IGIA Members in the Media

Hunter Expands Controller Recycling Program

Hunter Industries, San Marcos, California, expanded its Irrigation Controller Recycling Program to Hunter Preferred Program members in the U.S. to reduce e-waste in the irrigation industry. Since launching the program in 2019, Hunter has recycled more than 13,000 pounds of controller e-waste through its partnership with nonprofit Blue Star Recyclers. Hunter has also helped support Blue Star Recyclers’...Read More

Russo Power Equipment is in Growth Mode 

When Russo Power Equipment celebrated their 50th anniversary in 2020, they developed a slogan: “Celebrating 50 Years of Business & The Next 50”. Two years into the “Next 50”, they are regionally expanding. Growth has happened quickly thanks to two recent acquisitions in Indiana and Wisconsin: C & C Distributors (Fort Wayne and South Bend, Indiana) and Porter’s Lawn & Power Equipment (Janesville, Wisconsin). Through these partners, Russo will connect with new communities and customers in the same personable way they have for years. Read More

SiteOne Launches Online Estimating Tool

SiteOne Landscape Supply looks to ease the day-to-day for landscape businesses with its new free online estimating tool. According to the company, the tool helps contractors quickly and easily present customized, professional proposals to customers and secure business without separate software or subscriptions. Read More

Bailey Recognizes Network Partners

Bailey Nurseries recently honored four brand licensee partners who work with Bailey Consumer Brands Endless Summer Hydrangeas, First Editions Shrubs & Trees, and Easy Elegance Roses. Brand & Business Development Manager Layci Gragnani presented the awards to recognize partners who demonstrate superior brand representation, exceptional product quality and excellent partnership. Read More

Hunter Recycling Program Expands Irrigation Controller Recycling Program for Second Year

Hunter Industries expanded its Irrigation Controller Recycling Program to customers nationwide for the second consecutive year. According to the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), nearly 54 million tons of electronic waste — or e-waste — were discarded globally in 2019. UNITAR expects that number to increase to 74.7 million tons annually by 2030. Read More

Ball Seed Customer Days Scheduled for July 28-29

Ball Seed is pleased to welcome visitors once again to The Gardens at Ball in West Chicago, Illinois, during Ball Seed Customer Days, Thursday, July 28, and Friday, July 29. Registered guests will spend a full day engaging with Ball team members on ideas to optimize their production for next season, and stroll The Gardens filled with hundreds of new introductions for 2023 from across the industry representing over 77 breeding companies. Read More

Unilock Opens Applications for Paving the Future Scholarship

Unilock is announcing its Paving the Future Scholarship. Awarding $5,000 to students within the landscape construction and landscape architecture fields of study, the scholarship will help pay for their education expenses, including tuition fees, books, housing and transportation costs. Up to 27 scholarships will be awarded, with an Aug. 31, 2022, application deadline for eligible students. Read More

SiteOne Launches New Marketing Toolkit for Partner Program Members

A new Marketing Toolkit from SiteOne Landscape Supply aims to save business owners time, according to the company. The online program gives users the ability to create, customize and print marketing assets to promote their business in their community. The Marketing Toolkit is exclusively for the company’s Partners Program members. “We know our customers are busy running their businesses...Read More

Kim Goodwin Joins Bailey Sales Team

Bailey has announced Kim Goodwin as the newest member of the Bailey sales team, joining as a territory sales representative. In her new role, Goodwin will partner with customers in Illinois, Northern Indiana and Michigan. Goodwin joins Bailey with over 20 years of production experience with growing perennials, shrubs and roses, as well as working with shade trees, ornamentals, evergreens and propagation. Read More

Ball Ingenuity Debuts New Online Look in Time for Cultivate’22

The product development team at Ball Ingenuity is always on the lookout for the “weird, wild and wonderful” in the world of plants. They’re dedicated to partnering with plant breeders and suppliers — large and small — from around the globe to help bring these unique plants to market. Recently this division of distribution leader Ball Seed has refreshed its website, www.BallIngenuity.com, to showcase all of the trending plant...Read More

Nufarm Announces Leadership Promotions

NufarmAmericas Inc. announced three key appointments to its business segment leadership, including the promotion of Cam Copley to Golf Segment Lead, Heidi Warner to Ornamental Segment Lead and Jamie Heydinger to Lawn Care Segment Lead. "Cam, Heidi and Jamie have established themselves as leaders and trusted advisers in their respective segments through their vast expertise...Read More

Proven Winners Expands Garden Center Support Team

With independent garden centers being vitally important to Proven Winners, the brand is excited to announce some personnel changes that will offer independent garden centers more support than ever before. Jessica DeGraaf has been named Proven Winners' director of retail accounts. Since joining Proven Winners in 2015, DeGraaf has been the driving force behind their independent garden center...Read More

Nufarm Renews Sponsorship of GreenCare for Troops

Nufarm, Alsip, Illinois, announced its continued sponsorship of Project EverGreen, Cleveland, Ohio, and its GreenCare for Troops program. The program, which is celebrating its 15th year in 2021, provides complimentary basic lawn care and landscape maintenance services to military personnel with a deployed family member.  As the title sponsor of GreenCare for Troops, Nufarm will contribute $75,000...Read More

Bailey Announces Emergent Communicator Award

Bailey has announced announced that Ryan McEnaney, Bailey's marketing & communications manager, received the Emergent Communicator Award at the 2021 GardenComm Conference. This award recognizes a member under the age of 40 who demonstrates exceptionally high degrees of skill, professional ethics and dedication to the GardenComm mission and values. Read More

Hunter Celebrates 40th Anniversary

A lot has changed in the last 40 years, but for San Diego-based Hunter Industries, its cohesive family structure has powered growth through both acquisitions and new product lines. “We changed the way people did irrigation with a unique business model and creating a distinct corporate culture,” says Hunter Industries CEO Greg Hunter, whose father Richard helped create the company with his uncle Paul and grandfather Ed, an irrigation industry pioneer and entrepreneur. Read More

Nufarm launches Summer Ornamental Program

Nufarm announces the launch of its 2021 Summer Ornamental Program, an opportunity for turf and ornamental professionals to save on in-season solutions, including new Engulf GHN Greenhouse and Ornamental Miticide. Qualifying orders will receive distributor rebate credits on Nufarm solutions purchased from June 1, 2021 to July 16, 2021. Read More

SiteOne Launches Portfolio Nursery Collection

SiteOne Landscape Supply is introducing the Portfolio Nursery Collection, an exclusive line of plants and products designed to help landscape professionals. The Portfolio Nursery Collection initial offering includes Arbor Vitae, Green Giant, Magnolia, Nellie Holly, White Wedding, Painted Sky, Oakleaf Holly and Podocarpus. “As a landscaping professional, focusing on even the smallest of details...Read More

SiteOne Rallies With Other Green Industry Companies for Champions Place Project

SiteOne Landscape Supply, alongside customers and suppliers, invested time, talent and materials at Champions Place to create a special outdoor living space for its residents. Champions Place is made possible by Champions Community Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving physically challenged young adults who have aged...Read More

Davey Tree Expands in Tennessee and Wisconsin

The Davey Tree Expert Company has expanded within two U.S. residential tree care market areas. In Tennessee, Davey has acquired certain assets of AJ’s Tree Service. The firm provides residential and commercial tree care services to the region southeast of Nashville. The firm has six employees, all of whom will continue employment at Davey’s new southeast Nashville office. AJ’s owner Matthew Bratton will stay...Read More

7 Growers Achieve EAGL Certifications

Dr. Charlie Hall (Ellison Chair for International Floriculture) has announced the graduation of the eighth cohort (Iota) of the elite Executive Academy for Growth & Leadership (EAGL) program for nursery and greenhouse growers. Seven industry leaders received their Certificate in Applied Horticultural Business Management from Texas A&M University on February 4, 2021. Read More

Bailey Announces Series of Internal Promotions

Following the announcement of Bailey’s executive team promotions in January, additional roles within the organization have been filled with internal candidates. Jason Bizon now serves as West Coast general manager, Ryan McEnaney as marketing and communications manager, Tiffany Nohl as inside sales manager, and Lisa Swast as brand and licensing sales representative. Read More

Davey Tree Expert Co Releases New Podcast, Talking Trees with Davey Tree

In the podcast, Davey arborists from around the U.S. discuss topics of seasonal importance with topics ranging from seasonal tree care, introduced pests, professional tree care advice, deer damage and more. Episodes are published every Thursday at 5 a.m. EST. The podcast is available on a variety of platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Stitcher, iHeart Radio...Read More

Unilock Founder Dies

Ed Bryant, 85, founder of Unilock, passed away at his home in Horseshoe Valley, Ontario, Canada on Jan. 28, 2021. Born on Nov. 30, 1935, in Edmonton, Bryant spent his early years in Alberta. After two years at the University of British Columbia, he enlisted in the military and was eventually stationed overseas. Upon returning, he worked in B.C. and Alberta on the pipelines with Mannix, a career path that ultimately...Read More

Ball Seed Releases 2021 Landscape Solutions Resource

The landscape service of Ball Seed has announced the 2021 edition of its THRIVE Landscape Solutions brochures. These annual resources continue to put expert, regional plant advice in the hands of greenhouse growers to help their landscape customers build top-performing designs. Five regions were selected by Jeff Gibson, Ball Seed’s landscape...Read More

Nufarm Announces EPA Registration for Engulf GHN

Nufarm Americas announced the EPA registration of Engulf GHN Greenhouse and Ornamental Miticide, a new miticide labeled for greenhouse and shadehouse ornamental crops, greenhouse tomatoes, and Christmas tree and conifer plantations and nurseries. Engulf GHN is pending state registrations. Read More

Home Nursery Celebrates 100th Anniversary

Home Nursery Inc., a family-owned grower of nursery stock and supplier to garden centers, landscapers and distribution centers, is has announced that it is celebrating 100 years in business in 2021. The company plans to celebrate this significant milestone throughout the year with “100 Ways,” which are activities planned to commemorate its 100-year anniversary. Some of the actions will include recognizing...Read More

Davey Tree Announces Slew of Promotions

The Davey Tree Expert Company has announced several promotions since the start of the new year, including two new regional vice presidents, two operations managers and a technical adviser. Here are the company's recent moves: They promoted two regional vice presidents...Read More

Unilock Offers Online Educational Series

Unilock will host its Unilock Boots Online, an online hardscaping educational series designed to provide contractors with tips, techniques and know-how. The one-hour sessions run from Feb. 2 through March 4 and are held every Tuesday and Thursday at 11 a.m. EST. With a variety of concise programs presented over a period of weeks, Unilock experts from across North America will offer attendees best practices...Read More

Oldcastle APG Acquires CST

Oldcastle APG has broadened its manufacturing footprint with the acquisition of CST, a regional manufacturer of lawn and garden products, including bagged and bulk mulches and soils. Founded in 2010 and headquartered in Elk River, Minnesota, CST supplies lawn and garden products to retail and independent customers throughout the midwestern United States. As a co-packing partner, CST’s product offerings...Read More

Bailey Announces Promotions, Additions to Leadership Team

In a press release, Bailey announces the promotion of Shane Brockshus and Alec Charais to the newly-created positions of Chief Operations Officer and Chief Marketing & Product Development Officer, respectively. Marc McCormack will continue leading company-wide sales direction and sales leadership development, now as Chief Sales Officer. Read More

Al Davidson

The new president of the Ball Horticultural Company looks back on 2020, what the company’s acquisition of Gloeckner means and how the industry has changed over time. Read More

SiteOne Brings SiteOne University Events Online

SiteOne Landscape Supply is moving its SiteOne University events online to serve green industry workers seeking to expand their knowledge and business offerings in 2021. SiteOne Universities will feature focused tracks on business, erosion control/drainage, green symposium, golf, hardscaping, irrigation, lawn care, lighting, nursery, pest control and tree care. Read More

J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co. Shares Virtual Tour in Anticipation of Diamond Anniversary

J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co. invites industry members to explore its virtual via the JFS YouTube channel, which visitors can access here. Sales Manager Rich Bailey notes that 2021 will mark the Diamond Anniversary of the nursery that was established in 1946 by Evelyn and J. Frank Schmidt, Jr. While it was tough to compress 75 years of “growing New Ideas” into 23 minutes...Read More

Gloeckner & Co. to Transfer Open Orders to Ball Seed

In November, owner, Joseph A. Simone, president and CEO of Fred C. Gloeckner & Co. Inc., announced his plans to retire from the distribution industry and announced an agreement with Ball Horticultural Co. to transfer its open orders to Ball Seed. Effective Dec. 1, 2020, Gloeckner will no longer accept new orders. Gloeckner will ship and service all orders in their system through the Dec. 18, 2020, ship date...Read More

Looking Back & Thinking Ahead

Anna Ball likes to say that 2020 was “the year of two viruses and a bacterium.” It’s a simple statement for a stressful, complicated year of challenges for Ball Horticultural Company. It all started with a ransomware attack that hobbled Ball’s internal ordering and inventory system, followed by a Ralstonia outbreak on a crop of Ball FloraPlant geraniums. Then came COVID-19 that added an extra layer of chaos during the peak of spring while the entire Ball headquarters in West Chicago was also under construction. Read More

Creation of the Largest Production Platform of Beneficial Insects in North America

Sinthya Penn acquired Beneficial Insectary in 1986 when it was still a small fly parasite producer. The company first built a leading position in fly biocontrol with various applications in animal husbandry. In recent years, it grew exponentially in biological crop protection to become the largest local producer in the USA. Sinthya comments: “I am grateful to Beneficial Insectary’s production and business teams...Read More

Hunter Industries Awards Sustainable Practices

Hunter Industries believes it’s the company’s responsibility to find a balance between the people it impacts, the planet they affect and the profit earned. The company discovered over the course of its movement that they cannot achieve their goals alone. The Ann Hunter-Welborn Circle of Excellence Award recognizes sustainable practices within the industry with the goal of inspiring others to join in the efforts. Read More

Ball Creates New Leadership Position, Makes Senior Personnel Moves

On Nov. 12, Ball Horticultural Co. announced several senior personnel appointments to strengthen its leadership in anticipation of industry and company progress. Anna Ball, CEO and chairman of the board for Ball, has created the new position of president within Ball Horticultural Co. and has appointed Al Davidson to this post. Davidson will conduct the day-to-day management of the company...Read More

Rosborough Partners Merges Commercial Business with LandCare

Rosborough Partners (RPI), a leading landscape design, build, and maintenance firm in the Chicagoland area, has narrowed its focus to residential services and selected LandCare to assume its commercial business. For the past 30 years, RPI has provided full-service landscaping solutions to commercial and residential clients. RPI partner Blaine Owens will now lead the integration with...Read More

Davey Tree Ranks as Ninth-Largest ESOP Company in U.S.

The Davey Tree Expert Company is the 9th largest employee-owned company in the U.S., according to a report from the National Center for Employee Ownership. The NCEO 2020 Employee Ownership 100 list shows Davey has maintained its position among the top 10 largest employee-owned firms since first being ranked at No. 9 in 2019. Davey ranked No. 3 on Lawn & Landscape's Top 100 list in 2020. Read More

Davey Tree Tabs T.J. Mascia to Director Role

The Davey Tree Expert Company has appointed T.J. Mascia to director of Davey Mitigation for Davey Resource Group. The director role for Davey Mitigation represents a new position within DRG, and Mascia will be responsible for developing mitigation clients and working with Davey offices that provide environmental consulting and mitigation services. Read More

Burnco Landscape Centres Joins SiteOne Landscape Supply

SiteOne Landscape Supply Inc., Roswell, Georgia, acquired Burnco Landscape Centres Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Burnco Rock Products Ltd. Burnco Landscape Centres serves the three western Canadian provinces of British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan from 12 locations focused on the distribution of hardscapes and landscape supplies to landscape professionals. Read More

Hortica Introduces New Online Customer Resource

Hortica, the horticultural insurance specialist brand of Sentry Insurance, has introduced its customers to a new website experience at hortica.com. The new site is designed to emphasize the benefits and services Hortica provides its customers. “We’re dedicated to providing leadership for horticultural businesses,” said Tim Noble, president, Hortica. “Today, it’s important to find new ways to lead our partners. Read More

The Davey Tree Expert Co. is Taking 'Talking Trees' YouTube video Series to Facebook for Talking Trees Live

Davey arborists from across the U.S. will discuss topics of seasonal importance with viewers during bi-monthly, live events hosted on Davey’s Facebook page. Tree care topics will range from damaging insects and diseases, professional tree care advice to prepare for autumn and commonly asked fall-related questions. Each session will be held on a Wednesday at 3 p.m. EST and will be hosted on the Davey Facebook page. Read More

Nufarm Continues Commitment to GreenCare for Troops

Nufarm and Project EverGreen have announced the company’s continued commitment to bolster the reach of the GreenCare for Troops initiative. The program, now in its 14th year, provides active duty military families with complimentary basic lawn care and landscape maintenance services while a family member is deployed defending the country. Counting this year’s commitment, Nufarm has invested...Read More

DeVroomen Celebrating 95th Anniversary and Still Growing

DeVroomen Garden Products is a family-oriented company that has taken great pride in being a leader in the Flower Bulb and Perennial industry for 95 years. In 1925, Jac Th DeVroomen started with very little and developed a successful bulb growing and exporting company. The business grew with the emphasis on quality, on-time delivery, true to name varieties and a willingness to invest in innovation. Read More

Intrinsic Perennial Gardens, Inc. Unveils Bouteloua Gracilis ‘Honeycomb’ PPAF

Intrinsic Perennial Gardens, Inc. has recently announced the launch of its new Blue grama grass Bouteloua gracilis ‘Honeycomb’ PPAF. This variety is an adaptable and showy form of native grass with a wide distribution. Its honey gold inflorescence has yellow pollen hanging down on the eyelash, and flowers begin in July and hold on into winter. The thin, upright wire-like stems hold thin grey green foliage...Read More

Planting Peace Growing Hope

iTrees.com and Spring Grove Nursery have partnered together to form Planting Peace – Growing Hope 2020.  During April, we asked members of our community to send in nominations for our community healthcare professionals. Our healthcare professionals have been on the frontlines of stressful uncertain situations daily, and have been working extra hard to keep us all safe and healthy. To show our appreciation...Read More

Home Nursery Promotes Metzger as New Sales Manager

With 100-year anniversary planning beginning to develop, family-owned and operated, Home Nursery, Inc., today announced Hilliary Metzger would be transitioning from sales representative to sales manager beginning July 1, 2020. Her educational background and industry experience continue to play an integral role in the nursery’s strategic plan.  As a senior management team member, Metzger will be...Read More 

Meet the Leader: Chris Robinson

My dream ever since I was little was to manage the nursery. When I was 8, I started pruning trees to earn a pair of rollerblades. Throughout high school, I worked in propagation on my family’s nursery … in 6 feet of snow, uphill both ways, of course! After high school graduation, I spent two years working every job in the nursery. Following a two-year internship, my parents approached me to let me know...Read More

Take a 'Key West' Staycation This July at Retail Garden Center in Crest Hill

The Fields on Caton Farm in Crest Hill really just want customers to have fun. That's why, for the month of the July, The Fields retail garden center is transforming its site into a Key West beach. During "Key West at the Fields," customers can browse in the relaxing atmosphere and participate in the weekly raffles and giveaways, according to Daniel Ward, garden center manager. Read More

Lytx Launches Solutions for Fleet Tracking

Lytx, a provider of machine vision and artificial intelligence-powered video telematics, analytics, productivity and safety solutions, released two new map-based search features that allow users to quickly locate video clips. Video Browse in Fleet Tracking and Map Search in Lytx Video Platform each enable fleets to self-service and immediately retrieve video footage. “These video-search features are significant advancements...Read More

J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co. Welcomes Ben Rough as CEO

J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co. has named Ben E. Rough to serve as chief executive officer of the shade, flowering and specialty ornamental tree nursery headquartered in Boring, Oregon. Rough’s appointment to the leadership role of the family-owned nursery, founded in 1946 by Evelyn and J. Frank Schmidt, Jr., marks a new chapter for the nursery as its leadership transitions from second to third-generation...Read More

Belgard Launches Free Online Training Platform

Belgard, a manufacturer of outdoor living products, has debuted Belgard Training Center, an online resource for landscape and hardscape trade professionals, including contractors, dealers, architects, designers and more. The resource center, found here, will house live and recorded Belgard University events, product installation guides, certification courses, third-party expert panels...Read More

Arborgold Joins Forces With LandscapeHub

LandscapeHub, an online marketplace for the green industry, will integrate with Arborgold Software, a national provider of business management software for the green and field service industries. The integration will give Arborgold customers a seamless way to send bids and estimates directly to LandscapeHub for accurate pricing and inventory availability. “Integrating with Arborgold aligns with our mission...Read More

What's a Business Worth?

“This is the most frequently asked and hardest to answer question,” says Gene Redlin, operator of Byron Nursery and a certified appraiser at Redlin & Associates that provides Horticultural Expert Valuation Services. “We have to tell people the hard truths. There’s no guaranteed formula that works for every situation or every time period.” Here are some valuation methods...Read More

Sights and Soundbites from SiteOne University Cleveland

SiteOne Landscape Supply’s SiteOne University program is growing — the 2020 slate is the biggest so far, with 34 events in the east and 14 events in the west.  At SiteOne University Cleveland, held on Feb. 12, in Westlake, Ohio, 200 Ohio landscape professionals attended the daylong event and joined a variety of presentations from Hunter Industries, Corteva Agriscience, Kichler Lighting, Belgard...Read More

Fresh Approach

For several years, Bailey Nurseries successfully used the First Editions brand as a vehicle to introduce new plants to the marketplace. It was a utilitarian brand of sorts. The plants were thoroughly tested before their introduction, and the marketing behind the brand was something growers and garden retailers understood. But there was somewhat of a disconnect with the consumer. The brand is made up of trees and shrubs...Read More

The Top 100: Countryside Flower Shop, Nursery and Garden Center

Countryside Flower Shop Nursery and Garden Center will celebrate its 60th year in business in 2020 and Marcy Cronin has been there for 27 of those years. The Crystal Lake, Illinois, IGC typically has about 100 employees during the busiest time of year and reported sales of $6.25 million for 2018, placing them at No. 51 on our list. We asked Marketing Director Marcy Cronin about the secrets to this IGC’s success. Read More

A Man With Star-Studded Ideas

Why does someone who’s rubbed elbows with Ariana Grande, mingled with Nicki Minaj and texted with Mariah Carey want to work in our boring, old industry? Because to Ryan McEnaney, our industry is anything but boring. At least, he’s made it that way while he’s been on the marketing team at Bailey. In case you hadn’t heard, Bailey’s promotion of their products—most notably for their Endless Summer...Read More

NALP establishes Women in Landscape Network

The National Association of Landscape Professionals announced the creation of its Women in Landscape Network to establish a community within the landscape and lawn care industry for female professionals and those committed to issues impacting women in the field. With the creation of the Women in Landscape Network, NALP will connect, empower, and advocate for women in the landscape industry; recruit...Read More

Purposeful and Persistent

Strategy has been the cornerstone of Spring Grove Nursery since Becky and Jamie Thomas planted their first tree 20 years ago. The husband-and-wife team founded the nursery in Mazon, Illinois, after carefully contemplating the size and scope of their newly fledged business. They didn’t enter the nursery industry on a whim. Read More

Home Nursery, Inc. Announces New Growing Facility

Nearing its 100-year anniversary, family-owned and operated Home Nursery, Inc. announced it is expanding its 385-acre nursery in Albers, Ill., with the purchase of a new turnkey growing facility in Tennessee. Home Nursery, Inc. currently markets to thirteen Midwestern states, providing top-quality plants to independent garden centers, landscape contractors and distribution centers in the horticulture trade. Read More

Beyond the Big Picture

John Terhesh doesn’t have a “comfort zone.” He doesn’t really need one. In fact, he would prefer not to dwell in one area, be it professional or personal. John’s willingness—actually his purpose—is to constantly try new things and devise solutions to problems, which is what’s helped him get to where he is in his career. It’s a career path with a few twists and turns, but that’s because when John...Read More

Bailey Nurseries 2019 Summer Expo Highlights New Varieties and Technology

In late July, Bailey Nurseries – currently No. 45 on the 2019 Greenhouse Grower Top 100 rankings – hosted its annual Summer Expo at the operation’s Nord Farm in Woodbury, MN. The group uses the annual event to preview its new variety offerings for the upcoming season as well as to educate its customer base on what Bailey has been working on for the previous 12 months. Read More