin.
In his spare time, Stan is an avid hunter and fisherman. He and his wife currently live in Weimar, where they are having fun learning the wine business through the creation of their own vineyard, Whistling Duck Winery.
Miles Rush, Vice President
When he joined Native Land Design in 2007, Miles brought over 8 years experience in the Texas landscaping industry with him. As Vice President, Miles oversees operations for Austin, McAllen, and San Antonio.
Miles began his commercial landscaping career as an Account Manager with TruGreen LandCare in Austin. After being recognized for his exemplary customer service, Miles was promoted to Branch Manager in Houston where he took care of elite customers such as Memorial Herman Hospital, Houston ISD, Southwyck HOA, and Commonwealth HOA. After a second Branch Manager promotion, Miles relocated back to Austin to serve maintenance customers including the Texas State Capitol, Cimarron Hills HOA, Riverplace HOA, the Aspen Property portfolio, and Sharyland Plantation HOA in Mission, Texas.
In addition to his professional landscape resume, Miles also brings 7 years of NFL turf experience to Native Land Design. Working for both the Cleveland Browns and the Baltimore Ravens, he managed responsibilities ranging from trash pick up to field renovation. Miles was also the project manager during the 1999 renovation of the Philadelphia Eagles' practice fields.
Michael Spell, Controller
Michael came to Native Land Design in 2008. As Controller, he is responsible for the accounting and financial reporting for the company, and uses his financial expertise to advise the team on potential growth opportunities.
Michael's previous experience includes two years as a Virtual CFO, where he acted as controller and a consultant for numerous clients in various industries including online retail sales, oil and gas exploration, data management services, and landscaping. Prior to his VCFO role, Michael managed all accounting responsibilities for General Bandwidth, Inc., and also worked in the Internal Audit department for Dell.
Michael holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from the University of Texas at Austin, and is a Certified Public Accountant.
Michael and his wife have two children, and their family is very involved in athletics including soccer, basketball, swimming and inline hockey.
