King Willie

Clinton was in the White House, his first term when I met Bill Asher. Millgrove Landscaping was still a baby and we had just landed the biggest single landscape contract in Steuben County (still is), which was an outlet mall near I69 that had been bought out and was expanding, doubling in size. Unfortunately for them the land they chose on the north side of St. Rd. 120 was low land swamp which required lots of modification and segmented retaining walls (block) of which we installed 21 semi trucks full. Each block weighed 71 lbs, and we were often short handed to the point where we once had a one armed wheelbarrow operator. Anyway on one of those days I sent one of my three permanent employees out on a mission, "go find me some warm bodies and don't come back until you do." I kept a supply of Millgrove t-shirts at the job site and barely looked at the guy Randy had brought me as I tossed him a shirt and gave him instruction on where to start work. He was introduced to me then as King Willie at that time that was all I really wanted to know.

Now some 18 years later I often ask The King, Bill Asher if he agrees as to how I think we should begin a job. Bill is my go to guy who manages all my big projects and with whom I have a strong design/build partnership. He has developed into a good leader, efficient installer, excellent instructor and supervisor with the ability to take my blueprints and make my visions come to life. I trust his judgement, skill and common sense to deliver an outstanding project and to bring it in on time and on budget. We have an easy communication between us and he gets my visions better than almost anyone. When I ask Bill, "do you see what I see?", he often answers, "not yet but give me a couple of days on site."

Thanks Bill, I could not do it without you. I am still not sure how you got the name King Willie but you sure are King of Millgrove Landscaping but don't forget it is The Queen who rules.