Outdoor Power Equipment (OPE) recently
surveyed many of the OPE industry's top
executives about the state of the industry
heading into 2016. In particular, we asked
the following questions:
1) What is new and exciting about your
company or organization heading into
2016?
2) What were the OPE industry's top
news stories in 2015, and what will they be
in 2016?
3) What are your predictions for the
2016 U.S. presidential race — who will be
each party's nominee, who will be elected
the next president, and how will the
outcome affect the OPE industry?
4) What will be the OPE industry's
hottest trends in 2016?
5) What is your overall outlook for the
OPE industry in 2016?
OPE received the following written
responses, in order, Nov. 20-Dec. 3, 2015:
KRIS KISER
PRESIDENT AND CEO
OUTDOOR POWER
EQUIPMENT INSTITUTE (OPEI)
(ALEXANDRIA, VA.)
1) What is new and exciting about your
company or organization heading into 2016?
Kris Kiser: The strength of our
membership. OPEI now has a record
number of members and our highest level
of member participation in our history.
Committee involvement is so strong that
we've actually outgrown the size of our
conference spaces. The organizational
contributions and input we now have —
from a diverse group of member companies
— gives us significantly more strength
in our efforts going into 2016. And our
TurfMutt program has greatly enhanced
our education and outreach efforts.
TurfMutt is now featured on the Emmy-
winning "Lucky Dog" show airing Saturday
mornings on CBS, and the exposure has
been invaluable. Thanks in large part to our
partnership with Scholastic, the program
has reached more than 62 million children,
educators and families since 2009 — it's a
real success story, and we're excited to see
it grow in 2016.
2) What were the OPE industry's top news
stories in 2015, and what will they be in 2016?
Kris Kiser: We saw an alarming shift in
the dynamic of attacks on the managed
landscape this year. The severity of the
drought in the West — particularly in
10 JANUARY 2016 OUTDOOR POWER EQUIPMENT www.outdoorpowerequipment.com
COVER STORY
INDUSTRY FORECASTS
