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Contact: Joan Haller
Phone: (703) 736-9666
E-mail:joanhaller@landcarenetwork.org

For Immediate Release

PLANET GREEN INDUSTRY CONFERENCE SURPASSES ATTENDANCE GOAL

Herndon, VA, November 15, 2005 — The Professional Landcare Network (PLANET) is pleased to announce record-breaking attendance numbers at its recent Green Industry Conference (GIC) in Orlando, Florida. “This GIC is bigger and better than ever,” states PLANET President Dan Foley, CLP, “and I could not be more proud of all of the outstanding accomplishments that we’ve attained over the past year, including GIC.”

This year’s GIC was a huge success. More than 2,000 participants attended this popular annual event. Additionally, the Green Industry Expo (GIE) reported 5,000 plus attendees. Orlando was a good site for the event with sunny, 70- to 80-degree temperatures and a dry, beautiful Product Field Day, which has been a rare occurrence over the past years.

Walking the trade show floor, sitting in committee meetings, attending receptions, hanging out in the GIC Resource Room, and just networking with members elicited many positive comments from attendees about the event.

New PLANET members George Diaz and Bill Arman of Landscape Development, Inc., attended GIC for their third time. Diaz mentioned that the speaker sessions this year were the best yet and were the most valuable part of the conference. He learned about mass marketing and direct mail, and plans to implement a direct-mail campaign from information he learned during the conference.

Arman found the recruiting information and networking opportunities invaluable. He felt that the Breakfast with Champions was the highlight of the event. It gave him “an opportunity to meet new people, network, and reconnect with old friends.”

“Wow!” exclaims Mark Goodman, president of Environking Lawn Care, Ltd., about his first time at GIC. Two of his employees felt that they benefited most from the seminars. Goodman also attended several committee meetings that he said were extremely beneficial.

New member Gary Lorei, president of Land Escapes, returned to GIC this year for a third time. Two of his employees echoed the sentiments of many others that the “sessions this year were the best ever.” Lorei adds, “The information from these sessions is the most valuable part of this conference for our company.”

Richard Buckley, a professor at Rutgers University, ran the session, “Lawn Care: Basic Turf Disease — Pick Your Best Defense.” He walked the trade show after speaking on Friday. Buckley stated that he has attended GIE for many years and thinks the conference is great. He also mentioned how important the event is to the industry.

Betty Wiest, a former state association executive, is now the deputy mayor of the Village of Ridgewood in New Jersey. She has attended GIC for many years and is always astounded by the great networking at the conference. Wiest attended the government affairs meeting and participated in the discussion on the H-2B issue because it is so large in her area. She felt the discussion was helpful and that PLANET’s continuing work in this area is critical.

The PLANET awards banquet on Saturday night was the perfect ending to a perfect week. With more than 400 in attendance, everyone was impressed by the many award-winning projects. As GIC Chairman Gerry McCarthy wrapped up the evening, he received an enormous thank you from the audience for all of his efforts at making the 2005 GIC such a big success.

Next year’s GIC will be held at the Hyatt Regency Columbus, November 1–4, 2006, in Columbus, Ohio.

For more information about GIC, contact Joan Haller at (800) 395-2522 or e-mail joanhaller@landcarenetwork.org.

PLANET represents approximately 4,300 green industry service provider companies and suppliers nationwide that specialize in design/build/installation, interior plantscaping, lawn care, and maintenance. These firms and their employees represent more than 100,000 green industry professionals.