Up Close with Carlos Suarez-Aguilar: This Dad of Five Keeps Everything Under Control

Carlos Suarez-Aguilar is moving from his account manager job at Level Green Landscaping to leading a whole new branch as branch manager, but when you ask him about the stress of it all he doesn’t seem too worried. 

Fast-paced multi-tasking? No problem. Carlos and his wife, Maria, have five kids, ages 3 to 13.

“I have a very hectic household,” Carlos says, laughing. “There’s always a lot going on, there’s always somewhere to go.”

Whether he’s getting multiple kids out the door with lunch boxes, water bottles and backpacks or managing the challenging needs of 24 diverse landscaping clients, he’s on it. 

If you want to come along for the ride, hang on.

Ask Him Anything About Trees

Carlos came to Level Green in 2001 after 15 years working in urban forestry, working his way up at a tree care company from a crew member at age 18 to a position in sales and estimating.

Along the way he earned a variety of industry certifications, including his Maryland Tree Expert License issued by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. He’s also a certified arborist by the International Society of Arboriculture. 

Carlos has taken a multitude of landscaping classes and certification tests to boost his skills and knowledge, and was recently featured in Lawn & Landscape magazine sharing insights on xeriscaping for Mid-Atlantic commercial landscapes, from drought-tolerant native plants to effective stormwater management solutions. 

He’s happiest when he’s learning, growing and advancing. 

Moving Up

“When I was hired at Level Green as an account manager I knew I wanted to grow and move into a branch manager position,” Carlos says. “Over the last three years I’ve been doing additional training to get me ready for that role.”

As an account manager, Carlos has been a customer service expert, deftly handling the landscaping challenges of sprawling HOAs, bustling shopping centers, high-end office complexes and safety-conscious senior living centers, always with a focus on proactively solving problems. 

“As an account manager I’m the point of contact for customers, making sure they’re happy, staying on top of all their needs, creating good relationships,” he says. “I love working with clients and I love sales, but I also love managing people. I’m excited about this new branch manager role, about building relationships with the people I work with and watching them grow.”

Starting in January 2025 he’ll be in charge of 37 team members at the new Level Green Landscaping branch in Howard County. 

Carlos has management experience from his former job and says his current branch manager, Marvin Balsoma, is an inspiring role model.

“He listens to us, and if he’s frustrated he doesn't show it,” he says. “If there’s an issue, we talk through it, fix it and move on.

“To be good at managing people you have to understand people,” Carlos says. “You need good communication skills. I want my team to feel comfortable asking me for advice or just talking about life. I want them to know if they have an issue they don’t have to keep it to themselves.

“I’m a very mellow person,” he says. “People always open up to me for some reason.”

He plans to be honest and open minded, he says, and interested in fresh ideas from his team members. 

“If they have an idea that will help make the company better, I’m willing to listen.”

Managing a Family of Seven: Organized Chaos

Five kids makes for a bustling household. 

Here’s the lovable line-up: Emmanuel, 13; Esteban, 10; Evan 9; Esmeralda, 5; Ezequiel 3. 

Add Rosie the golden doodle to the rollicking bunch and you get a house full of energy. 

“We’re always doing something,” Carlos says. They love hiking together, taking Rosie to dog parks, and playing multiplayer video games. 

Adding to the packed schedule, both Carlos and Maria are taking college classes part time. Maria, a nurse, is pursuing a master’s degree in nursing and Carlos is working toward a bachelor’s degree in business administration.

“It’s a slow process,” he says. “I take one or two classes at a time.”

Both Carlos and Maria were born in Mexico and have close family there. Carlos moved from Mexico City to the U.S. with his parents when he was 14. His mom and dad moved back there 10 years ago. Carlos, Maria, and the kids travel there for 2-3 weeks each year to spend time with family and soak up the rich culture. 

Kitchen Duty

Carlos is the main cook in the family, juggling kid-friendly meals like pizza and chicken nuggets with savory specialties like his birria, a Mexican dish of meat stewed in a chile pepper broth. His starts with beef chuck roast and ribs seared then slow cooked in the crockpot, seasoned with dried peppers and spices.

When things get fancy, Maria loves his shrimp and tilapia in white wine and lemon sauce with Parmesan cheese.

“It’s very delicious,” he says, “but it’s time consuming to make, so we don’t have it too often.”

His love of cooking pairs up with his love of video games when he plays “Overcooked” with his three oldest sons, as they happily take on the role of chefs in a kitchen, cooking, serving, and cleaning up all while under a time limit to complete as many dishes as possible. 

“It’s really fun, and I love that we can all play it together,” he says. That dad and kid time is special, he says, whether it’s working out at the gym with teen son Emmanuel in the mornings or cuddling and coloring with daughter Esmeralda, who he calls “my little princess.”

“She has no sisters, so we all sometimes end up sitting here while she puts makeup on our faces,” he says with a laugh. 

Five years ago Carlos started meditation to summon a sense of calm.

“Any time I start feeling stressed I just take a few moments to myself, put on some music and just focus,” he says.

Loving Life at Level Green

Carlos had no doubt he wanted to settle in and further his career at Level Green.

“I love their level of commitment to their employees,” he says. “‘Do the Right Thing’ is our motto, but it isn’t just about customers — it’s about the employees, too.

“Because of my hectic life with a large family, I have to step away from work sometimes,” he says, “They’re very understanding about that. They show that they care.”

Want to Join the Team?

Carlos is just one of the dedicated team members we have here at Level Green Landscaping. And we’re always looking for hard-working, talented people to join our team.

Are you ready to work for a strong, supportive company that cares about your family life?