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Members in attendance included: Joe Napoli,
Myra Crowe, Jim Midcap, Mike Sikes, Andy Rogers, John Strickland, Wayne
King, Merrill Varn, Brendan Smith, Chris Butts, Wally Pressey, Wayne
Juers, Bob Oxford, Chris Aubrey, Leilani and Alan Vining, Phil Hart,
Bobby Flowers, Paul Chappell, Wayne Bagwell, and staff members Trudy
Williams and Sherry Loudermilk.
Chairman Oxford called the meeting to order
at 9 AM. He welcomed the group and then asked Loudermilk to give a
status of the Association. Loudermilk updated the group regarding trade
show move-in, exhibitor sales, marketing information for the show, and
the Gardener’s Palette retail seminar.
Loudermilk asked Hull to update the group
on activities regarding hosting the Georgia Chapter of ASLA and the FFA
students. Hull will meet with FFA leaders at the upcoming conference
and will continue talks with ASLA to bring their winter meeting to
WinterGreen in 2004. A task force should be formed to work on each
project.
Chris Aubrey, President of the Athens Area
Growers Association, addressed the group regarding the kick-off
reception at State Botanical Garden on Thursday evening prior to the
opening of the WinterGreen conference. The Athens Area Nursery Growers
Association will sponsor the reception. Oxford and Loudermilk extended
their appreciation for the generosity of the local Association to
Aubrey.
Chris Butts presented an update regarding
the Bear Creek Reservoir area that affects the counties around Athens.
The group is working on education for consumers. The group wants the
Environmental Committee to put together an information packet – agency
names, statistics, etc. Butts wants 50 passes to give to water utility
managers to invite them to the show along with an area at show to
promote the reservoir area businesses.
Loudermilk then reported on trade show
booth sales and silent auction donations. She stated that booth sales
were lower than expected and that the upper level of the center probably
would not be used to house exhibits. She also stated that her staff had
sent our free passes to Georgia retail garden centers as requested in
the previous meeting.
The September 19, 2002 Board Meeting
Minutes were reviewed. Motion was made by Bobby Flowers to accept the
Minutes as presented. Wayne Juers seconded the motion.
The Treasurer’s Report was delivered by Joe
Napoli. He noted that Membership Dues were above expectations but
Journal advertising receipts were lower than expected. Napoli noted
that total assets were up considerably over last year. Wayne King made
a motion to accept the Treasurer’s Report as presented. John Strickland
seconded the motion. Motion passed.
Committee caucuses were held from 10 AM
until 11:10 AM. Loudermilk then introduced Bill Fallin, the new
lobbyist hired by GGIA. Following brief introductions of the attending
board and committee members to Fallin, committee reports were presented
as follows:
The Environmental Committee and the
Governmental Relations Committee reports were presented by Wayne
King, Sr. King noted that a letter introducing the green industry was
to be prepared which will include industry statistics, information about
the new building at UGA and invitations to WINTERgreen and the kick-off
reception on Thursday evening. The date chosen for Capitol Day is
February 5. Chris Butts will serve as the lead person for Capitol
Day.
Environmental Committee is wanted to
develop an “emergency response” information packet of county listings,
statistics, etc. The Committee wants to develop a survey through the
University of Georgia to quantify the economic impact of the green
industry in each county. Hull asked Jim Midcap to help make the
contacts at UGA to investigate the possibility of preparing the survey.
The Marketing Committee report was
presented by Wally Pressey. He noted that the committee will be working
to fill the 1-hr slots at the Membership Booth. Joe Napoli, Jeff
Beasley & Wally Pressey will call non-respondents. Merrill Varn
volunteered to lead the drive for Silent Auction donations.
John Strickland presented
the Landscape Certification report. He stated that 11 people
took the practicum on October 5 in Athens. Of the 11 participants, 7
passed. One person became certified. The next written exam will be
held at Winterschool on January 24. A review
course for the GCLP will be held at the GTA
show in December. Strickland has met with members of the Board of the
Georgia Irrigation Association. He noted that GIA and GCLP task force
will meet in the future to work together on water issues. Barnes met
with Wayne Gardener to discuss moving the administrative duties of GCLP
to the UGA Urban Ag Center.
The Plant Professional Certification
report was delivered by Wayne Juers. He noted that the committee was on
track to be able to offer the test in January with all the volunteers in
place. Juers stated that the update of the certification manual was
underway and that the committee hopes to finalize the update by January
2003. A report was given that Home Depot was actively pursuing
developing a corporate training and certification program. Juers also
asked that the Association not print company names with the list of
people who have recently been certified.
Hull asked how the Certification committees
planned to promote the certification program at the Saturday morning
event. Brendan Smith asked how the industry wanted to continue with
certification, specifically, if the industry wanted certification to
become mandated through the Secretary of State’s office. Varn suggested
that GGIA attempt to get a copy of the Lowe’s in-house program.
The meeting recessed for lunch from 11:50
AM until 1 PM. The meeting then reconvened with a continuation of
committee reports as follows:
The Awards Committee report was
delivered by Bobby Flowers who stated that both the Landscape and Retail
Awards entries had been judged this morning. He noted that judges had
been sought from outside the Board and Committee members. Flowers added
that new categories will be added to the Landscape Awards including
Seasonal Color and Water Wise landscape. He also noted that program
needs more marketing emphasis. Flowers asked the Sales and Marketing
Division to help the committee prepare marketing strategies for the
program. For 2003, the Awards Committee wants to have individual awards
nominations mailed earlier in the year in order for a voting process to
take place rather than having the Executive Board choose the individual
winners.
Divisional meetings were held from 1:15
until 1:45 PM. Reports were delivered as follows:
Leilani Vining presented the Retail
Division report, stating that the group had compiled a list of
elements needed for a successful retail and membership center at the
show. The group requested tables and locking cabinets. Chris Butts
will ask Cofer’s to donate the use for one day of patio fixtures.
McCorkle will provide extra plants and Charmar will provide flower/plant
arrangements for the retail area. Alan Vining has been added to the
Board to serve in 2003.
The Landscape Division report was
presented by John Strickland. He stated the group had worked on
designing the entrances for the show. Strickland stated that the GCLP
will be held on Saturday, March 8 at Coastal Bamboo Garden. The
Division wants to hold two seminars during July – one at North Metro and
one in Perry. Strickland will contact GIA for irrigation, water speaker
and will ask Wayne King, Sr. for soil management, turf grass. The
Division wants marketing information to be sent at least two months in
advance. Officers presented for 2003 include: President: Brendan Smith
– President; Paul Chappell – Vice Strickland, Board Members: Jane
Morgan, Rick Barnes, and Bobby Flowers.
The Sales and Marketing Division
report was presented by Wayne King, Sr. He noted that a title sponsor
was secured for the tournament this year and that the event had record
attendance. The Division wants to put together a golf tournament
committee with representation from each of the Divisions so that the
marketing of the tournament can be crossed. The Sales and Marketing
Division wants to begin a new program which will develop partnerships
with several other associations in construction, ASLA, government, etc.
King noted that the Sales and Marketing Division will work with the
Awards Committee for 2003 to nominate more garden centers and landscape
companies for the annual awards programs. The Division nominated the
following for their Board for 2003: President: Wayne King, Sr., Vice
President – Kevin Karel, Board Members: Carl Hackney, Myra Crowe, and
Wayne Bagwell.
The Wholesale Division report was presented
by Andy Rogers. The tours for the Division will be held in June. The
northern tour will include Transplant Nursery, Fafard, Yoder’s, and
Head-Lee Nursery. The southern tour will include Monrovia, Gainous, and
Graco.
Old Business: Merrill Varn noted that the
Exotic Pest Plant Council has not met for 2002.
There being no further business to conduct
by the Board and Committee, the meeting adjourned at 2:20 PM.
The GGIA Executive Board meeting was held
beginning at 2:20 PM. Members in attendance included Andy Rogers, Bobby
Flowers, John Strickland, Wayne King, Andy Hull, Merrill Varn, Leilani
Vining, Brendan Smith, Bob Oxford, Joe Napoli.
Motion was made by Bob Oxford for the
Executive Board members for 2003 to be Andy Hull as Chairman, Joe Napoli
as Vice-chairman, and John Strickland and Executive Treasurer. Wayne
King seconded motion. Motion passed.
After discussion pertaining to multiple
location companies, Bobby Flowers made a motion to add a membership
category for multi-location companies with the corporate office dues at
$150 per year and each location thereafter at $100 per location.
Multi-location memberships receive only one vote per corporation. Each
location must have a multi-location membership to receive member
benefits and member rate pricing on test, seminar attendance, etc. Joe
Napoli seconded the motion. Discussion included including “location”
rather than “stores.” Motion passed with one member abstaining from the
vote.
Motion was made by Brenda Smith to have new
dues structure effective by April 1, 2003 pending membership vote in
January. Flowers seconded motion. Motion passed.
The group then discussed the ANLA
Lighthouse program. Loudermilk was instructed to get kits for the Board
to review before making budget plans for FY 2003.
The next meeting for the Executive Board
was set for December 5 @ 11 AM at McCorkle Nurseries Atlanta Sales
Office in Marietta.
There being no further Executive Board
business to conduct, the meeting adjourned at 3:20 PM.
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