New Age/Landmark tests the waters and more

One way to grow a company is to branch out with fresh revenue streams -- and that's just what Scott Wall, CEO and President of New Age/Landmark in South Haven is doing.

New Age/Landmark's primary business is on-site analysis of soil, ground water and air for chemical contaminants. A fleet of mobile laboratories enable New Age/Landmark to travel all over the contiguous 48 United States, mainly servicing national architectural and construction engineering firms.

Environmental cleanup and investigation has always been the major portion of business -- New Age/Landmark has performed on-site testing at sites that include Air Force facilities, and Department of Defense sites. But Wall says expansion is under way and this growth begins with the addition of an agricultural division.

"We're adding new services such as soil nutrient testing," Wall says. "We help analyze soil and plant tissues -- and it's a great benefit. We do it to help our agricultural customers increase productivity."

It's one of the strategies that has helped boost business enough to add jobs in 2011 and to continue hiring into 2012. Wall hired two new chemists last year, spiking his employee roster from eight to 10 -- and he's not finished.

"We still need chemists and we're looking to hire a technical director (in March). We're in the process of collecting resumes right now," Wall says. "And we just received a grant that will allow us to hire an intern from WMU to do some lab technician work for 16 weeks."

Wall is encouraged by the growing health of the community in South Haven and the new jobs that growth allows.  

"The economy is coming back, we're definitely seeing that," he says, "but it all comes down to an entrepreneurial spirit. We're always looking for more ways to use our technical capabilities to grow and grow."

The specialists at New Age/Landmark use their expertise to test after spills, accidents (and more) to discover the levels of -- and health effects from --  chemicals that include chlorinated solvents, gasoline, petroleum and nitrogen in different forms that have been released into the environment. Minerals, too.

"Vitamins and minerals are good for our bodies in trace amounts," Wall says. "But if you live next door to a lead plant, you might have lead poisoning."

Energy conservation is on the CEO's mind and also is part of work done by New Age/Landmark. As its business expands and, consequently, requires more energy to continue the company is looking for methods of conservation.

"We're working with the city (of South Haven) on a 2-year plan to install a wind turbine or solar panels -- or maybe a combination of both for a renewable source of electricity," Wall says. "And we'll keep looking for more ways to save energy."

Farm to School Program

What do improved nutrition in school systems and New Age/Landmark's chemical testing have in common?

The community of South Haven, says Wall. He has helped to bring K-12 students in South Haven healthier school meals and has assisted local farmers to grow and sell their fresh produce to the system's cafeterias.

The National Farm to School Network is, according to its website, a program linking schools and local farms so that kids (K-12) can eat healthy meals in their school cafeterias. It was developed to promote and enhance student nutrition, to provide agricultural, health and nutrition education opportunities within the schools -- and also to support area farmers.

Wall and his company brought the program to South Haven and the South Haven Public School system was the first to jump on board.

"It's a paradigm -- schools are used to buying food from large vendors and the farmers are used to selling to them, so this is a completely different way of thinking," Walls says. "The food services departments are also on a very tight budget so they are limited. They don't have the manpower to take on the complexity of a robust Farm To School program."

So, New Age/Landmark is the foraging agent between the two -- to accomplish all of the goals of the national program locally -- and to reinforce the regional economy as well.

"This program strengthens our agricultural community by keeping food dollars here," Wall says. "The fruits and produce that farmers grow here can be used in our schools."

He has goals for expansion and is working with four other districts that he hopes to bring under contract soon. It would benefit, Wall says, many other types of institutions, including hospital cafeterias, nursing homes and prisons.

Wall, who sits on the board of the South Haven Chamber of Commerce, ties the Farm to School efforts to his involvement with buying-local programs he is associated with.

"I believe that buying-local programs are important. It's incumbent on the community members to buy locally because it facilitates the community," Wall says. "It's about constantly feeding the loop and keeping dollars right here. It feeds back and helps to create a sustainable community. It's also about companies like ours bringing revenue from outside into our region."

Both endeavors -- farm to school and buy local -- are very personal efforts for Wall, who owns a livestock farm in Glenn.

"I'm very concerned about the economy for local farmers. This is our way of giving back to the community," Wall says. "And we do need more farmers -- we are always looking for local growers."

Kelle Barr is a freelance writer with 20 years experience, having worked for the Kalamazoo Gazette and other regional publications, as well as many national publications and trade magazines. She lives in Portage and has traveled the U.S., the Caribbean and South America reviewing resorts as a travel journalist.

President of New Age/Landmark, Inc. Scott Wall