The Rockaway Story


Since they were small children, the love of their nursery and gardening has been engrained in Greg Jr. and Brian Burghardt. They worked at the family Garden Center and Tree Farms growing up and they went on to receive degrees from Rutgers University in Plant Science and Landscape Design, respectively. Since moving to Jacksonville some 12 years ago Greg and Brian worked for two of the largest and most successful landscape companies in the United States, Davey Tree Company and ValleyCrest Landscape Companies respectfully. Coupling their lifelong family business experience with the tried and true experience of working with two of the nation’s most respected horticultural organizations here locally in Jacksonville give the brothers a dynamic perspective as well as unique experience within the green industry.

Rockaway Garden Center was founded in 1981, in Rockaway, New Jersey and reinvented in 2009 as Rockaway Inc. when Greg and Brian saw the need for an independent horticultural service provider to serve the greater beaches local community. Rockaway, Inc. is a full service landscape provider. Whether its advice you need, landscape design and installation, landscape maintenance, personal potting services, irrigation, lighting services or commercial horticultural management services, you will be taken care of by the knowledgeable and passionate Rockaway, Inc. team. Greg and Brian’s passion and dedication to the business is truly evident by simply visiting the garden center or any of the landscape projects throughout the Jacksonville area.

Greg Burghardt President

  • Rutgers University, B.S. Plant Science
  • State of Florida Green Industries Best Management Practices Certified

Job Responsibilities include:

  • Accountable for your complete satisfaction
  • Oversees all retail and service operations
  • Ensures compliance to job specs and quality
  • Interfaces with Client

Brian Burghardt VICE PRESIDENT

  • Rutgers University, B.S. Plant Science
  • State of Florida Green Industries Best Management Practices Certified

Job Resposibilities Include:

  • Accountable for all on site activities
  • Responsible for plant and material purchases
  • Scheduling all work and crews
  • Implements on site quality standards/ design layouts

Efren Cruz Service Divisions operations manager

  • Bilingual in English and Spanish
  • 12 years industry experience

Job Responbilities Include:

  • Organizes crews, maintains and prioritizes schedules
  • Hires, trains and develops the teams
  • Understands customer concerns and provides appropriate and immediate feedback

Walter Wells Tech Services Supervisor

  • B.S. in Chemistry
  • University of Florida, Athletic Field Maintenance / Irrigation
  • State of Florida Green Industries best management practices certified
  • Certified Pest Control Operator

Job Responsibilities

  • Schedules all fertilizer and insect control applications
  • Ensures readiness and control of materials
  • Provides superior customer service and excellent plant advice
  • Maintains safe working conditions
  • Trains field applicators
  • Helps identify problem areas
  • Identifies organic solutions opportunities

Larry Ritter Business Developer

  • State of Florida Green Industries Best Management Practices Certified Instructor IFAS and DEP
  • Certified Pest Control Operator

Job Responsibilities Include:

  • Accountable for your complete satisfaction
  • Ensures compliance to job specs and quality
  • Landscape/ Maintenance estimates
  • Landscape design

David Holloway Landscape Designer

  • B.S. degree in Microbiology/Chemistry
  • Virginia nurseryman certification
  • Registered Pesticide Technician

Job Responsibilities

  • Landscape design
  • Provides excellent plant advice and superior customer service
  • Strives to meet the landscape needs of all Rockaway clients
  • Accountable for your complete satisfaction

Emmanuelle Parisi Landscape Design

  • Masters of Architecture The Savannah College of Art and design
  • B.S. Architecture the Savannah college of art and design
  • State of Florida Green Industries best manamgement practices certified
  • 15 years industry experience.

Will Vogt Marketing and Client Experience Coordinator

  • Jacksonville University, B.S. Sociology/Marketing

Job Responsibilities

  • Proactively seek new marketing, advertising and social media opportunities
  • Monitor inbound leads, inquiries, calls and trigger events
  • Connect with clients, community and partner organizations
  • Photography & Social Media Management

Chrissy Sandland H.R. Specialist, Accounts Billable

  • B.S. Degree in Management from Washington and Lee University
  • HR Certification from UCSD

Job Responsibilities

  • Human resources responsibilities such as hiring, payroll and employee relations
  • Landscape Services billing and processing
  • Back-end costing for division services

Ronnie Burghardt Office Manager, Accounts Payable

  • A.A. Degree for a Nursing Assistant from Westchester Community College

Job Responsibilities

  • Office Efficiency
  • Accounts Payable
  • Payroll

Tom Thelen Technical Services Manager

  • Involved in Green Industry for 30+ Years
  • 5 Years Golf Course Projects
  • 20 Years Large Landscape Projects
  • 10 Years Residential Projects (Owned Co.)

Job Responsibilities

  • Responsible for irrigation design, installation and service for various types of Irrigation Projects

The proper use of water, the most valuable asset in our industry, is my personal goal using the existing irrigation infrastructure of every project I am part of. Conservation and maximum coverage is the bottom line using the latest technology is always foremost in my planning and execution.

Rusty Watson Account Manager

  • A.A. degree Tallahassee Community College and FSCJ
  • Irrigation license certified in Duval & St. Johns County

Job Responsibilities

  • Maintenance on residential accounts
  • Handle landscaping projects
  • 15 plus years of experience in landscaping, irrigation and lawn pest control.