Helping Business Leaders Reduce Risk, Build Strong Teams, and Create Safer, More Welcoming Properties
About Eddy Zakes
Eddy Zakes, CSP, ASM, is the President and CEO of Earth Development, a Green Bay–based commercial snow and ice management and landscape maintenance company serving businesses across the Midwest. For more than 25 years, Earth Development has helped some of the world’s most recognizable brands manage operational and reputational risk while keeping their properties safe, accessible, and attractive year-round.
Since acquiring and personally leading the company in 2021, Eddy has guided Earth Development through significant growth—doubling revenue, quadrupling headcount, and expanding operations from 6 to 16 states. Under his leadership, the company has been recognized as a “Best Place to Work” for four consecutive years, reflecting its strong culture of integrity, transparency, and professional development.
Before Earth Development, Eddy co-founded and successfully exited another service business and later served as Director of the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center at IESE Business School in Barcelona, Spain. There, he led international programming for entrepreneurs in more than 140 countries during a time when IESE was ranked the #1 school for Executive Education globally by the Financial Times for seven consecutive years and a Top 10 Entrepreneurship Program by Bloomberg Businessweek.
Eddy holds an undergraduate degree in International Business and an MBA in Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Entrepreneurial Investing from IESE Business School. He is also a Certified Snow Professional and Advanced Snow Manager through the Snow and Ice Management Association (SIMA).
Recognized as a Top 100 CEO in Wisconsin in 2026 and a Forty Under 40 leader for his dynamic leadership and community impact, Eddy is passionate about helping business owners and teams grow by hiring for grit, coaching employees to excellence, and building strong, people-centered company cultures. Through podcasts, webinars, and live events, he shares actionable strategies that help leaders scale their businesses with confidence and integrity.
Signature Speaking Features
Eddy Zakes draws on decades of entrepreneurial leadership and his role as CEO of Earth Development to share real-world lessons on growth, team building, and scaling in the snow and landscape industry. His talks are rooted in experience and delivered with authenticity, giving audiences practical strategies they can apply right away.
Scaling a Snow Removal Business Through Brokerage
How Earth Development doubled revenue and quadrupled headcount by innovating service delivery.
Hiring for Grit
Lessons from building teams that thrive in the demanding world of snow and ice management.
Coaching Employees to Excellence
A leadership framework for developing people into high-performing, customer-focused team members.
Becoming the Best Place to Work
Building culture through education, recognition, authenticity, and transparency.
Building Culture Through Servant Leadership
Insights from Eddy’s Snow Talk podcast appearance on leading with integrity and creating lasting impact.
Why Book Eddy Zakes?
Event organizers and audiences benefit from Eddy’s unique blend of operational expertise and people-first leadership. His presentations are practical, inspiring, and filled with actionable strategies.
Your audience will walk away with:
- Strategies for hiring, coaching, and retaining the right employees.
- Frameworks for building transparent, authentic workplace cultures.
- Real-world insights from decades of leading high-performing teams.
Speaking Experience & Industry Authority
Eddy leads one of the Midwest’s most established commercial snow and lawn care companies, serving clients across multiple states and industries. Earth Development was founded on the principle of “doing it right the first time, every time,” and today operates with values of persistence, fairness, and passion for people.
In addition to his role at Earth Development, Eddy has spoken to audiences of business leaders, entrepreneurs, and property managers, bringing clarity to complex topics and motivation to take action. His credibility comes not only from his leadership role but also from his history of building companies, mentoring entrepreneurs worldwide, and guiding teams to excellence.
Book Eddy Zakes to Speak
Bring Eddy Zakes to your next conference, corporate event, or leadership workshop. He will inspire your audience with proven strategies, actionable insights, and stories drawn from decades of business leadership in high-stakes environments.
Ready to book Eddy? Contact us today to discuss your event and secure him as your next speaker.
