ABOUT US

As published in Irrigation Association Member Update
Summer 2011

Chris Williams, CGIA, CIC, CLIA, ARCSA Accredited President, Landscapes of the South (Canton, Ga.)

“Earning my CLIA was an eye opening experience,” said Williams. “It made me look at irrigation in a different way, and want to do a better job of it – in installations, maintenance – and to assist customers with proper water techniques and scheduling.”

Williams quickly foresaw the benefits of certification. “My learning came from the school of hard knocks,” he said, noting that he started working in the field right after high school. But he credits IA’s certification program for helping him expand his abilities in the field. “It’s been beneficial to both me and the business to bring additional skills that help customers and help us with growth and profits.”

In 2010, he became a certified contractor and earned his golf auditor certification this January. He is currently working towards a landscape water manager certification.

Becoming certified has also led Williams to become more involved with local and state government as Georgia continues to face serious water issues. “I felt like we ought to get involved with something that is part of the solution, so going forward our industry is consulted instead of being left in the background and shut out from being able to run our businesses.”

“We’d like to be looked at as the experts,” he added. “Having folks that are more knowledgeable will allow us to do that.” It’s also why Williams has joined with other IA members to define criteria for an irrigation technician certificate program.

In fact, Williams credits his certifications with giving him the confidence to start his own business, Landscapes of the South, in 2011.
“Getting certified has made me more knowledgeable in the field,” he continued. “It has allowed me to increase my revenues. It has opened some opportunities I did not have before and may not have had. I feel like it’s worth it – it’s money well invested.”