8:25 a.m.                   Opening Comments

8:30-10:00 a.m.         How Growers and Grower Retailers Can Utilize Their Websites to Increase Profitability — Timothy Howard

                                                We will review websites from growers like Mortellaro’s (TX) and Forest Keeling Nursery (MO) and grower-retailers like Bowood Farms (St. Louis, MO) and Romance Gardens (MI) to learn how they utilize their websites to increase market share and profitability.

10:00-10:45 a.m.             2011 Horticultural Odyssey: What Worked and What Didn’t — Jason Griffin

Record cold, record heat, record drought! In 2011, Mother Nature reminded us once again that she makes the rules. This presentation will focus on observations from the historic freeze in February to heat and drought not seen since the dust bowl years. Landscape plants experienced all Kansas has to offer this year. What did we learn from the past 12 months?

10:45-11:00 a.m.             Break with refreshments

11:00-12:00 p.m.            Who Will Take Care of the Nursery When I’m Gone? — Gregg Hadley

What will happen when you are no longer available to make business decisions for the nursery? You don’t want to leave your family and employees in a state of disarray.  The conversation about succession planning starts at this session.

12:00-1:00 p.m.               Lunch

1:00-1:45 p.m.             Rock Solid Perennials and Shrubs for Kansas — Eric George

Of course we have customers who always want the newest plant, but what about folks who just want a plant that will thrive in our harsh conditions? These plants are winners throughout the state.

1:45-2:15 p.m.                  How to Distinguish your Independent Garden Center from the Big Box Stores — Barbara Meyer

Finding a competitive edge in the garden center marketplace is essential to survive in 2012. Barbara has 20 years of experience in garden center management and she will share ways to make your garden center the best it can be!

2:15-2:45 p.m.                  Creating Cost Effective Signage for Your Garden Center — Timothy Howard

Timothy will discuss the various options available for creating garden center signage including the Clarity Connect solution, www.POPsignage.com.

2:45-3:00 p.m.                  Break with refreshments

3:00-4:00 p.m.                  Bug-B-Gone: Pesticides and How They Kill Insect And Mite Pests - Raymond Cloyd

 *Qualifies for pesticide recertification:  1 hr 3A (Ornamental) & hr 3B (Turf)

4:00-4:30 p.m.                  Growing Your Business with Social Media — Cheryl Boyer

Don’t be overwhelmed by social media! Incorporating this marketing angle into your business will enhance your relationships with customers if you use it in the right way. We’ll discuss which social media platform fits with your business and how to best use it to achieve your goals.