Vroom Vroom Veer with Jeff Smith

Vroom Vroom Veer with Jeff Smith


BOV – Jeff McManus Growing Leaders

January 01, 2024

Jeff McManus has a bachelor's degree in Landscape and Ornamental Horticulture from Auburn University and is the recipient of the 2016 Horticulture Alumni of the year. He is also an International Society of Arboriculture Certified Arborist. Jeff has been with the University of Mississippi since 2000 as Director of Landscape Services. During those years Jeff and his team have gained national recognition for their attention to detail and eye for beauty. Under Jeff’s leadership the Ole Miss campus has won the National Professional Grounds Maintenance Society Best Maintained Campus twice, Newsweek’s most beautiful campus in 2011 and was named by the Princeton Review as the 2013 most beautiful campus.
Jeff McManus Vroom Veer Stories

Fail a marketing class, fell in love with landscaping--changed his major--VEER!
Found a great mentor in college who got him onto a short list for a job at Ole Miss
Having a AHA moment when he stopped complaining about "draminators" and took action
Realized he could teach how he wanted work done and also how to teach leadership, pride and excellence
The drama kings/queens slowly left the job, after he installed the new culture
Found that "landscape university" was a great model that was transferable to any organization
Realized when he pointed one finger at anyone else, he pointed three fingers at himself
Grew his own personal awareness of how his words and actions as a leader have a major impact

Jeff McManus Links
Landscape University