GIC: Industry Big Picture

David Snodgrass, Landscape Industry Certified Manager, Dennis' 7 Dees Landscaping & Garden Centers

“I like traveling and seeing the world. It’s not only fun to see different things and experience different cultures, but traveling also broadens one’s horizons.  Going to GIC is similar from a professional perspective. It gives attendees the industry big picture. You discover there are other ways to conduct business, take advantage of opportunities, and grow your company.“Stay at home, don’t go to GIC and your benchmark is only as big as your local competition. Go to GIC and your benchmark suddenly expands, and you naturally think bigger.”

This former PLANET president and president of Dennis’ Seven Dees in Portland, OR, has attended GIC for nearly 25 years. “It was a stretch for us to attend in the beginning. Our company was small. We were very busy and wearing several hats. Yet even back then the biggest event in the industry was a requisite for us. I don’t believe our success was dependent on going to GIC; our family has the work ethic and desire to be successful. But for sure, we would not be nearly as successful as we are today if we failed to put GIC on our agenda."

Before every GIC, Snodgrass makes a note of specific company issues or concerns. As he pointed out, there are always struggles. Maybe it’s how to deal with succession or find a better way to pay for performance or share profits.

“Someone at the conference has found a better way to deal with issues you may be having, and there’s plenty of opportunities to bring them up for discussion. Some of the best ideas, however, are often totally unsolicited.  I remember one conversation with a PLANET member who told me a rather dramatic story about his tub grinder.  A sledge hammer, mixed in with the debris, was launched through the air during the grinding operation. It ended up crashing through the roof of a neighbor’s house. The accident and story aside, I was intrigued by the machine.  

We purchased one and it has become a lucrative profit center for us. ”Big company, small company it doesn’t make any difference, said this industry veteran. The reality is that small companies naturally have the most to gain from attending the conference, but large companies, even the biggest companies can find value.  You will never outgrow GIC, sharing new industry trends and ideas, and seeing the new products on display there.”

Snodgrass’ GIC experience evolved over the years. He now takes several team members with him, and attending PLANET Leadership meetings has recently monopolized a bigger share of his GIC time. “Sending a team has an exponential impact on a company. The knowledge and enthusiasm associates bring back spreads to all corners of your company. You become involved in Leadership because you want to engage at a higher level and help improve the industry you care so much about.  On the committees and in the meetings you meet new people, develop new relationships, and continue to learn and grow. 

There is no question that our green industry is special. It is made up of ‘salt of the earth’ people. They are very generous and willing to share best practices and tricks of the trade, and you always receive an unguarded response to a question you may have. There is not another industry like ours nor is there another event like GIC.” 

40 Reasons To Go To GIC

Shayne Newman, Landscape Industry Certified Manager & Technician, YardApes, Inc.

“Before going to GIC, I ask my people, myself included, to bring back 10 ideas they would like to see implemented in our company,” said Shayne Newman, Landscape Industry Certified. “If I take three people, we ultimately have 40 ideas to review.  One certainly cannot act on all of them, but if we can put two or three in place that makes the trip to GIC all the more valuable.”

It’s a trip the owner of Connecticut-based YardApes has been making for the better part of a decade. He started mowing lawns while studying for a degree in finance. After graduating from the University of Connecticut in 1990, he officially hung his shingle and devoted full time to a new career.

“My first GIC opened my eyes to opportunities,” Newman recalled. “It demonstrated that I not only had plenty of room to grow my business, but there would be several people along the way who could help.  In fact, what makes GIC all the more interesting and valuable is that attendees are passionate about the industry and want to learn, grow, and help. That’s pretty inspiring for owners and their employees.”

Newman, who has chaired the PLANET PR Committee and now sits on the Board, has grown a small startup mowing operation into a $2.5 million, full-service landscape management company.  Two years ago, he moved into a new facility located on a 10-acre property.  He noted that PLANET and GIC have certainly eased growing pains.

“At GIC, two or three educational sessions always target an issue, challenge, or specific question I may have.   When do you hire and office manager? How big should your company be before it can support a full-time mechanic?  Getting answers to seemingly small questions can make a huge difference over time.” Other lessons are learned in less formal settings. He remembered a recent GIC social hour that turned into a several hour discussion.  “I woke up the next morning wondering how this group could have talked so long about landscaping. We did and it was fun and educational.”

Going to GIC can present challenges, he added. The biggest one is being everywhere at once. 

“You want go to go to the educational sessions and the Breakfast.  Last year was the first year for the Learning Lounge, and there’s a kickoff event, along with the specialty group receptions and not to forget the trade show.  There are so many things to do, your schedule can become crazy. That’s another reason why I assign the top 10 list to my employees; it keeps them focused.” If there weren’t enough to do already in Louisville, YardApes’ employees and its owner also volunteer for PLANET Gives Back. Held the Wednesday before GIC, the community service project does two things, said Newman.

“The event helps out nonprofit organizations in Louisville and it gives area business owners another reason to look forward to our arrival every year.”  As he pointed out area hotels, restaurants, and cab companies make money off GIC and GIE+ EXPO, but PLANET Gives Back offers something more permanent: a lasting impression of an industry that leaves behind a city made that much more beautiful. 

GIC: Learning from Others

Ron Kujawa, Landscape Industry Certified Technician, Kujawa Enterprises, Inc.

If the Green Industry Conference (GIC) had a father, it would be Ron Kujawa, Landscape Industry Certified.  The conference came to life during his term as ALCA president in 1989.  His vision and efforts were largely responsible for bringing together the PLANET legacy groups ALCA and PLCAA, along with PGMS, to form the new GIC.   

Long dedicated to the industry and PLANET, it is no surprise then that Kujawa and other team members from his Wisconsin-based company KEI have been attending GIC since its inception.

“The GIC provides a great opportunity to network with people both inside and outside your sphere and area of expertise,” said PLANET’s 1995 Lifetime Leadership Award winner.  “Merging the three groups into one conference and trade show gave attendees a broader outlook of the industry and the chance to explore new service opportunities.”

Now in partnership with the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute’s GIE+EXPO, GIC is part of the largest green industry trade show and conference in the country. The event, Kujawa noted, offers attendees an unrivaled educational experience.

“Companies fail for many reasons, but most of these failures can be traced back to one thing, their owners did not understand how to operate a business. Education is taking advantage of someone else’s experience and GIC features seminars and workshops presented by industry experts. Sessions have something of value for everyone, but they are especially relevant for younger, less experienced owners and managers looking for ways to profitably grow their companies.”

GIC is not a vacation held at a resort location with attendant distractions and high prices, added Kujawa. Instead, it is a business conference held in Louisville within driving distances for many attendees.

“We’ve taken as many as a dozen people from our company to a GIC. It’s a great learning experience for them and something that benefits our company exponentially.  One person can only talk to so many people and attend so many seminars. Imagine what 12 people can do?  We can take advantage of this because the conference is affordable.”

Meeting industry needs

Kujawa said his company and others share a common bond with GIC and PLANET. To grow and continue to be successful they have to evolve. “Twenty five years ago the landscape management industry was really in its infancy.  Companies like ours generally didn’t do work for municipalities, colleges, and large government agencies. That changed as entities began to contract out their services.  Both GIC with its seminars and PLANET with its networking opportunities not only exposed landscape professionals to these new opportunities but provided the information and resources to take advantage of them.”

This evolution and change, he added, is part of growing.  Attending GIC and being a member of PLANET helps to ensure companies can grow and succeed amid new challenges and opportunities.  PLANET, however, has helped this veteran grow in other ways, as well.  He explained:

“Two organizations have had a tremendous impact on my life.  The Safari Club International has given me an opportunity to see the world and experience different cultures.  Being a PLANET member and attending different events over the years have also given me a chance to go places I likely would not have gone otherwise.  More importantly, though, PLANET has helped me grow professionally and being involved has created some lifelong friendships for me. In any city, I can likely have lunch with somebody I’ve met through PLANET.”