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Friends A Big Part Of Small Business

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By JOYCE McKENZIE

The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 1, 2008

TEMPLE TERRACE - Thomas Uzdavinis attributes the bulk of his success to "family" - his cherished relatives, extraordinary friends and devoted colleagues.

The Puerto Rico native and founder/president of Temple Terrace-based Landscaping Tune-Ups also credits those folks with helping his business earn the 2008 Small Business Enterprise Achievement Award. It is sponsored by the Hillsborough County Economic Development Department, an administrative branch that promotes minority-owned businesses and supports small-business enterprise programs.

Since opening Landscaping Tune-Ups in 1989, Uzdavinis has grown his business to 28 employees and completed many high-profile commercial and government-funded projects - including parks, schools and naval bases - throughout Florida. He also has undertaken numerous private landscaping and maintenance jobs in upscale neighborhoods, including several owned by people of prominence.

The company's services include consulting, designing and installing landscaping projects, including those that call for drainage and irrigation systems.

"I've never missed a deadline on any of my jobs, and that's my pride and joy," said Uzdavinis, who also owns a tree farm in Ocala. "I also pride myself on making sure the clients get their dollars' worth."

Before moving to Tampa and eventually settling in Thonotosassa, Uzdavinis earned a bachelor's degree in horticulture. For that he is grateful to his parents, George and Betty.

"In our house, we were very, very fortunate to be raised to get a college degree," he said. "That education has helped me tremendously, especially with my credibility"

He said he is also indebted to his sister and brother-in-law, Mary and Jerry Carroll, for persuading him to come to Tampa.

But the person Uzdavinis said most influenced his adult life, especially his career, was the late Art Pepin, to whom he was introduced by his father-in-law, Hector Reichard, the former attorney general of Puerto Rico.

"It is Mr. Pepin who I owe my business to," he said.

Employed as a greens keeper at Palm Harbor's Innisbrook Resort & Golf Club and making $4.50 an hour, Uzdavinis constantly fretted over how he was going to pay off his student loan.

Out of the blue came a call from Pepin, who asked whether he would be interested in landscaping and maintaining his residential property. That led to Uzdavinis being asked to maintain the grounds at the family's business, Pepin Distributing Co. in Tampa.

"To me, it was a miracle Mr. Pepin called," he said. "The little equipment I had he let me store in his garage, and he told me I could use the equipment in Pepin's warehouse for that job."

His friendship with the Pepins led to other job opportunities for Uzdavinis and eventually to his launching a business of his own.

Uzdavinis also cherishes his business relationship with Heritage Bank account executive Rene Martinez, whom his said loaned him money for the company when other banks would not. He thanks his attorney, Marceleno Huerta, for introducing him to her.

"I needed a $14,000 business loan, and I only had a $4,000 CD as collateral," Uzdavinis said. "So, she used my used equipment as additional collateral. Bigger banks would never do that."

Client John Fernandez of Alvarez Homes said Uzdavinis' landscaping work is an important aspect of the home builder's business.

"It's been a pleasure working with LTU. The quality of their work is unsurpassed," he said.

Mike Morris, owner/president of Mayfair Properties, a homebuilding company, regularly uses Landscaping Tune-Ups' services. In the process, he frequently interacts with Uzdavinis.

"He's an exceptional person in terms of his integrity," Morris said. "He's worked hard to try to help ... people who've immigrated to this country, and he's helped them learn English and buy homes. But, it's his level of commitment to his employees that is rare in any business and I think that's why the people who work for him feel extremely loyal."

Reporter Joyce McKenzie can be reached at (813) 865-4849 or jmckenzie@tampatrib.com.

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