Lawn Doctor of Virginia Beach is owned by husband and wife team Steve and Marietta Madden. They started in the Kempsville boro of Virginia Beach in 1985 and have won Lawn Doctor’s Best Franchise Award 7 times since then as they have grown their business to serve all of Virginia Beach. They have seen young technicians date, get married, have children and watch their children grow up (and even work for Lawn Doctor). Their General Manager, Tom Grimsley, a Hampton Roads native, has been with Lawn Doctor for almost 20 years.
In 1985 when they were selecting a franchise business partner, Steve was an Army instructor for Environmental Protection at the Fuels and Energy Management Course at Fort Lee, Va. He was impressed by Lawn Doctor’s systems and equipment. Not only is the Lawn Doctor Turf Tamer machine ground metered for precision accuracy, its four separate compartments facilitate spot pesticide applications for IPM lawn programs. Little did he know that what he practiced in 1985 would be trumpeted as new and “going green” years later. They are proud to have always been on the leading edge of researching and testing new products that are not only bay friendly, but also benefit their customers’ lawns.
“We have always had a commitment to employees, our customers and the environment. Since our service area is limited to only Virginia Beach and we focus only on residential customers we can be very responsive and reliable” Steve says with conviction. And Marietta adds “We love the daily interaction with our loyal customers that we get to know over the years.”
Much of Steve and Marietta’s spare time is invested in growing camellias on their property. Steve also enjoys reading historical books and touring the many historical sites in Virginia. Marietta enjoys cooking, gardening and the beach. They both love a good Yankee game, listening to classical music, and entertaining friends and family.
