Leadership Excellence
10:00
to 11:30 a.m. The Leaders
Edge – Join a Peer Group and Grow Your Business
Speed up your business growth – even in a down economy – by learning
from the mistakes and best practices of others – and by being open to
constructive accountability and feedback. There are three types of
‘accountability’ groups that will help you improve
and grow your business: board of advisors, a mastermind, and a peer group. In
this seminar learn how they work and how you can use them for your personal
benefit and business success.
Attendees will learn:
• How to increase accountability for yourself and your business using these
groups.
• To grow your business and profits using the group process.
• How to avoid the common mistakes that many members and groups make.
• The ideal group for you – set one up or find the
perfect group.
• How to get personal benefits that go way beyond the dollars and sense!
Who should attend:
Business Owners/Managers
Parks Supervisors/Managers
Jeffrey Scott
Glen Gate Pool and Property
Trumbull, Connecticut
Technical Expertise
10:00
to 11:30 a.m. Incorporating Successful Naturalized Landscapes and Natural Areas
into Your Projects and Communities – Part I
Learn how proper planning leads to aesthectically
pleasing and functional naturalized landscapes and natural areas. The same
principles apply to rain gardens, residential yards, large acreages, commercial
landscapes, shoreline erosion control and municipal properties.
Attendees will learn:
• From an historical perspective, why restoration is so important.
• Why the use native plants is beneficial.
• Where to establish the naturalized landscapes and natural areas.
• How to successfully establish and maintain them.
• How to use them within a development.
Who should attend:
All audiences
Jack Pizzo
Pizzo & Associates, Ltd.
Technical Expertise
10:00
to 11:30 a.m. Five
Principles for Cultivating a Sense of Place
Based on her book of the same title, Claire will outline design concepts
that help to preserve a sense of place.
Attendees will see multiple examples of the Five Principles:
1. How to draw inspiration from nature for gardens
2. How to derive beauty from function
3. How to use humble and indigenous materials in
gardens
4. Ways to marry the house / building to the garden / landscape
5. How to involve the visitor in the garden.
Who should attend:
All audiences
Claire Sawyers BS, M.Ag, MS
The Scott Arboretum of
Financial Health
10:00
to 11:30 a.m. Estimating
and Bidding “As Good As It Gets” Recovering Overhead
In this program Charles Vander Kooi talks
about the different ways to properly recover overhead.
Attendees will learn:
• Overhead is recovered – not charged for.
• How to prepare a multiple overhead system.
• Overhead recovery is different than overhead allocation.
Who should attend:
Business Owners/Managers
Charles Vander Kooi
Vander Kooi & Associates
Leadership Excellence
12:00
to 1:30 p.m. Succession
Planning
This moderated panel discussion
will bring together leading families in the industry involved in succession
planning. It will provide best practices and real-life experiences.
Attendees will learn:
1. Does your organizational structure fit your goals?
2. Do you know what your business is worth?
3. What happens if there is an unexpected tragedy?
4. Have you considered your exit options?
5. What planning have you done in relation to the transition of your business?
6. What does retirement look like?
Who should attend:
Business Owners/Managers
Moderator: Michelle Cisecki, RBC Wealth
Management
Panelists: Hank Gelderman and Nathan Helder, Jan Gelderman Landscaping
Joan Johnston and Kennedy Johnston, Peter Knippel
Nursery Inc.
Technical Expertise
12:00
to 1:30 p.m. Landscape
Weed Control: “More Bite to Bark”
A herbicide plus mulch product
was released to the retail market in the
This product was developed out of work Ohio State has done for the past nine
years with herbicide plus mulch combinations as a way to reduce herbicide
leaching and usage.
Attendees will learn:
• What adds more “bite to bark” and what is “all bark and no bite”.
• About new research from the Vineland Research and Innovation Centre regarding
bio-herbicides and bio-herbicide treated mulch.
• Alternative weed control practices with application in nursery and landscape
weed control.
Who should attend:
• Business Owners/Managers
• Technical Employees
Dr. Hannah Mathers
Ohio State University,
Technical Expertise
12:00
to 1:30 p.m. Erosion Control – New Choices and Alternatives
The advancements in hydraulic mulches, erosion control products and performance
criteria to maintain site integrity for both soil and water management will be
addressed.
Attendees will learn:
• How to match product characteristics with performance.
• How site requirements attribute to both.
Who should attend:
All audiences
Cathy Wall Stephen R. Zwilling
Quality Seeds Ltd. Profile Products LLC
Buffalo Grove,
Technical Expertise
12:00
to 1:30 p.m. The
Importance of Balanced Nutrition
Balanced plant nutrition, which includes secondary and micronutrients,
is essential in producing and enhancing desired traits required in crops and
plants. Plants grown with adequate levels of nutrition are less prone to insect
and disease attack. Maintaining production systems using balanced nutrition
will reduce production costs and reduce pesticide usage.
Attendees will learn:
• How balanced nutrition works.
• The importance of taking a complete soil analysis.
• How nutrition affects pest problems in plants.
Who should attend:
All audiences
Joe Uyenaka BSC (Agr)
Barrie
Customers for Life
2:00
to 3:30 p.m. *Five-Star* Customer Service – The Key to High-Profit
Growth
Boost your profits and blow the doors off our competition, by
implementing this proven system for transforming your company processes and
culture from “just average” to high-profit, highly customer-focused.
Attendees will learn:
• How to coach employees and create a living, breathing company culture that is
focused on the customer experience.
• To create processes that will wow your customers during their “moments of
truth” with your firm.
• How to implement a sophisticated yet simple process for quickly identifying
recovering from service failures so that you never, ever repeat them.
• That your customer loyalty increases even when you screw up.
Who should attend:
All audiences
Jeffrey Scott
Glen Gate Pool and Property,
Technical Expertise
2:00
to 3:30 p.m.
Incorporating Successful Naturalized Landscapes and Natural Areas into Your
Projects and Communities – Part II
By attending this second session attendees will further learn how proper
planning leads to aesthectically pleasing and
functional naturalized landscapes and natural areas. People attending both of
these sessions will gain new insights.
Attendees will:
• Review case studies and
• Participate in an interactive planning session.
Who should attend:
All audiences
Jack Pizzo
Pizzo & Associates, Ltd.
Technical Expertise
2:00
to 3:30 p.m. Gardens
That Reflect Their Place
This session will showcase gardens
that have successfully mirrored their place – both private and public – by
utilizing several design principles.
Attendees will learn:
• About design principles (as outlined in the “Five Principles for Cultivating
a Sense of Place” session).
• How they have contributed to the success and unique character the gardens
exhibit.
Who should attend:
All audiences
Claire Sawyers
The Scott Arboretum
of
Swarthmore,
Financial Health
2:00
to 3:30 p.m. Six Things Contractors Always Ask
A collection of the most common questions contractors ask.
Attendees will learn:
• How should I organize my company?
• How much growth is good?
• How should I deal with equipment?
Who should attend:
Business Owners/Managers
Charles Vander Kooi
Vander Kooi & Associates
Customers for Life
3:30
to 4:00 p.m. “Idea
Exchange” – Application of “Five Star Customer Service” Concept
Attendees MUST have attended the previous seminar: Five-Star Customer
Service. Share your “takeaway” ideas on how you will execute ‘five star
customer service’ in your company. Learn from your
colleagues how they will do the same. The best ideas will come from this half
hour session!! Limited to the first 20 people.
Attendees will:
• Gain better clarity on how to execute ‘Five-Star Customer Service’.
• Have a new perspective on how others will apply this concept.
• Make friends with like-minded peers in your industry.
Who should attend:
Anyone who attended the Five-Star Customer Service session
Jeffrey Scott
Glen Gate Pool and Property
_________________________________________________________
Sales Success
10:00 to 11:30 a.m. Selling the Experience
It is clear that the simple basics of sales can sometimes be the most profound concepts to learn and apply.
Attendees will learn:
• That people only buy on price if we allow them to.
• The importance of developing relationships, creating awesome experiences, and building a client base that looks forward to spending more money with you.
Who should attend: All audiences
Jim Paluch
JP Horizons
Painsville, Ohio
Technical Expertise
10:00 to 11:30 a.m. Can Municipal Parks be Sustainable?
Participants are encouraged to evaluate how the definition of sustainability will impact the business of managing municipal parks and landscapes.
Attendees will learn:
• How the ever increasing pressure for ‘green’ landscaping will force municipalities and landscapers to review current practices.
• How education will alleviate some of the pressure from concerned citizens.
• How plant selection will become the most important first step in planning new parks.
• The pros and cons of the emphasis on hardscaping.
Who should attend:
All audiences
Belinda Gallagher
Royal Botanical Gardens, Burlington, Ontario
Prosperity Partners
10:00 to 11:30 a.m. A Career that’s Great for Life!
This thought provoking seminar will show you how to ‘check the pulse’ of your business and career direction, using the Prosperity Pillars of: Sales Success, Financial Health, Developing Customers for Life, Professional Operations and Leadership Excellence.
Attendees will learn:
• Main reasons why businesses and careers get “stuck” in comfort zones.
• How to make sustainable changes in business, employee management, communication, etc.
• How to create a balanced team.
Who should attend:
Business Owners/Managers
Parks Supervisors/Managers
Jacki Hart CLP
Consulting By Hart
Bracebridge, Ontario
Sales Sucess
10:00 to 11:30 a.m. Sustainable Landscape Audits: Your Key to Success in Hard Times
You can prosper in difficult times by helping your clients save money and improve the performance of their landscaping.
Attendees will learn:
• What an audit is all about.
• The benefits to clients.
• The benefits to your business.
• Key elements of a landscape audit.
• How to use it effectively in marketing.
Who should attend:
All audiences
Owen Dell
County Landscape and Design
Santa Barbara, California
Technical Expertise
12:00 to 1:30 p.m. Arboriculture Tree Myths and Their Contribution to the Landscape
There are many tree ‘myths’ that abound in the industry. Which ones are busted or confirmed?
Attendees will learn:
• Which myths are negatively affecting your landscape.
• What trees really need to survive in the landscape.
• How to properly maintain trees.
• How to properly plant trees.
Who should attend:
All audiences
Jeff McMann NPD, ISA, CHT
Town of Markham
Markham, Ontario
Technical Expertise
12:00 to 1:30 p.m. Plant Diseases and Disorders — Keeping Your Plants Out of the ER
Discover how to identify many of the major ills facing plants and solutions for plant health.
Attendees will learn:
• How to improve environments for plants.
• Identification of diseases.
• Treatment of plant problems.
Who should attend:
All audiences
Ron Rossini
Master Gardeners of Ontario
London, Ontario
Professional Operations
12:00 to 1:30 p.m. Develop a Safety Culture – The Web is the Way
If you are developing or have already developed a safety culture at your firm, training is one of the biggest challenges! Take advantage of a new tool to help you do just that and simultaneously become compliant.
Attendees will learn:
• To quantify the costs of an untrained new employee vs. a trained one.
• To understand your legal requirements on training—“due diligence”.
• To create your safety culture through training.
• How to use the web as a powerful learning tool that your employees can relate to.
• About a potential tool as a solution to training for a safe workplace.
Who should attend:
All audiences
Jay Murray
LandscapeSafety.com
London, Ontario
Leadership Excellence
12:00 to 1:30 p.m. Introduction to Green Roofs
Explore the benefits and opportunities of green roofs. The new City of Toronto Green Roofs bylaw
will be discussed.
Attendees will learn:
• Benefits of green roofs.
• Types of green roofs.
• About the new City of Toronto By-law.
• Challenges to the marketplace.
Who should attend:
All audiences
Jennifer Sprout
Green Roofs for Healthy Cities
Toronto, Ontairo
Professional Operations/Leadership Excellence
2:00 to 3:30 p.m. Risks and Rewards of Change
There is an important variable in life that we are all subject to. Regardless of age, nationality or direction in life you can be certain that CHANGE will be an ever present and challenging factor that escapes no one.
Attendees will learn:
• That the greatest risks return the greatest rewards and change, in whatever form, can be a positive experience.
• To focus on the “Cycle of Change” and the greatest risks and rewards associated with change.
• Their “Tremendous Ten”, a list of techniques for handling change.
Who should attend:
All audiences
Jim Paluch
JP Horizons
Painsville, Ohio
Technical Expertise
2:00 to 3:30 p.m. When are Native Plants NOT the Answer?
The popular press has native plants ranked high in the battle against pests, diseases, water use reduction and low maintenance, but is this a myth?
Attendees will learn:
• Why are native plants becoming so popular?
• Do we really know what ‘native’ means?
• Are we putting our true native plants at risk of being overbred?
• Just what are the circumstances where native plants shine?
Who should attend:
All audiences
Belinda Gallagher
Royal Botanical Gardens
Burlington, Ontario
Financial Health
2:00 to 3:30 p.m. Preparing Your Business for Succession
Every business needs a succession plan. Learn about strategies for preparing your business for succession, extracting the highest value from potential buyers, and investing the proceeds of sale.
Attendees will learn:
• What are your succession options?
• How to prepare your business for sale.
• What is your business worth – value vs. price.
• Strategies for an effective sales process.
• Investment strategies for proceeds of sale.
Who should attend:
Business Owners/Managers
Milan Popadich CFA, MBA , BMO Nesbitt Burns & Vince Charbonneau, CFA, CBV, Cole and Partners
Technical Expertise
2:00 to 3:30 p.m. Watershed-Friendly Landscaping
The built landscape has become an integral, and often damaging, element of the urban watershed. We treat rainwater as a waste product instead of a valuable resource. This leads us to install drainage systems that efficiently sluice water off site and into public streets where it causes flooding and eventually finds its way into streams, lakes, and oceans to cause pollution and eutrophication. In the meantime, our landscape plants go thirsty and we are forced to purchase inferior and environmentally damaging municipal water to make up for what we threw away. It’s an upside-down approach to what should be a no-brainer: keep the rainwater on the site!
Attendees will learn:
• To mitigate the impact of their work on the watershed.
• How to have a positive effect on both the watershed and your own projects by harvesting water, installing eco-roofs, permeable paving, dry streambeds, bioswales, and more.
• Valuable skills and resources to improve your work, save money, and open up new opportunities for you and/or for your clients.
Who should attend:
All audiences
Owen Dell
County Landscape and Design
Santa Barbara, California
