Join us in the Ferrara Theatre for keynote addresses.
Dr. Michael Dirr; Making Sense of the New Plant Clutter: Strategies for Successfully Marketing Trees and Shrubs
Sunday, January 9th; 8:30 - 9:30 A.M.
Following Dr. Dirr's keynote address, join him and Bonnie Dirr for a book signing at Deep Fork Tree Farm's booth (booth #1619)
Watch as Dr. Dirr unveils his Dirr's Tree and Shrub Finder app for iPhone. For more information, click here.
Dr. Michael Dirr is a legend in the horticultural world. His teaching, lectures, seminars, garden study tours, and plant introduction programs have contributed enormously to greater horticultural awareness. Today he travels widely to lecture, teach, and form new opinions of plants. In 2007 Michael Dirr together with Mark Griffith and Jeff Beasley established Plant Introductions. They converted an abandoned hog farm into a facility to breed, select, evaluate, and develop new ornamental plants. They are currently breeding and evaluating thousands of seedlings and selections in dozens of general.
Dr. Allan Armitage; New and Exciting Herbaceous Plant for the Grower, Landscaper and Gardener
Thanks to Ellepots.
Sunday, January 9th: 10:00 - 11:00 A.M.
Following Dr. Armitage's keynote address, join him for a book signing at Ellepots' booth (booth #234)
- if you're going to spend your money producing plants, you might as well grow the good stuff -
Dr. Allan Armitage is well known as a writer, speaker and researcher throughout the world. He has evaluated garden plants in Montreal, Canada; East Lansing, Michigan and Athens, Georgia, gaining an appreciation of plant development in the North and South. He holds his B.Sc from MacDonald College of McGill University, Quebec, M.Sc. from University of Guelph, Ontario and his Ph.D. from Michigan State University.
At the University of Georgia, he runs the research gardens where new plant material from most of the flower breeders in the world is evaluated. The Trial Gardens at UGA are among the finest trial gardens in the nation. They are open to the public throughout the year.
As a teacher and speaker, Dr. Armitage has lectured in Canada, the United States, Colombia, New Zealand, Australia and Europe and is in constant demand. He has visited research and production centers throughout the world and studies annuals, perennials, cut flowers and greenhouse crops in various climates. His courses include Greenhouse Production, Greenhouse Crop Management and Herbaceous Plant Identification and Use. He is a highly engaging teacher and his courses fill rapidly.
John Stanley; Identify Retail Trends as they are Incubating
Sunday, January 9th; 2:30 - 3:30 P.M. 
John Stanley is a coach, consultant, author, speaker and trainer. He has been described as the 'Retail Guru' and he has also been described as the leading horticultural consultant in the world today. That is because his skills in perishable retailing : food, plants, flowers and pets,
anything that cannot be put on a shelf and ignored , in fact, apply equally to all fields of retailing. John is one of the top ten percent of speakers in the world. His presentations are enthusiastic, charismatic and engaging . As a result he regularly overfills a conference room and has delegates standing at the back, hanging on to his every word.
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Jeffrey Bruce, FASLA, LEED, ASIC, GRP; The Future of Green
Sunday, January 9th; 4:00 - 5:00 P.M.
LA CES approved
The green industry is in a period of rapid change and redefinition as the sustainability movement becomes increasingly institutionalized in public policy. As traditional business models become irrelevant within our new economy there are new opportunities emerging for creative and innovative companies willing to re-invent themselves and align their business practices to meet this challenge.
Historically, landscapes have been viewed as an aesthetic art form that conveys value through visual beauty. In the near future, landscapes will become more than just beautiful works of art and design. They will serve an active healing function as "green machines" that contribute to restoration of the environment through restoring water quality, improved stormwater management, energy conservation, protecting biodiverse habitat and remediation of pollutants - all essential for a healthy life in America's cities.
Building on the natural systems of hydrology, soils, and weather, the new technology of "green" infrastructure can help to improve the quality of air and water in cities while complementing the function of more traditional "utilities" such as storm sewers and water service. Utilizing functional optimized green machines is the first step in a restorative green revolution that can, by learning from nature, help humanity to steward it.
Taking advantage of the new green economy will require a retooling of the entire industry in terms of specialized skills and knowledge necessary to solve the complex problems of urbanization. Recognizing these challenges as opportunities will mean the difference between mass extinction of our industry or regaining a respected voice in the public dialogue of stewardship. Integrated green infrastructure will become a source of environmental leadership and employment, are you willing to accept the challenge.
Learning Objectives
Learn about the business opportunities and challenges associated with the future of the green industry.
Understand the potential and promise of emerging green infrastructure technologies in the critical process of healing the earth.
Explore the future of urban landscapes and how it will revolutionize the green industry business practices.
Jeffrey L. Bruce, FASLA, is Owner of Jeffrey L. Bruce & Company (JBC) a national landscape architectural firm. Founded 1986, JBC provides highly specialized technical support to many of the nation's leading Architectural and Landscape Architectural firms on a wide variety of project profiles including engineered soils, green roof technologies, urban agronomy, green infrastructure, performance sports turf, water harvesting, and irrigation engineering.
Mr. Bruce's accomplishments, commitment and vision are well documented. He has received over 80 separate design and leadership awards. Award winning projects of his firm, Jeffrey L. Bruce & Company, have been published 150 times. He has been licensed to practice in 26 states and has served as an invited lecturer, visiting critic, and speaker at over 130 conferences and trade shows. In 1996, Mr. Bruce was elected Fellow of the American Society of Landscape Architects. He is President of the American Society of Irrigation Consultants (ASIC) and Chairman of Green Roofs for Healthy Cities (GRHC). Jeff is a lead instructor of GRHC seminars and Chairman of the GRHC Accreditation Committee. Mr. Bruce is a LEED accredited professional, a certified irrigation designer and an EPA WaterSense Certified Professional. He was one of the first accredited Green Roof Professional s (GRP) in North America and is a founding member of the Sports Turf Committee for the National Interscholastic Association of Athletic Administrators. Mr. Bruce is currently preparing an "Integrated Water Management for Buildings and Sites" seminar jointly for GRHC and ASIC.
Jeffrey L. Bruce & Co. has worked on over 60 green roofs encompassing over 12 million square feet and has been a team member of five national Awards of Excellence from Green Roofs for Healthy Cities and eight national Awards of excellence from the American Society of Irrigation Consultants for innovative water management and design.
EDUCATION
Iowa State University ‐ BS in Landscape Architecture, 1978 University of Kansas ‐ MS in Architectural Management, 1996
REGISTRATION
Accredited Green Roof Professional, Green Roofs for Healthy Cities, 2009 EPA WaterSense Certified Professional, 2007 LEED‐accredited Professional, United State Green Building Council, 2004 Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Board Certified, 1989 Certified Commercial Irrigation Designer, 1984
License Landscape Architect: KS, 1981; TX, 1985; AR, 1985; NE, 1986; MO, 1991; IA, 1993; IL, 1994; NC, 1994; CT, 1995; IN, 1995; NJ, 1998; OH, 1997; TN, 1998; NY, 1999; WI, 2000; KY, 2000; MI, 2000; OR 2000; MN, 2000; SD, 2002; LA, 2006; MD, 2006; OK, 2007; PN, 2007; VA, 2006; WA, 2008.
Anna Ball; Industry Trends
Monday, January 10th; 8:30 - 9:30 A.M.
Anna Caroline Ball is President and CEO of the 105-year-old Ball Horticultural Company, which specializes in all aspects of horticulture, including breeding, biotechnology, production, and marketing of hybrid flower seeds and other floriculture crops.
Privately-held and now in its third generation of family management, Ball Horticultural Company is located in over 20 locations worldwide.
Anna received her B.A. degree from the University of Colorado and her MBA from Northwestern University. She is a Trustee for The Morton Arboretum, Limestone College, Thomas Jefferson School, and Choose DuPage, and is also a Director of the Board of the Ball Foundation.
