Columbus, Ohio – In January 2013, OFA – The Association of Horticulture Professionals hosted the firstever New Vision Forum for garden center owners from the United States and Canada. Retail consultants John Stanley and Sid Raisch facilitated the event, and will lead the next edition on November 56, 2013 in Raleigh, North Carolina. As the foremost organizations providing education and market development for independent garden retailers, OFA and the American Nursery & Landscape Association (ANLA) will host the Forum in conjunction with OFA’s Grow & Sell for Profit Conference.
The New Vision Forum has been designed as a twoday event intended to develop opportunities and ideas into strategies, objectives, and plans. This format ensures that retail businesses are moving in the right direction. The learning format includes lectures and discussions by two influential thought leaders, Stanley and Raisch, in a unique forum designed to help retailers work together to discover a new vision for success. They will develop new approaches for their businesses and for the horticultural industry.
“The future of many independent retail garden centers is an economic improbability,” stated Sid Raisch. “This is a challenge and an opportunity. We can do better as an industry, and New Vision Forum will provide indepth exploration of our business model. This means that every independent garden center has to honestly and vigorously assess what they are doing and how they are conducting business,” said Raisch.
Speaking about his experience at the January event, Steve Mostardi from Mostardi Nursery in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, said, “The presentation provided unique information in a concise format, helping us develop practical strategies for implementing changes that will improve our success.” As with January’s inaugural event, the expected learning outcomes for the second New Vision Forum will include working on practical solutions and challenging the status quo. November’s edition is updated with fresh material, not heard at the January session, and is perfect for first time or returning delegates. Attendees will experience freeflow thinking away from trade shows, vendors, and other distractions. They will leave empowered and enabled to develop their own business as part of the future of a strong and profitable independent garden industry.
The November program is by invitationonly and limited to 35 independent garden retailers from Canada and the United States. For questions about the conference and to receive an invitation, contact Sid Raisch at Sid@AdvantageDevelopmentSystem.com or call at 8883397456. More information can be found at www.ofa.org/nvf.
ANLA, a Washington, DCbased trade association, represents green industry business professionals seeking market leadership through advocacy with our nation’s government, a community of industry innovators and experts, and unique, profitabilityfocused programming, products and services. Through the Lighthouse Program, a partnership with green industry state and regional associations, ANLA represents more than 15,000 businesses before Congress and to the White House.
OFA – The Association of Horticulture Professionals is the leading horticulture educational association in the United States. It is a notforprofit, allindustry organization and its core purpose and mission is “to support and advance professional horticulture.” Industry segments served include: garden centers, greenhouses, nurseries, retail and wholesale florists, interior plantscapers, and landscape contractors. OFA is especially known for its outstanding publications and its annual OFA Short Course, U.S. horticulture’s premier convention and marketplace. The OFA Short Course was named the 150th largest trade show among all industries in the United States by the Trade Show News Network. The next Short Course will take place on July 1215, 2014 in Columbus, Ohio USA.
Source: ANLA / OFA – The Association of Horticulture Professionals
