In 1990, Chuck Dooley founded Valley Green in Chicopee, Massachusetts. In 2003, the Chicopee facility relocated to nearby Holyoke, where Valley Green continues to serve customers in Western Massachusetts and beyond.
Holyoke is the heart of Valley Green in more ways than one. The location houses the company’s corporate offices and serves as the distribution hub of its seven facilities throughout New England.
The 60-thousand-square-foot Holyoke facility has a family atmosphere for employees and customers alike. Team members value their relationships with each other and with their customers, always welcoming the opportunity to answer a question or find a solution.
Jeremy Brown
Location Manager
Jeremy started at Valley Green in 2003, helping with the relocation from Chicopee to Holyoke. He was finishing his degree in turfgrass management at the University of Massachusetts at the time. Jeremy started at UMass as an engineering student before discovering an interest in the green industry while working a summer job. He worked on the University of Massachusetts landscape grounds crew for about seven years before joining Valley Green.
Jeremy enjoys the personal aspect of his job: “I like helping people, and I like solving problems.” He finds it rewarding to hear customer success stories that he helped make possible.
The customer relationship is a two-way street, and Jeremy is always open to learning from them too. “I really like people coming in and you have a conversation about something and there’s all sorts of interesting things you learn about chemistries and turf,” he said.
One of the reasons Jeremy was drawn to the industry is that he’s an avid golfer. He also enjoys hiking, kayaking, and spending time at the lake. Travel is another hobby, with the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone being two of his favorite destinations thus far.
Jeremy is married, with three adult children and two stepchildren—plus a 13-year-old cat, Mia. Jeremy is loyal to his local teams, including the Patriots, Bruins, Celtics, and Red Sox.
Jeff Allore
Operations and Loss Prevention Manager
Jeff has been in his current position at Valley Green for about 11 years now, although he made his company debut as a driver back in the early 90s. Jeff earned a business degree from the University of Massachusetts and was drawn to the growth opportunities at Holyoke.
Over the past decade, Jeff’s responsibilities have expanded to include more loss prevention and distribution tasks, growing with the size of the company. “It’s challenging, keeps me on my toes, and it’s a great company to work for,” he said.
Not having a background in the green industry, Jeff has learned a lot on the job—from product uses to market pressures. While his industry knowledge has undoubtedly benefitted customers, it’s also paid off for his own lawn. “I basically didn’t take care of my lawn before I started here. Now it’s like a golf course.”
Outside of work, Jeff enjoys playing guitar and drums. He has played drums professionally since his early-90s driving days and still travels for big shows sometimes.
Like Jeremy, Jeff is an avid golfer and New England sports fan—although he deviates for the Dallas Cowboys. Otherwise, he and Jeremy share allegiance to the Red Sox, Celtics, and Bruins.
What a great team!