[johnkeegan]

I agree I can see the need for such a person as the company grows in size. We generally are working 2-3 job sites everyday with 1-3 people at each site so, unfortunately, there is alot of "jump-in-and-swim" training.
Another problem with this industry is that it tends to attract the "strong, silent" type of employees that generally would just like to be left alone. I wish I had a sort of HR person who had the patience required to carry out those "mentoring" tasks, but it usually tends to be me. We all know it actually slows down efficency at first to train correctly, although it's essential in the long run. But, again, this goes against the grain of the personality of my most skilled, proficient employees who tend to have an attitude that says,"tell me what needs to be done, I'll do it and then I'll go the $%#@ home." My experience in all construction trades says this is the norm.
My guess is that the main attribute that seperates owners from employees in the trades is that they have a little more patience, whether its with new employees, customers or suppliers. That's why many employees that take the jump into being an owner either choose to work by themselves or are constantly hiring and firing.
So it's a "Catch-22." In a normal-sized company (that,in truth, has a glass ceiling for everyone) either find someone who can take the daily grind of landscaping (i.e. the "John Wayne" type) or someone who is patient, diplomatic, far-sighted AND hardworking and who, if they have an ounce of ambition, will go start their own company.
Sorry, if I got on a gloom and doom roll, but sometimes I have to be honest with myself about the difficult predicament we find ourselves in.