
"We are more than a landscaping company, we are a part of our customers' lives, our employees' lives, and the communities in which we serve."

MEET THE CREATIVE FAMILY
Ryan Howard
Owner & CEO
Ryan grew up on a family farm in rural Northern Michigan. After graduating from MSU with degrees in both Agricultural Science and Business, he worked for two large corporations for 17 years - but eventually retraced his "roots" back to the outdoors. Ryan and Kati purchased Creative in 2018 and are now focused on building a team of business leaders in the outdoor industry and helping them to use their God-given talents to enrich the communities we serve. Ryan has held his MI Builder's License since 2005, is an arborist at heart, and enjoys running and reading - but not at the same time.
Isaac Fleming
Design & Build Lead
Isaac joined Creative as Design/Build Lead in 2022 bringing his experience in sales and customer relations in the agricultural equipment industry. He enjoys managing and providing support for our wonderful team of designers as well as walking clients through the design/build process. Previously employed at GreenMark Equipment Isaac moved to Creative to further his career development and be a part of the growing Creative family. In his spare time, Isaac enjoys working outdoors, spending time with family, and providing humor for anyone who will listen.
Jerry Smith
Maintenance Lead
As a former Operations Manager of a Christian Retreat Center, Jerry came to Creative in 2022 to be the Maintenance Lead. He wanted to join Creative beacuse of having spent years on grounds maintenance and equipment repair; and the Godly leadership at Creative. Jerry is originally from Oregon where 75% of the world's grass seed is produced. He also lived in the UP for 24 years; and most recently in southwest Indiana. In his spare time, he enjoys riding his motorcycle, going to The Chapel for church, visiting his children / grandchildren and relaxing in his hot tub.
Kati Howard
Owner & Customer Care
Kati is the co-owner of Creative Landscaping and Design with her husband Ryan. Their passion is to help others in their work and in the community and sharing the love of Christ with those whom they come in contact with. Kati holds degrees from Michigan State University and has intertwined her love for learning with serving others as part of our customer-care team. On the weekend, you may find her enjoying a good cup of coffee after a morning run.
Adrian Campos
Landscape Designer
Adrian has a Bachelor's degree in architecture and urban planning with more than 10 years of experience in residential, commercial and industrial projects. He is also a native of the city of Curitiba/PR in Brazil. Adrian and his family moved to St. Joseph in 2018.
For Adrian, landscape design is the connection of artful composition and spatial organization to create attractive and functional spaces, visually pleasing to the eye. He has been instrumental in many exquisite, contemporary designs for our customers.
Ryan Cade
Excavating & Pool Lead
Ryan is native to Southwest Michigan and joined Creative in 2021 because of the atmosphere, culture, and like-mindedness among employees to do things the right way. He is very passionate about heavy equipment and moving dirt and the opportunity to reshape the Earth!
In his spare time, Ryan enjoys spending time with family and friends, serving his church and community, and working on his car.
Chelsea Uren
Marketing Lead
Chelsea is the Marketing Lead for Creative and joined the team during the summer of 2022. She holds a journalism degree from Grand Valley State University and has held marketing and communications positions at various non-profits around Michigan.
Chelsea enjoys photography, being at the beach, and spending time with her kids and husband.
Jennifer Sommer
Landscape Designer
Jen joined the Creative Landscaping team in 2018 and brings a natural eye for creativity, landscape beauty, and a love for plants and nature to our team. Jen holds a Certified Green Industry Professional (CGIP ) certification from The Michigan Nursery and Landscape Association (MNLA).
She takes great joy in designing beautiful outdoor spaces for others.
Alfonso Contreras
Design & Build Production Mgr.
Alfonso is the Design and Production Manager for Creative. He does a great job encouraging his team and keeping morale high among clients and coworkers with his infectious smile. Along with his brother, Alfonso loves being outside and making client's dreams a reality through the building of their outdoor oasis.
Alyssa Kuha
Retail Lead
Alyssa is the Retail Lead at Creative and manages the day-to-day activities for our retail store. She studied business at Pensacola Christian College and has prior experience working in greenhouses and nurseries. Besides finding joy through organizing and selling plants, she enjoys crocheting and spending time outside.
April Bange
Landscape Designer
Before coming to Creative in Feburary 2023, April was a student at Andrews University and holds a degree in Landscape Architecture. She's excited to further develop her skills and knowledge as well as gain real world experience.
In her spare time, she enjoys being outside by taking a leisurely walk or by hiking in the woods with her husband and dog. She also enjoys the indoors by tending to her houseplants and crocheting while watching a movie.
Nacho Perez
Crew Leader
Josiah Dubs
Crew Leader
Luis Contreras
Crew Leader
Rebecca Payne
Crew Leader
Guillermo ("Sr.") Santiago
Crew Leader
Rod Brueck
Crew Leader
Jason Dubs
Crew Leader

About Us
Since 1976, Creative Landscaping & Design has specialized in creating beautiful and functional outdoor living spaces in Southwest Michigan. Our design/build philosophy is centered around you. From excellence in hardscape and landscape design, materials, and workmanship, to the people we employ—our team is committed to the highest standards for our customers and for the communities we serve.
Our Clients
We pledge to establish lasting relationships with our clients by exceeding their expectations and gaining their trust through our exceptional and dependable service.
Our Mission
To honor God by being a faithful steward of all that is entrusted to us and to have a positive influence on all who come into contact with Creative.
Our Core Values


Serving the community since 1976, Creative Landscaping has been committed to the highest values and standards of professionalism, workmanship, and integrity. We are thankful to have a great team of people who love what they do and hold our strong core values and high service standards. We invest in continuous training and have the latest certifications in all areas of our operation. We do this so you can be comfortable and confident of our performance when we are working on your property.
Our team has some of the most talented people in the industry and we look forward to putting our skills to work for you. Crafting a landscape is not an exercise in one single skill, but rather, a matter of understanding the entire process and ultimately placing all of the skills together that will bring a project to life. Over time, the result becomes a reputable company with innovative designs, career-oriented team members, and a growing company delighting the customers they serve.