Ground Level was founded in 2005 by a small team of professionals dedicated to providing our customers quality products in Ecosystem Restoration. Our areas of expertise and qualified staff have seen considerable growth since then, but our goal is still the same, quality products and services from a trustworthy team. Our qualified and knowledgeable staff bring over 100 years of combined experience to the industry and look forward to applying our expertise to make your project a success. We provide sustainable solutions for our customers, no matter how challenging the environment, and we do so in a safe and professional manner.
We serve the needs of our clients from the ground up. Diverse in the scope of services we provide. From establishing erosion control and clearing the land, to revegetating barren landscapes and providing maintenance services that will keep your project healthy for years to come. We’re glad to assist in any part of your project or manage it from start to finish.
Our customers range from small private businesses to large industrial clients. We are pleased to have provided services to State and Federal Agencies, Large Infrastructure companies, Energy Supply and Delivery companies, the Mining Industry, and more.
At Ground Level, we resolve your issues.
We do not create new ones.
Ben Yates
Chief Operations Officer
Ben is a native Floridian who loves spending time with his family camping, fishing, and serving at the local church. Graduating from Warner University with a Bachelors Degree in Biology, Ben brings over 17 years of experience to the Ground Level team. He has a diverse range of experience in Ecosystem Restoration, Permitting and Compliance with Local and Federal agencies, Wildlife Relocation, Mining Infrastructure, Project Management, Program Development, and a background in Industrial Fabrication. With a primary focus on safety and quality, Ben has a passion for leading the Ground Level team to bring our customers the best products and reliable service. Ben is certified as an FDEP Qualified Stormwater Inspector and has previous certifications as an FFWCC Gopher Tortoise Authorized Agent.
Chris Artman
Senior Manager – Commercial Projects & Business Development
Chris is a native Floridian who loves spending time with his family at the ball field, in the back yard manning the grill, and building relationships with people throughout the community. Graduating from Riverside Military Academy with high honors, completing an AA/AS degree from Polk Community College majoring in Business Management and Political Science, and securing a bachelor’s degree in Business from the University of South Florida, Chris brings over 15 years of experience to the Ground Level team. He manages a wide range of focus areas from property management, site and infrastructure work, erosion control, and everything in between. When you reach out to Ground Level, Chris will be one of your first points of contact ensuring your project is managed by the right group of team members to bring your project great success. Chris holds certifications as an FDACS Licensed Pesticide Applicator, a Part 48 Certified MSHA Instructor, and a State of Florida Medical First Responder.
Pablo Rivera
Senior Manager – Ecosystem Restoration and Maintenance
Pablo is a native Floridian that loves spending time with his family. With more than 16 years of experience in the restoration industry, Pablo brings a great deal of knowledge to our team in invasive plant management and pesticide application. Starting in 2007, Pablo has a long tenure at Ground Level, holding various leadership roles within our ecosystem restoration division. He currently manages our Ecosystem Restoration projects specializing in herbicide application and revegetation efforts. Pablo is certified as a FDACS Licensed Pesticide Applicator and holds certifications in the following categories: Right of Way, Natural Areas, and Aquatics. He also holds active credentials from FPP (Florida Phosphate Producers), and is trained in Best Management Practices. Pablo is a Ground Level First Responder that is certified in CPR and First Aid.
Keyland Amig
Senior Ecologist
Keyland is a fourth generation Floridian and avid outdoorsman from Lakeland, Florida who loves spending time with his family. He has a Bachelor of Science Degree with a major in Plant Biology from the University of South Florida, and over 14 years of experience in the Vegetation Management and Ecosystem Restoration fields. Keyland is knowledgeable in all aspects of project management and excels in Invasive Plant Management, Natural Areas Management, Aquatic Plant Management, Right of Way Vegetation management, Threatened & Endangered Species Surveys, and Wildlife Relocation and Wetland Delineation. He holds certifications as an FFWCC Gopher Tortoise Authorized Agent, a DOF Prescribed Burn Manager, an FDACS Licensed Pesticide Applicator, Florida Public Health Pest Control, Georgia Department of Agriculture Licensed Pesticide Applicator, FDEP Stormwater Erosion and Sedimentation Control Inspector, and FAA UAS Pilot.
Dustin Maddox
Area Manager – Mastication and Special Projects
Dustin is a fifth generation Floridian with a passion for the outdoors and aspires to be a good steward of the land we call home. He is a graduate of South Florida Sate College where he studied Agricultural Operations Management. Dustin has a diverse background in farming, livestock production, site development, land management and various other agricultural operations. He brings over ten years of experience to the Ground Level team and makes great use of his previous experience on each job he tackles. Dustin currently manages our specialty land management projects, mastication, land clearing, excavation, and site development. He has current certifications as a FDACS Licensed Pesticide Applicator, and a Florida State Certified Stormwater Inspector.
Daniel Boston
Area Manager – Commercial Projects
Daniel is a native Floridian who loves spending time with his family, and enjoying the Florida outdoors fishing, hunting, and coaching his daughter’s softball teams. He is a graduate of the University of Florida, and holds a Bachelors of Science Degree in Horticulture Science. Daniel brings over ten years of experience to Ground Level, with a background in farming and nursery management, landscape design, and property management. Daniel currently manages our in-house nursery, fully stocked with native trees and shrubs. He is our primary point of contact for our large property management accounts that require broad range mowing or detailed landscaping. Daniel has a FDACS Licensed Pesticide Applicator license and is pursuing his ISA Certified Arborist license.
Taylor Lance
Ecological Advisor and Commercial Estimator
Taylor is a native to the Southeast, originally hailing from Alabama. She is now a Central Florida resident who enjoys scuba diving, kayaking, and coaching figure skating. Taylor has a Masters Degree in Natural Resource Management from Auburn University, and Restoration Ecology experience working in the Bering Sea of Alaska, and along portions of the Snake River. Through her time in service at volunteer opportunities and previous employment, Taylor brings ten years of experience with her to the Ground Level team. Taylor has a passion for building and maintaining relationships with customers, government agencies, and business partners. She understands the importance of solid communication and delivers results with great attention to detail. Taylor is certified as a FDACS Licensed Pesticide Applicator and a GI-BMP licensed and certified instructor.
Brian Lowder
Safety Manager
Brian is an Ohio Native who made the move to central Florida as a child. He loves spending time with his family watching football and staying active outdoors enjoying all that Florida has to offer. As our Safety Manager, Brian is dedicated to keeping our team well trained and well informed on all things health and safety related, in addition to maintaining our corporate compliance with MSHA, OSHA and EPA regulations. He brings over twenty-seven years of experience from the mining and safety industries to Ground Level and is dedicated to keeping us safe. Brian has certifications as a WPS Trainer, Part 48 MSHA Instructor, CPR & First Aid Responder, and is also certified in accordance with OSHA 30 1910.
Carl Brosky
Purchasing Manager
Carl is a Central Florida Native who calls Plant City home. He enjoys any opportunity available to get outdoors and enjoy nature, and loves to be at home with his family watching baseball. Carl joined the Ground Level team in 2014 after serving in the U.S. Army for twenty-six years. Ground Level relies on Carl to secure all of the resources required to keep our business moving forward and provide great value for our customers. From sourcing equipment to finding the best price on materials, Carl’s expertise provides savings that Ground Level can pass on to their customers. Carl is certified as a FDACS Licensed Pesticide Applicator in several categories.
Kristin Naugle
Internal Operations
Kristin is a native Floridian who was born and raised in Tampa, Florida. She enjoys spending time with her family doing outdoor activities and watching football. Kristin joined the Ground Level team in 2012 after previously attending the University of South Florida where she graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a minor in Accounting and Management Information Systems in 2004. She has more than 15 years of leadership experience in Field and Administrative roles, but her primary focus is leading the Ground Level team to reach our goals while implementing and promoting the company’s principals and standards. Because of her expertise and organization, the internal operations at Ground Level operate at a very high level.
Michael Daniels
Fleet Maintenance Manager
Michael was born, raised, and still resides in Central Florida. He enjoys time outdoors with his family and friends hunting, fishing, and participating in sporting events. Michael started with Ground Level in 2013 and has been a part of several teams contributing to the success of our company. He currently manages the maintenance of our vehicle and equipment fleet, ensuring we have safe and operational equipment to support the needs of our customers. Because of his leadership in other areas of our company, Michael knows first-hand the importance of an operational fleet of equipment. From proper maintenance, safety inspections, and timely repairs, to complete rebuilds and one-off fabrication for tools and equipment that best serve our customers.
Joe Flores
Area Superintendent – Invasive Plant Management
Joe is a Central Florida native, who loves time with his family and enjoys building, driving and checking out custom cars. Joe is a Ground Level veteran who has been with the company since 2007 as part of our invasive plant management team in a number of roles. He has a great deal of experience in pesticide application, project management, and leading teams. Joe brings over twenty years of vegetation management experience to our business and ensures the highest quality results for our customers. He currently holds an FDACS Pesticide Applicators License in CORE and Natural Areas.