A Day with DeSantis

Recently, Matt Smedley, a Frause account executive and my go-to-man for any and all intern questions and queries, invited me on a field trip to tour properties designed and maintained by Frause client, DeSantis Landscapes. Having spent the summer after my senior year of high school behind a desk working as an administrative assistant at a landscape architecture firm in Wisconsin, I jumped at the chance to see the properties first hand.

We embarked on our journey to DeSantis’ office in Salem, Ore., with Starbucks in hand and ready to scope out potential media pitch prospects. Upon arrival we were greeted by Dean DeSantis, president of DeSantis Landscapes, and our tour guide for the day. After a quick tour of the office, we jumped into Dean’s hybrid company car to head to the first property. DeSantis’ choice of company car candidly reflects the company’s eco-friendly commitment to natural landscape and sustainable design. We arrived at the first site on our tour; a luxury property where DeSantis had previously created a fire pit area and was currently working on various stonework projects. Realizing our awe at the magnitude of the property, Dean assured us that DeSantis works on a multitude of properties ranging from commercial to residential. With our dropped jaws back intact, we continued on our way, stopping at various properties each with unique design and maintenance needs. We ended our tour at a favorite property of Dean’s – the home of his parents.



As we strolled through the backyard of the DeSantis home, admiring the plethora of flowers, plants, and ornaments, Dean fielded our questions regarding his company’s history, services and projects. We took pictures and made notes while Dean expressed ideas for articles and properties he’d like to see featured. As Dean and Matt talked, I came to realize the rapport the two shared went beyond business; they spoke of family, pets, and weekend plans. Essentially, the trip to DeSantis Landscapes instilled in me a greater knowledge of the client’s business as well as the invaluable lesson of the importance of maintaining exceptional client and customer relationships.

-Dana