Mark Laberee – Chief Executive Officer
After receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in Landscape Design from South Dakota State University in 1972, Mark put his education to work as a Landscape Architect and planner for several firms before creating Lan-De-Con Inc. with Rod Johnson in 1975. Mark’s creativity in landscape design and his knowledge of solid construction techniques have been the backbone of Lan-De-Con since its inception. Mark continues to play an active role in the growth of Lan-De-Con and is committed to providing quality landscape design and installation service for all of Lan-De-Con’s clientele.
Todd Laberee – Chief Financial Officer
Todd grew up working in the business at a young age. He developed both his work ethic and leadership skills over 12 plus years, first as a laborer and then as a foreman. After college, Todd worked with several large corporations including GE Capital and Jostens where he cultivated skills in the areas of cross functional leadership, strategic planning, product development, marketing strategy, sales operations, analytics, technology management, and various digital marketing disciplines. Todd recently returned to Lan-De-Con to further improve the already excellent customer experience and help build the business further.
Daren Laberee – ASLA, PLA, Landscape Architect, Chief Operating Officer
Daren started working for Lan-De-Con as a laborer for summer employment while in High School starting in the late 80’s. After earning his accredited Bachelor of Landscape Architecture and Bachelor of Science in Environmental Design degrees from North Dakota State University in 1999, Daren went to work for Westwood Professional Services, a multi-disciplined land development consultant company. While at Westwood, he worked on a large variety of public and private projects including master planned neighborhoods, public parks and commercial properties. After 14 years at Westwood, Daren went to work for Mattamy Homes as their Land Development Manager where he helped plan and entitle two of the state’s largest master planned communities, oversaw the development and construction of dozens of projects and helped build the Land Department in the Minnesota division from the ground up. Now Daren’s career has come full circle as he returns to the company to help see it into the next generation.
Sherry Cochrane – Landscape Designer, Senior Project Manager
Sherry graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2001 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Horticulture with an emphasis in landscape design. Before joining Lan-De-Con in the summer of 2001, Sherry worked at various garden centers and also at the University of Minnesota Trial and Display Garden. At Lan-De-Con, Sherry’s main roles are project manager and landscape designer. Sherry is involved with all stages of commercial landscaping from estimating plans to final project implementation and completion. Sherry also enjoys the creativity of designing residential home landscapes where she can utilize her extensive knowledge and love of perennials and flowers. Her design versatility ranges from creating colorful formal gardens to naturalistic plantings. Sherry strives to meet all of her clients and her own expectations of creating beautiful, functional, and manageable landscapes.
Jim Keller – Landscape Designer, Senior Project Manager
Jim Keller joined Lan-De-Con Inc. in 1981 after graduating from the Landscape Technology program at Hennepin County Vocational College. He started his career at Lan-De-Con as a Field Superintendent and has served as project manager for more than 25 years. Jim’s 30+ years of experience has afforded him the opportunity to be involved in all aspects of the landscape industry from design to implementation. His experience in full on-site landscape construction management provides his clients with the peace of mind that their project will exceed all expectations.
Construction Site Managers
Mark Dalen – Field Superintendent
Mark joined Lan-De-Con Inc. in 1992 and completed the two year Landscape Technology course at Hennepin Technical College while working as a landscape laborer for the company. Mark has over 20 years of landscape construction experience and has been a vital part of Lan-De-Con’s success. Mark’s knowledge of landscape construction and his ability to manage the on-site installation of a landscape design helps to ensure that the final product is going to exceed all expectations.
Loren Nelson – Field Superintendent
Loren started his career with Lan-De-Con Inc. in 2003 after working for several other landscape companies. He graduated with an Associate of Applied Science degree from the Landscape Installation program at Waseca Technical College in 1978. He is a field superintendent at Lan-De-Con and is known for excellent and thorough installations. Loren’s many years of landscape installation experience and his ability to efficiently manage a large crew of laborers allow Lan-De-Con to continually deliver a quality project on time and within budget.
Joe Tesarek – Field Superintendent
Joe joined Lan-De-Con in 1998 and has moved in to a leadership role with his 15+ years of experience.
Tom Wischnack – Field Superintendent
Tom joined the Lan-De-Con Inc. staff in the spring of 2000 after seven years of previous landscape experience. Tom comes from a farming background, which has served him well in the landscape construction industry. Tom’s natural ability to lead has been a vital asset for Lan-De-Con over the last 14 years, and his strong ability to provide field management ensure timely job completion in a professional manner.