For 40 years, Rost, Inc. has been built on something bigger than landscapes — it has been built on people.
When Tim and Toby Rost started this journey in 1985, they were two University of Missouri students with a passion for creating beautiful outdoor spaces and serving the community. What began as a small landscaping business has grown into one of central Missouri’s leading full-service landscape companies, with seven divisions supporting everything from landscape design and installation to maintenance, irrigation, wholesale operations, retail garden centers, and tree farms.
While our services have grown, the values behind our work have remained the same: quality, relationships, hard work, and a commitment to the people who make Rost what it is.
That commitment is why we are proud to share that Rost, Inc. has transitioned to employee ownership through an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT).
A Future Built Around Our People
Tim and Toby knew the future of Rost was about more than simply deciding what came next. It was about protecting the culture, relationships, and values that have shaped this company for decades.
Rost employees have always been at the center of success. In an industry where seasonal work and turnover are often expected, the company has been fortunate to have team members who return year after year, with many building careers and spending decades with Rost.
An Employee Ownership Trust allows for recognition of that dedication and creates a structure where employees have a meaningful connection to the future of the company.
“We researched different succession options and found the EOT gave us the most benefits and flexibility for our exit plan,” said Toby Rost, Co-Founder of Rost, Inc. “It creates a roadmap for the future while allowing us to continue our commitment to employees, our community, and the way we have always done business.”
Preserving What Makes Rost Special
Employee ownership is not about changing who we are. It is about aligning our ownership structure with what has already made Rost successful.
This company has always felt like a family — both for the Rost family and for the employees who have grown with us. The next generation of the Rost family continues to play an important role in the business, with Allie Henneke serving as Vice President of Operations, Brendan Rost working as a Landscape Designer, and Allie’s husband, Kody Henneke, serving as Senior Construction Manager.
For us, employee ownership creates an opportunity to preserve the best parts of Rost while continuing to grow.
“As part of the second generation of the company and looking toward that transition, I felt an EOT would help recognize the team that helped us get to where we are today,” said Allie Henneke. “The company is stronger because of the people who helped build it, and employee ownership reflects that belief.”
Investing in the Future
Through partnership with Common Trust, Tim and Toby designed an Employee Ownership Trust that fits their goals and vision for the company.
The structure includes a profit-sharing approach designed to recognize contributions from both year-round and seasonal employees. It also helps ensure Rost’s future is not dependent on any single person or generation, but instead supported by the collective strength of the people who make the company successful every day.
They also know that ownership only works when people understand it. That is why Rost has invested in employee education, including resources available in both English and Spanish, to help our entire team understand what employee ownership means and how it supports the future of the company.
The Same Rost, Looking Ahead
While the ownership structure has evolved, the day-to-day experience of Rost remains the same.
Our crews continue serving residential and commercial customers across Missouri. Our teams continue designing, building, and maintaining landscapes with the same care and craftsmanship that have defined Rost for nearly four decades.
Employee ownership is the next chapter in our story — one that honors where we have been, recognizes the people who helped us get here, and creates a stronger foundation for the years ahead.
We are grateful to our employees, customers, partners, and community for being part of this journey. The future of Rost is something we will continue building together.
