Show Preview By Karen S. Barnett
The Importance of
als at its annual Green Industry Confer- ence (GIC), held in conjunction with the GIE+EXPO, October 24–26, 2012, in Louisville, Ky. According to GIC Subcommittee Chair Phil Fogarty, Weed Man-Lake County, Cleveland, Ohio, "For 2012, our theme, 'Don't grow it alone,' speaks to our commitment to build a program around opportunities for you to meet, exchange, and learn from your peers."
T
he Professional Landcare Network (PLANET) will serve up an educa- tional smorgasbord of cutting-edge sessions, speakers, and networking events to green industry profession-
Education in the Green Industry
While GIC is PLANET's marquee ed- ucational event, it is one of an ever- growing number of professional develop- ment opportunities the association consid- ers paramount in its role as the voice of the green industry. "Our voice is as strong as the members and industry participants that make up our vast network," said PLANET president Norman Goldenberg, Landscape Industry Certified Technician, TruGreen, Memphis, Tenn. "Educating our industry is the best way to ensure this collective voice is con- veying accurate and timely information on everything from legislative issues to irriga- tion systems maintenance. We do that with
smart, topical programs that invite partici- pants to share their knowledge and experi- ences in a way that benefits everyone. The better trained we are, the greater our level of professionalism to operate successful businesses, offer excellent customer serv- ice, and make a positive impact on deci- sion makers in Washington, D.C., and in our home state." To continually foster and refresh this
critical industry voice, PLANET's profes- sional development resources are built by industry leaders and staff working together in committees — meeting in person and on conference calls year-round. "We are truly a member-driven organization that
12 Landscape and Irrigation September 2012
www.landscapeirrigation.com
All photos courtesy of Nobile Photography
