January 18-19, 2022 

NEW Location

DoubleTree by Hilton
10 Brickyard Drive
Bloomington, IL 61701
WEBSITE

About the Event

InVigorateU is an annual event that not only provides great speakers and CEUs, but also offers a chance to take time away from your crazy schedule to focus on what worked last year and what you might want to do differently this year. 

Day one is devoted to the element that unites all diverse segments of our industry – Plants!  Join your peers and industry experts for sessions devoted to putting more of the right plants in the hands of the public, and ensuring they thrive long after they are planted.

That evening, join us at Destihl Brewery to relax with dinner, drinks, and trivia! We're making time for everyone to enjoy the brewery tour (if you'd like) and still participate in the trivia fun!  DETAILS

On day two, we get in the weeds with tracks specific to your professional needs and interests. Follow one track all day, or feel free to pick and choose the sessions that best suit your needs.

Growers will cover a variety of topics, from the extreme weather patterns' effect on our crops to non-chemical solutions for fighting pests. For the Landscape Architects, we've teamed up with ASLA Illinois to create a track that will meet your continuing education needs.

We are also bringing back the Marketing track because things are constantly changing in this arena, so we'll have two speakers offering their expertise on social media, email marketing, and a marketing calendar to boost your presence in the market. The Retail track will feature Timothy Howard and his years of experience helping garden centers move their plant offering online, a repeat performance by keynote speaker Dr. Bridget Behe sharing product pricing information, and much more. 

On both days, we offer irrigation training, presented by Hunter Industries, to help irrigation contractors satisfy the continuing education requirements required by Section 892 of Illinois Plumbing code.  

Registration begins November 1, 2021

Schedule at a Glance

VIEW DETAILED EDUCATION SCHEDULE

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Keynote Speakers

Plant Benefits or Features: Which Cue is More Effective

Dr. Bridget Behe
Professor of Horticultural Marketing
Michigan State University
ABOUT BRIDGET

Motivations for buying plants changed in the height of the pandemic. Why consumers bought plants this year and last year is an interesting comparison. Bridget shares new research about plant purchase motivations from 2020 and 2021. Whether you are a grower, wholesaler, nursery, landscaper, or retailer, these insightful research findings can help you better connect with your consumers in the coming months.

Grassroots Advocacy – Making Your Voice Heard for Horticulture

Mike Gooder
President
Plantpeddler, Inc
ABOUT MIKE

It starts with planting a seed. In this case, it is planting the horticulture seed with your elected officials and industry influencers to raise awareness of the issues that are most critical to our work. In this keynote, you'll learn how Mike has incorporated advocacy into many aspects of his business, including the practical ways they use outreach to impact the right people, to increase visibility of their business, the industry, and critical issues. 

Read more about our entire line up of industry experts to speak at InVigorateU here. 

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 Thanks to our 2022 Sponsors!

Premier Sponsor

Event Sponsor

Reach more attendees with an ad in the Event Program Book!

How Can Your Company Get Involved?

The Illinois Green Industry Association invites you to take advantage of sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities: 

• Premier or Gold Level Sponsorship
• Sponsor an Education Track - Prime visibility with your target segment!
• Support the Social Event (offsite) through sponsorship
• Keep attendees caffeinated with a Coffee/Tea Sponsorship
• Lunch Sponsorship - an important time for collaboration
• Place an ad in the Event Program Book 

We've got a new layout at the new conference center, so you'll be asked to select your preferred location.  But, don't delay because these spaces sell out every year, and there are only 30 available!  We will process space selection as registrations are received with payment.  As we receive sponsorship commitment, we'll note the exclusive sponsorships that have been sold.  If there's an idea your company wants to pursue that you don't see on the sponsorship form, let's make it happen.  This event is all about trying new and different things to make it a great experience for everyone involved!

Show Me Sponsorship & Exhibitor Opportunities