1975

Dickson DeMarche, former CEO of LaurelRock, founded Dickson DeMarche Landscape Architects (DDLA) in Westport, Connecticut, to provide land planning and site design services for residential, commercial and municipal clients.

1984

Motivated by a desire to consistently produce higher quality projects and taking advantage of the firm’s many years of experience in site construction, DDLA added a construction management division. By the late 1980’s, DDLA was well established as one of the leading landscape architecture firms in Fairfield County.

1993

With a mission to become the premier provider of residential landscape design and construction services, Dickson and his son, Burt DeMarche, current President, founded LaurelRock. Carried forward by DDLA’s strong reputation, Burt and Dickson increased the firm’s offerings and grew LaurelRock to where it is today—an award-winning, full service residential landscape Design/Build and Property Management firm. On the eve of its 35th year in business, in 2009 LaurelRock emerged as a leader in Fairfield County’s growing sustainable Design/Build movement. Deeply committed to preserving the environment and protecting the area’s natural resources, the firm launched a series of educational seminars designed to help residential architects bridge the gap between homeowners and sustainable Design/Build best practices, inside and outside the home.

Today

With offices in Wilton, Connecticut, LaurelRock serves a core market area of Fairfield, Litchfield, and Westchester Counties. The company’s award-winning Design/Build Division has received over twenty state and national recognitions for its high quality residential design and construction services. The firm’s Property Management Division has received numerous national awards for excellence in residential maintenance and employee and fleet safety.

Today, with over 50 dedicated professionals on staff, LaurelRock demonstrates a commitment to excellence and leadership within the industry. With more than 1,000 designs to its credit and hundreds of satisfied maintenance clients, LaurelRock has earned its reputation as one of the area’s premier landscape companies.

Leadership

Burton DeMarche, CLP, LEED AP

President

With a strong background in horticulture and business management, a dedication to superior client service, and a devotion to detail, Burt has been instrumental in leading LaurelRock to its prominent position in the field of Landscape Design/Build and Property Maintenance over the past 30 years.

Peter Kehoe

Vice President Operations

An expert in turf and plant health care, as well as a skilled production manager, Peter is highly regarded among clients for his proactive approach to managing landscape crews and delivering excellent customer service.

Jim Podrazky

Controller

As a seasoned CPA, Jim brings financial expertise, strategic thinking, and an analytical approach to LaurelRock.

Mark Coleman

Director of Sales and Marketing

Mark has 20 years of marketing and sales experience in the corporate world, working previously for companies like IBM, Convera Technologies, and List Services Corporation. Prior to joining LaurelRock, Mark was the Business Development Manager - Alliance Partners for Sprinklr in New York City.

The Team

Design/Build

Mark Sorosiak

Senior Designer/Landscape Architect

Mark has 30+ years of landscape architecture and project management experience and is knowledgeable in all facets of design, construction, and customer support in both the residential and commercial sectors.

Emily Weckman

Landscape Architect

Emily brings over 15 years of landscape architecture and design knowledge. Over this time she has had the opportunity to work on a variety of projects that include residential design, parks, schools and multi-family housing.

Timothy Wells

Construction Operations Manager

Timothy is a professional horticulturist with a diverse background in plant health care and fine gardening.

Jerry Dachenhausen

Construction Field Manager

Jerry Dachenhausen comes to LaurelRock with 14 years of experience as a professional in construction and specializes in heavy equipment operations.

David Popoff

Design/Build Project Manager

David Popoff has a background in residential, commercial property management and brings over 25 years of construction project management experience to LaurelRock’s Design/Build team.

Don Kuhn

Design/Build Project Manager

Don joins our team at Laurelrock with over thirty years of experience in the Green Industry. He has a diversified background with a wealth of experience in project management developed from owning and operating a design/build company that also included a tree division.

Chris Aber

Fleet and Facilities Manager

Chris joins laurel Rock with 6+ years’ experience in the landscape, construction, and heavy equipment industries.

Landscape Management

Kevin Havey

Garden & Property Manager - Business Developer

A proud, lifelong Bethel resident, Kevin Havey has over 20 years of landscape experience in Connecticut.

Chris Powers

Garden & Property Manager

Garden & Property Manager Chris Powers is an accomplished account manager offering 15 years of landscaping experience that spans the east and west coast.

Peter House

Specialty Sales Manager

An accredited nursery professional and plant expert, Peter infuses over three decades of green industry experience into his role as LaurelRock’s Specialty Sales Manager.

Wilton Franco

Weekly Maintenance Field Supervisor

Since 2010, Wilton has held a leadership position with LaurelRock’s Weekly Maintenance Team, providing clients with a variety of essential landscape services, from mowing, edging and seasonal clean-up to planting, pruning, seeding and drainage.

Maria Koterska

Fine Gardening Field Supervisor

Maria comes to LaurelRock bringing a passion for marketing, event planning, floral design, and plant education. With experience in creating and maintaining long-standing client relationships, her management, communication, and organizational skills are a fit to join our team as a Fine Gardening Field Supervisor.

Erik Bailey

Garden & Property Manager

Erik comes to LaurelRock with over a decade of experience in management, showcasing a dedication to delivering superior customer service and upholding the highest standards.

Peggy Garbus

Garden Property Manager & Seasonal Décor

Peggy’s professional garden nursery experience developed at Terrain, in Westport, CT where she combined her strong customer care skills and plant knowledge, delivering a superior customer experience in an atmosphere where nature is a guiding influence.

Jonathan Steinbiser

Garden & Property Manager

Jonathan brings with him a lifetime of agricultural experience, but his journey into horticulture as a career began in 2018 when he was brought on as the Facility Manager for the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks in Fayetteville, Arkansas.