The College of Environment and Design and pleased to announce that four alumni representing four businesses are honored the University of Georgia’s 2026 Bulldog 100 list. Compiled by the UGA Alumni Association, the Bulldog 100 celebrates the fastest-growing organizations owned or led by UGA alumni.
Congratulations to the following CED alumni that were recognized for their leadership, entrepreneurship and commitment to shaping better communities:
- Mario Cambardella (BLA ’06, MEPD ’11, MLA ’13) – ServeScape (2nd consecutive year)
- Jeffrey Johns (BLA ’92) – Coastal Greenery, Inc.
- Rody Jacobs (BLA ’06) – Jacobs Land Management (two-time honoree)
- Justin Greer (BLA ’05) – Pittman & Greer Engineering (two-time honoree)
A full list of the 2026 Bulldog 100 honorees can be found on the UGA Alumni Association website. Read below for a Q&A with three of our honorees!
What skills or experiences during your time at UGA have been most beneficial to your career?
The College of Environment and Design taught me how to think with discipline and creativity at the same time. Studio life was about creating landscapes, solving problems under pressure, accepting critique from professors, and developing ideas. That mindset influenced how I lead today.
At our company, Coastal Greenery, we talk often about doing the right things the right way. The starting point for that was at UGA. Learning how to communicate ideas, back up those ideas, and work with others prepared me to design landscapes, build teams and lead a company.
What advice would you give to current CED students?
Push through the hard times………don’t quit! The late nights and constructive criticism create more than a portfolio—they are teaching how to handle pressure and doing things right.
I would also encourage students to think beyond design. Learn how projects are sold. Learn how budgets work. Learn how to lead people. The combination of high-quality design and business understanding creates the biggest opportunities in our industry. I wish this was something I learned early on. More importantly, invest in relationships. The classmates and professors around you today may be future co-workers, teammates, supporters, or lifelong friends. Your network is one of the most valuable assets you will carry from UGA.
What motivates you?
I am motivated by growth in people, both professionally and personally. Watching someone on our team step into leadership, gain confidence, and exceeding what they thought was impossible is rewarding. I’m also motivated by taking “ownership” of what’s right. Landscapes impact how people experience their communities every day. Leading a company that builds great teams and develops strong leaders gives meaning to our work.
Can you share a specific project or accomplishment in your career that you’re particularly proud of?
Being named to the Bulldog 100 list was a tremendous honor because it shows steady progress through hard work overtime.
But what I’m most proud of is building Coastal Greenery into an organization that develops leaders from within. We’ve grown consistently over the years, but our greatest accomplishment isn’t revenue—it’s people. Seeing team members who started early in their careers now leading teams, mentoring others, and building our culture is what I value most. The landscapes we install changes over time. The leaders we build will carry influence for a long time.
What skills or experiences during your time at UGA have been most beneficial to your career?
During my time at UGA, experiences such as late nights in the studio have proven most beneficial to my career. Working hard to complete a project (no matter the cost) and not miss deadlines has advanced me above my peers over the years of my work experience. Having great professors such as Gregg Coyle, David Nichols, Kwesi DeGraft-Hanson, and Scott Weinberg (along with many others) inspired passion for our field of study and work. As a collegiate student, I saw the opportunity before me where I could glean as much knowledge and wisdom from those professors and peers. As an employee, I put this knowledge into practice to advance my career; continually taking pride in my work ethic and work product. Now, as a small business owner, I look for those same qualities in the individuals I seek to employ.
What advice would you give to current CED students?
Learn to embrace the challenges before you rather than avoiding them. All of us will face challenges in our field of study and subsequently, our chosen field of work. Elect to see those challenges as meaningful opportunities to learn. Even if you can’t overcome the challenge, you will gain knowledge and experience which grow you as a person.
What motivates you?
I truly enjoy seeing a project that I have worked on and have invested time in become a reality in the field. Since graduation (2005), I have planned, designed, and permitted numerous projects in the Athens-Oconee area. It is an amazing sense of accomplishment to drive around and see the impact of projects I have contributed to affect the community in which I live.
Can you share a specific project or accomplishment in your career that you’re particularly proud of?
Having the opportunity to work on the Caterpillar project in Athens in 2012 is one of the great accomplishments of my career. The scope, project size, element of secrecy, and limited timeline made this one of the most challenging projects I have ever been a part of. This project opened my career up to the world of economic development and site selection. I have met many great people as part of my growth in that sector of the development field.
What skills or experiences during your time at UGA have been most beneficial to your career?
My time at UGA CED gave me both technical training and confidence in interdisciplinary thinking. Studying Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning taught me how to balance creativity with systems-level problem solving. Studio culture, long hours, critiques, and iteration prepared me for entrepreneurship. More importantly, UGA instilled resilience. Learning how to receive feedback, refine ideas, and keep moving forward has been invaluable as a founder.
What advice would you give to current CED students?
Lean into both design excellence and business literacy. The future of our profession belongs to those who can design beautifully while also understanding implementation, economics, and emerging technologies like AI. Build relationships across disciplines, take thoughtful risks, and do not be afraid to create your own path. Your degree is a launchpad, not a limitation.
What motivates you?
I am motivated by the mentors and professors who helped shape me during my time at UGA. Faculty like Jack Crowley, Bill Mann, Judith Wasserman, Donnie Longnecker, Alfie Vick, and Melissa Tufts each left a lasting impression on me. Some inspired me through encouragement, others through challenge. Early in my academic career, I received candid critiques that were difficult in the moment but formative in the long run. They strengthened my resilience and sharpened my commitment to improve.
Today, I am motivated by the opportunity to make a meaningful impact through design. I believe landscapes can improve quality of life, strengthen communities, and respond to environmental challenges at scale. As an entrepreneur, I am equally motivated by building platforms that empower others, including growers, designers, contractors, and homeowners, to succeed together.
Can you share a specific project or accomplishment in your career that you are particularly proud of?
Founding ServeScape in 2020 is something I am especially proud of. We set out to connect local growers with homeowners and professionals through a digital marketplace, and we have grown into a platform that supports landscape design, plant sourcing, and installation across multiple markets. Watching an idea evolve into a company that supports jobs, promotes local horticulture, and has helped 10,000+ customers build meaningful connections with the natural world has been deeply rewarding.
Congratulations again to our 2026 Bulldog 100 honorees!
