PLANET, the national trade association that represents more than 100,000 landscape industry professionals, has announced new education courses for the 2014 Green Industry Conference.
Photo: Professional Landcare Network

The Professional Landcare Network has announced new education and events for the 2014 Green Industry Conference, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary at GIE+EXPO this October 22–24 in Louisville, Ky.

This year's theme, "Together, Let's Set New Milestones," highlights PLANET's focus on continuing to retool and revamp the popular conference to keep it fresh and current. New this year, GIC will feature:

Collaborative Learning: Sessions marked for "collaborative learning" will feature facilitated peer learning. The education will be customized to small groups, will draw on individual experiences, and will address real-world issues and challenges that landscape industry professionals face.

Case Studies: A number of the conference's most popular speakers will focus their sessions around case studies so participants get a deep dive into the strategic approach and final outcomes of real-life business challenges.

Education for Office Staff: Office and administrative staff can take advantage of new classes to help them better, organize, manage, and run systems in landscape industry companies.

Back by popular demand, on Thursday and Friday at the EXPO Center, GIC will host The Learning Lounge featuring the Genius Bar"?uwhere attendees can talk one on one with a variety of experts; 20-minute TED Talk-style presentations by industry experts; and the PLANET Marketplace, where industry publications and resources will be sold. The Learning Lounge is a great place to network and experience short bursts of education. It is open to all GIC and GIE+EXPO attendees.

"This will be the one GIC you really don't want to miss," said Sabeena Hickman, CAE, CMP, PLANET CEO. "We are introducing so many new things to enhance and improve landscape industry businesses, and we are taking time to celebrate our members, our industry, and the 25th anniversary of the Green Industry Conference. It is a really exciting time."

GIC sessions are approved for PLANET Landscape Industry Certified recertification at 1 CEU per hour of instruction attended. PGMS and HNA educational sessions also qualify toward recertification.

For more information about PLANET, please visit landcarenetwork.org.

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