GIE+EXPO Show Preview
GIE+EXPO (the Green Industry & Equipment Expo) and Hardscape North America (HNA) will co-locate in Louisville again in 2015. The two shows, to be held at the Kentucky Exposition Center, will draw industry members worldwide Wednesday through Friday, October 21-23, 2015.
The presence of HNA not only offers expanded education, a fast-paced hardscape Installer Championship and business growth opportunities for the thousands of lawn and landscape professionals who attend GIE+EXPO, but also provides benefits for the design-build contractors, distributors, dealers, architects and engineers who participate in Hardscape North America.
GIE+EXPO offers participants a long list of features and benefits together in one centrally located venue:
- 750 exhibits showcasing the latest innovations over 700,000 square feet — indoors and out. The 19-acre Outdoor Demonstration Area will be open October 22 and 23 during the show.
- New this year: The GO EXPO and GO HNA apps will be available in August. Attendees will be able to access the exhibitor list and floor plan, search by product, plan their schedules and contact exhibitors directly from the app. All who download one of the apps and login will be entered to win $5,000. The apps are sponsored by Gravely.
- A Dealer Day preview for dealers, distributors, retailers and media on October 21.
- The Dealer Resource Pavilion will combine education for dealership owners and managers, training and certification for technicians, a dealer-only lounge and Internet Café, information on managing a profitable parts and service department, as well as networking among dealers from around North America.
- New this year: Attendees will have the opportunity to attend Latino Link — a series of seminars presented by the National Hispanic Landscape Alliance (NHLA). The series targets three GIE+EXPO audiences: a breakfast session for dealers, three seminars for owners and managers of landscape businesses, and two Spanish-language sessions for members of the Hispanic workforce.
- Additional educational opportunities for dealers include a three-session Dealer Summit offering tips on using social media to grow your business, manufacturer forecasting and dealers sharing best-practice advice.
- GIE+EXPO Workshops feature 10 informative sessions for landscapers, including tracks on hardscapes and snow and ice management.
- By attending one of the two hardscape-related GIE+EXPO workshops on October 22, attendees will gain admission to six hours of hardscape installation demonstrations in the HNA Outdoor Arena tent. The HNA demonstrations can also be accessed with a $25 registration upgrade.
- New Products Showcase featuring exhibitors’ latest innovations.
- Three free concerts featuring chart-topping entertainers — Grand Funk Railroad with From Paris on October 21, Kellie Pickler with The Crashers on October 22, and The Rigbys with Lyndsey Henken on October 23 (see sidebar).
- Giveaways, including a $5,000 drawing sponsored by Stihl Inc. during the Dealer Day reception on October 21 and a $10,000 Fabulous Friday Giveaway sponsored by Belgard Hardscapes. One lucky winner will be drawn at 4 p.m., and the winner must be present to win. To be eligible, register for GIE+EXPO. An entry form will be mailed along with badges and will include instructions for returning it on-site.
Pre-registration for a three-day pass to the tradeshow is only $15 per person until September 10. Beginning September 11 the fee will increase to $30. The tradeshow admission for those who wait to register onsite will be $60. To register online, visit www.gie-expo.com.
GIE+EXPO is sponsored by the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI), the National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP) and the Professional Grounds Management Society (PGMS). HNA is produced by the Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute (ICPI) and endorsed by the Brick Industry Association and National Concrete Masonry Association.
Workshops and Hardscape Demos
Valuable opportunities abound at the 2015 GIE+EXPO for lawn & landscape professionals. Workshops will cover a variety of valuable management topics specifically for landscape contractors’ businesses.
Thursday, October 22
8 – 9:30 a.m. (breakfast sandwich & coffee provided)
Hardscape Workshop A: Paver Installation Essentials
Pat McCrindle, Regional Sales Manager, GST International, Inc.
10 – 11:30 a.m.
Hardscape Workshop B: Manage, Motivate & Prepare Your Hardscape Team to Crush the Competition
Jerry Gaeta, Green Industry Business Advisor and Coach
1 – 2:30 p.m.
NALP Workshop 1: Lean Landscaping: How to Turn Wasted Hours into Super Profits
Mark Bradley, Landscape Management Network
3 – 4:30 p.m.
NALP Workshop 2: Maximizing Your Use of New Media to Attract Clients and Network, A Hands-On Session
Jason Cupp, Kincaide, Ltd
Friday, October 23
8 – 9:30 a.m. Breakfast sandwich & coffee provided
NALP Workshop 3: Sustainable Winter Management
Phill Sexton, SIMA
8 – 9:30 a.m. Breakfast sandwich & coffee provided
NALP Workshop 4: How Can You Do it?
Richard Arlington, Rich Arlington & Associates, National Association of Landscape Professional Consultant
10 – 11:30 a.m.
NALP Workshop 5: Estimating and Selling Snow
Mike Mason, CSP, The LawnPro
10 – 11:30 a.m.
NALP Workshop 6: Customers Count! Simple Proven Ways to Build Enduring and Profitable Customer Relationships
Ed Laflamme, LIC and Bill Arman, The Harvest Group
1 – 2:30 p.m.
NALP Workshop 7: The Most Overlooked Key to 7-Figure Business Success
Bill Silverman, Springboard Business Coaching
3 – 4:30 p.m.
NALP Workshop 8: Using Job Descriptions to Build a High-Performance Team that Requires Minimal Supervision
James Huston, J.R. Huston Consulting, Inc., National Association of Landscape Professionals Consultant
Registration in advance is required; each of the GIE+EXPO Workshops is $50. Those who register for one of the two Hardscape Workshops listed above will also be admitted free to the technique demos in the HNA Outdoor Arena tent (see below). Those who only want to attend the HNA Demonstrations and tradeshow can upgrade their registration for $25 to include all the following demos. Register for all sessions online at www.gie-expo.com.
Hardscape Demonstrations
(Held in the tented Hardscape North America Outdoor Arena in the Outdoor Demonstration Area.)
Thursday, October 22
11 a.m. – Noon
Paver Installation Basics
Pat McCrindle, Regional Sales Manager, GST International, Inc.
1 – 2 p.m.
Segmental Retaining Walls for Raised Patio Construction
Tim Huinker, Construction Specialist, Anchor Wall Systems
3 – 4 p.m.
Tools for Paver Installation Efficiency
Bill Gardocki, Owner, Interstate Landscape Co., Inc.
Tom Gardocki, Hardscape Operations Foreman, Interstate Landscape Co., Inc.
Friday, October 23
11 a.m. – Noon
Fire Pit and Outdoor Fireplace Construction, Safety, and Design
Carl Peterson, CEO, Outdoor Entertainment Concepts, LLC
1 – 2 p.m.
Permeable Interlocking Concrete Pavement Construction
Frank Gandora, President, Creative Hardscape Company
3 – 4 p.m.
Dress-up your Hardscape Projects and Boost Your Profits
Pat McCrindle, Regional Sales Manager, GST International, Inc.
Jeff Hesser, Mid Atlantic Regional Sales Manager, Cast Lighting LLC
Each HNA demonstration is eligible for one ICPI Certified Installer Continuing Education (CE) Credit. Attendees should pick up a CE tracking form at the HNA registration desk.
Landscapes 2015
(Formerly Green Industry Conference)
Landscapes, held in conjunction with the GIE+EXPO and Hardscape North America trade shows, provides more than 40 educational sessions featuring the industry’s frontrunners and most successful entrepreneurs, and other leading business experts.
Wednesday Workshops
9:30 – 11:30 a.m. – 2 CEUs* Per Workshop
DON’T LET THEM QUIT! Strategies to Retain & Grow Your Good People
Bill Arman and Ed Laflamme, The Harvest Group, National Association of Landscape Professionals Consultants
The Art of Delegation: Three Simple Strategies for Optimizing your Team
Dominic Chiarella, 7 of 7 BEST Business, National Association of Landscape Professionals Consultant
Case Study: The Millionaires Club: Reaching (and Surpassing) the 1M mark
Steve and Jeff Rak, Rak Consulting LLC
25 Years of Lessons Learned
David Minor, the Landscape Partner
1 – 3 p.m. – 2 CEUs* Per Workshop
The Power of Strengths-Based Leadership
Phil Harwood, Pro-Motion Consulting, Inc, National Association of Landscape
Turning Foremen Into Powerful Company Ambassadors
Mark Bradley, National Association of Landscape Professionals Consultant, LMN
It’s Time to Adapt! Put the Power of Technology to Work for your Landscaping Company
Mike Rorie, Go iLawn
The 4 P’s of Differentiation – How to Rise to the Top in a Highly Competitive Industry
Ken Thomas, National Association of Landscape Professionals Consultant, & Ben Gandy, Envisor Consulting
Thursday Educational Sessions
9:45 – 11:15 a.m.
(1.25 CEUs per session)
Creating a Customer Service Revolution in Your Organization
Dave Murray, The DiJulius Group
Stop Chasing Squirrels and Capture Business Success
Marty Grunder, Marty Grunder Jr!
The Future of NOW – Macro Trends Guaranteed to Increase Differentiation, Profits & Company Valuation
Judy Guido, Guido Consulting
Employer Workplace Rights: Hiring, Firing, Compensation and Remaining Union-Free
Richard Lehr, Lehr, Middlebrooks & Vreeland, PC
Facilitated Roundtable Discussion
Leadership at Every Level – Speaker working text to include inter action with attendees.
David Waits, Waits Consulting Group, Inc.
Town Hall
Creative Designs Sell Projects: Efficient Production Makes Money – Panel Discussion
Panel members: Glenn Jacobsen, Jacobsen Landscape Design & Construction, Inc., Jonas Pattie, The Pattie Group, Inc. Nick DiBenedetto, ND Landscape, Inc.; Moderator: Jeffrey Scott, National Association of Landscape Professionals Consultant, Jeffrey Scott Consulting
Specialty Session: Irrigation
Inventory Management for the Smart Irrigation Company
9:45 – 11:45 a.m.
(2 CEUs)
Deep Dive Workshop
OSHA Compliance-Based Safety: Part I
Speaker: Randy Mansell, CSP, CHST, CRIS, RRE, CNA Insurance
1:30 – 2:45 p.m.
(1.25 CEUs per session)
Deep Dive Workshop
OSHA Compliance-Based Safety: Part II
Speaker: Randy Mansell, CSP, CHST, CRIS, RRE, CNA Insurance
Becoming Zero Risk
Dave Murray, The DiJulius Group
Becoming The Leader You’ve Always Wanted to Be
Marty Grunder, Marty Grunder Jr!
Mission Possible: One Team United
David Waits, Waits Consulting Group, Inc.
75 minute Rehab: Turning Chronic “Tellers” into an Inspiring Coaches
Spencer Penhart, Penhart Group, Inc.
Facilitated Roundtable Discussion
Website Rankings: Insider Secrets Straight from Silicon Valley
Brian Kraff, Market Hardware, National Association of Landscape Professionals Consultant
Specialty Education: Landscape Management
The Five Stages of Project Management for Landscape Construction Projects
Fred Wheeler*, Sunset by Design
Creative Avoidance: How to turn Active Employees into Productive Employees
Vince Esposito, Esposito Vantage Group LLC
3 – 4:15 p.m.
(1.25 CEUs per session)
Routing Your Crews for Profit – Creating a Method to your Madness
Mike Rorie, Go iLawn
The Long And Winding Road To Success: Understanding the Landscape Company Business Cycle
Ken Thomas, National Association of Landscape Professionals Consultant, Envisor Consulting
Transforming Your Teams Into Profit Machines
Spencer Penhart, Penhart Group
Town Hall
Lessons Learned from Industry Giants
Facilitated by Marty Grunder, Marty Grunder!
Facilitated Roundtable Discussion
I Want to Work There! Creating a World-Class Work Culture
David Waits, Waits Consulting Group
Talent Acquisition Transformed: Seven Key Factor is in Recruiting Industry Rock Stars
Pat Hyland, The Grounds Guys
Specialty Session/Case Study: Lawn Care
From Technician to CEO – The Evolution of a High-Growth Pest Control and Lawn Care Company
Friday Education
9:45 – 11:15 a.m.
(1.25 CEUs ser session)
Share and Share A Like: 29 Tech Tools to Create Cool Content for Social Media
Beth Ziesenis, Your Nerdy Best Friend
Become A “Destination Company”: 7 Steps to Attract and Cultivate Top Talent
Jeffrey Scott, National Association of Landscape Professionals Consultant, Jeffrey Scott Consulting
Town Hall with the Top Thought Leaders of the Industry
Facilitated by Judy Guido, Guido Consulting
The Art and Science of Asking the RIGHT Questions To Get the Sale
Kirk Armstrong, Armstrong Coaching
Facilitated Roundtables: Cutting Through Complicated Financials to Get the REAL Answers
Creating THE BREAKTHROUGH YEAR for your Business
Jonathan Goldhill, National Association of Landscape Professionals Consultant, The Goldhill Group
1:30 – 2:45 p.m.
(1.25 CEUs per session)
How DO They Do That? Secret Tech Weapons for Landscape Professionals
Beth Ziesenis, Your Nerdy Best Friend
Protecting your Greatest Asset: Key Aspects of Making your Business Sales Worthy
Peter Holton, National Association of Landscape Professionals Consultant, Caber Hill Advisors
Deep Dive Workshop
Am I Really Making Any Money? Pricing and Costing Correctly – Part I
Kevin Kehoe, Three Point Group
Sales Strategy Tune-Up
Kirk Armstrong, Armstrong Coaching
Lightning Round Session
21 Things You Need to Know about Managing a 21st Century Workforce in 21 Minutes
Bill Arman, National Association of Landscape Professionals Consultant, The Harvest Group, Jason Cupp, National Association of Landscape Professionals Consultant, Kincaide, Inc., Jeffrey Scott, National Association of Landscape Professionals Consultant, Jeffrey Scott Consulting
Trailblazer Mentor Sessions
Throughout the LANDSCAPES 2015 program, you will hear speakers emphasize the importance of business coaching. Ever wish you could have your own personal business coach? Spend one-on-one time with one of NALP’s Trailblazer mentors to discuss your business concerns and questions. Bring your business plan, your financials, your marketing plans, your sales sheets, your profit and loss statements – or just your most pressing concerns. LIMITED SLOTS AVAILABLE SO SIGN UP EARLY!
3:00 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.
(1.25 CEUs per session)
Selling Your Baby
Kent Kohn, National Association of Landscape Professionals Consultant, Pro-Motion Consulting
The Right Way to Design, Develop, and Distribute an Employee Handbook
Steven Cesare, National Association of Landscape Professionals, Consultant Member, The Harvest Group
Deep Dive Workshop
Am I Really Making Any Money? Pricing and Costing Correctly – Part 2
Kevin Kehoe, Three Point Group
One-Step Sales
Chris Noon, National Association of Landscape Professionals Consultant, Green Light Consulting
Trailblazer Mentor Sessions
Kellie Pickler and Grand Funk Railroad to Headline at GIE+EXPO 2015 Concerts
GIE+EXPO and Hardscape North America attendees will be treated to three nights of free, top-notch entertainment, featuring country music sensation Kellie Pickler; the iconic blues rock band Grand Funk Railroad, and The Rigbys, a Beatles tribute band, thanks to sponsors Dixie Chopper and Nissan Commercial Vehicles.
Wednesday, October 21
Opening Act: From Paris 8 p.m.
Headliner: Grand Funk Railroad, 9 p.m.
Thursday, October 22
Headliner: Kellie Pickler, 8 p.m.
After-party with the Crashers, 9:30 p.m.
Friday, October 23
Opening Act: Lindsey Henken, 8 p.m.
Headliner: The Rigbys, 9 p.m.
About the performers:
From Paris is a supergroup of musicians that performs songs from all genres. Attendees are likely to hear covers from Black Eyed Peas, Maroon 5, Beyonce, Pink, U2, Led Zeppelin, Bon Jovi, Rolling Stones, AC/DC, ABBA, Stevie Wonder, Janis Joplin, Johnny Cash, Old Crow Medicine Show, Jason Mraz, Jackson 5, Norah Jones, Frank Sinatra and more.
One of the 1970s’ most successful hard rock bands, Grand Funk Railroad helped rule the rock world in the first part of the decade, selling out stadiums, collecting platinum records and scoring hit pop singles along the way. They were even kicked off a 1970 tour as openers for Led Zeppelin after upstaging the headliners. Their hits include We’re an American Band, Some Kind of Wonderful, I’m Your Captain (Closer to Home) and a remake of Little Eva’s The Loco-Motion.
From her days as a breakout presence on American Idol to three albums, hundreds of concert appearances and a 2013 win on ABC’s Dancing with the Stars, Kellie Pickler has earned the admiration and affection of countless fans. This spunky, charismatic singer/songwriter remains rooted to the country tradition she grew up loving. Her chart toppers include Best Days of Your Life, which she wrote with Taylor Swift, Little Bit Gypsy, I Wonder and Red High Heels.
Back at GIE+EXPO by popular demand, The Crashers, formed in 2008, have performed all over the country, leaving crowds wanting more, from the Super Bowl (as the official pre-game band for NBC at Super Bowl XLVI) to rockin’ it out as the backing band for national artists like Luke Bryan and Kid Rock.
Lindsey Henken is a talented young vocalist who began performing at the age of 4 and has grown up to perform at many Louisville venues, including Kentucky Derby Festival events.
One of the premier Beatles celebration bands in the Midwest, The Rigbys was formed by veteran musicians out of their personal love for and influence by the Beatles. The band members have carefully honed their craft, delivering stunningly accurate recreations of music recognized the world over.
Get a Taste of Louisville Hospitality
Louisville has been home to GIE+EXPO for many years, and the city’s warm welcome and cool vibes never disappoint. A trip to our industry’s largest annual event isn’t complete without getting out and exploring the diverse city and enjoying its southern hospitality.
Louisville was recently named a Top Guy’s Getaway Weekend by Conde Nast Traveler and a Best American City for Fall Travel by Travel & Leisure Magazine. It is within a day’s drive of more than 60 percent of the nation’s population, and the airport is serviced by nearly every major and regional airline.
Known for its nationally recognized culinary scene, the Greatest Two Minutes in Sports — The Kentucky Derby ¬ — and, of course, bourbon, Louisville is chock-full of reasons to extend your GIE+EXPO stay into the weekend.
Explore the world of whiskey in the birthplace of bourbon. Tour some of Louisville’s increasingly popular distilleries right in the heart of downtown, including the newly resurrected Peerless Distilling and the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience — the first stop on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Just a short drive from downtown is the Bulleit Frontier Whiskey Experience, which recently opened on the site of the old Stitzel Weller Distillery. For more information, visit bourboncountry.com.
If beer is more your thing, the city’s breweries are definitely worth a look. The craft beer scene in Louisville is interesting and varied. One of the larger breweries, Against the Grain Brewery & Smokehouse, is Louisville’s first brewer owned-and-operated brewery. Others include Falls City, which shares a building with Old 502 Winery, and Bluegrass Brewing Company, Kentucky’s longest continually operating brewery. You’ll find them all downtown.
In addition to good drinks, Louisville is also known for good food. The city’s culinary scene is the epitome of variety, from bourbon-themed restaurants to internationally-inspired cuisines. If you’re a Food Network fan, you may be familiar with Chef Ed Lee, who owns a couple of must-try places — 610 Magnolia and MilkWood. Any visitor to the city should try a hot brown, the iconic Louisville meal. It is served in several restaurants, but the original was created at J. Graham’s Cafe in The Brown Hotel. From pizza to burgers, you’ll also find many iterations of the hearty dish throughout town. For more information, visit culinarylouisville.com.
After trying some of the city’s fabulous restaurants, you may want to take home a taste of the city. At Bourbon Barrel Foods you can pick up some bourbon-barrel smoked spices or bourbon-flavored sauces and syrups. For the sweet tooth, Muth’s Candies offers up old-fashioned bourbon balls and modjeskas — a marshmallow gem covered in creamy caramel.
Even more so than food and drink, Louisville is known for horse-racing at Churchill Downs. Live racing is not happening the week of GIE+EXPO, but the Kentucky Derby Museum celebrates the Derby all year long. At this 360-degree interactive attraction, there are displays of Derby hats and jockey silks, a plethora of photos of past derby winners and informative exhibits. A general tour of Churchill Downs is included with a museum admission purchase, and upgrades are available for a variety of other tours. In October there is a Horses & Haunts Walking Tour. Visit derbymuseum.org for more information.
If your feet aren’t too tired after walking the trade show floor, a walk across the Big Four Bridge provides beautiful views of the Ohio River, Waterfront Park and the city. The former railroad truss bridge is now a pedestrian bridge that connects Louisville to Jeffersonville, Indiana.
Fourth Street Live!, in the heart of downtown Louisville, will be the location of the GIE+EXPO concerts and is the premier dining and entertainment district. A few popular places to visit while in the area include Hard Rock Cafe, Gordon Biersch Brewery & Restaurant, Sully’s Saloon, The Sports and Social Club and The Fudgery. To learn more, visit 4thstlive.com.
GIE+EXPO attendees can receive discounts at many destinations through the Louisville Convention & Visitors Bureau’s “Show Us Your Badge” program. For information on the “Show Us Your Badge” program and visiting Louisville, check out gotolouisville.com. For GIE+EXPO information, visit gie-expo.com.
For more information, visit www.gie-expo.com, www.HardscapeNA.com or www.landscapeprofessionals.org.
