Dell computer founder sees green in landscaping firm.Michael S. Dell, the computer maven, has a new landscaping company. The computer mogul's investment company, MSD (MicroSoft Diagnostics) A utility that accompanied Windows 3.1 and DOS 6 that reported on the internal configuration of the PC. A variety of information on disks, video, drivers, IRQs and port addresses was provided. Capital, recently bought a 51 percent stake in Calabasas-based ValleyCrest Cos. landscape architects, the firm that designed landscapes at such properties as Disney's Animal Kingdom
It is the largest Disney theme park in the world, covering more than 500 acres (2 km²). and Wynn Las Vegas Las Vegas (läs vā`gəs), city (1990 pop. 258,295), seat of Clark co., S Nev.; inc. 1911. It is the largest city in Nevada and the center of one of the fastest-growing urban areas in the United States. , a hotel casino. ValleyCrest, which was valued at more than $500 million, has been doing more than $800 million annually in sales in high-end landscape architecture. It employs more than 9,000. Dell, who founded the Dell Inc. computer company, has no great personal interest in landscape architecture, but he apparently likes the money. "We're looking at a $50 billion industry," said MSD partner Eric Rosen Eric S. Rosen is a Kansas Supreme Court Justice appointed by Governor Kathleen Sebelius in 2005. Personal life Eric S. Rosen was born May 25, 1953 in Topeka, Kansas. He earned his Bachelors and a Masters Degree with honors at the University of Kansas and his J.D. . "So these guys (ValleyCrest) have a small slice, and there's a tremendous amount of opportunity." Rosen said the concept of investing in ValleyCrest was presented to MSD Capital--which invests Dell's private money as well as some other partners' personal accounts--by an unidentified investment bank. "We were told that this was a business that was on their list," he said. "We thought it was very interesting and compelling." Other properties that ValleyCrest has landscaped include the Grove, Chinese Gardens This list of Chinese gardens is a list of Chinese-style gardens both within China and elsewhere in the world. Inside China This list is organized by region within China, roughly following the structure laid out by Maggie Keswick in The Chinese Garden. at the Huntington Library, Invesco Field at Mile High Naming Rights Controversy Many fans opposed a corporate name and wished to retain the previous venue's name, "Mile High Stadium."[1] The Denver Post Stadium in Denver, Dodgers Stadium, and hundreds of master-planned communities, resorts, golf courses, shopping malls, corporate facilities, private estates and urban parks throughout the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. . ValleyCrest, which calls itself a "Workforce of Nature," was founded by Burton Sperber in 1949 as a North Hollywood tree nursery. ValleyCrest President Richard Sperber, the son of Burton Sperber, said the company loves the infusion of cash as well as the freedom that Dell seems to be allowing. "They're very hands off with the investment group," Sperber said. "There will be no change to what's going to happen in our business." Sperber would not divulge why the company sold, but attributed it all to personal reasons. "We needed some liquidity," he said. But Sperber, who said he doesn't have a Dell computer, had some advice for Dell. "Let's face it, if things go wrong in the computer business," Sperber enthused, "then he always has the landscape business to fall back on." DAN COX Staff Reporter |
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