2003: A Good Year for the California Landscape Contractors?EUR??,,????'??? Association

From legislative victories and practical ?EUR??,,????'??How To Make Money?EUR??,,????'?? seminars to outreach efforts to unlicensed contractors and successful events for members, 2003 was a good year for the California Landscape Contractors?EUR??,,????'??? Association.

The association opened the year on January 8 with what Northern San Joaquin Valley Chapter President Bob Quenzel described as ?EUR??,,????'??another wonderful and successful leadership conference.?EUR??,,????'?? The theme was ?EUR??,,????'??Life Management: Setting Priorities For Success!?EUR??,,????'?? The conference was networking at its best. Next up was the association?EUR??,,????'???s annual Legislative Conference and Demo Days.

CLCA?EUR??,,????'???s annual Summer Family Extravaganza was equally successful. The highlight of the four-day series of meetings and festivities was the formal unveiling of CLCA?EUR??,,????'???s new headquarters. (Kudos to Heath Bedal of Pinnacle Sales, Inc., for heading the efforts to renovate the building?EUR??,,????'???s landscaping.) In addition to the all-important north vs. south softball game, attendees networked, attended a Breakfast of Champions, and planned the association?EUR??,,????'???s future. Educational offerings focused on water issues and why the landscape industry can?EUR??,,????'???t wait for the next drought to become water efficient and stronger as an organization.

The association held its annual convention in San Antonio, Texas in early November. The highlight of the show was the annual Trophy Awards.

The association also sponsored events benefiting the green industry. The 2003 Landscape Industry Show, the largest green industry trade show on the West Coast, featured more than 350 exhibitors and almost 70,000 square feet of exhibit space. During its two-day run, the show attracted 7,000 attendees, who learned the latest on water management, examined the best in maintenance standards, and discovered new plants and trees. In addition to networking with factory experts and peers on the show floor, attendees also sharpened their competitive edge with several educational opportunities.

Seeking to enhance the professionalism of California?EUR??,,????'???s green industry, CLCA twice sponsored the Certified Landscape Technician exam.

The hot legislative issue in 2003 was workers?EUR??,,????'??? compensation reform, as skyrocketing rates threatened the economic future of thousands of California businesses. The association worked with the California Chamber of Commerce and other coalitions to educate lawmakers about workers?EUR??,,????'??? compensation issues. The success of recently enacted workers?EUR??,,????'??? comp. reform remains to be seen.

CLCA?EUR??,,????'???s other legislative efforts were more clearly successful. This summer, Gov. Gray Davis signed into law Assembly Bill 341, which allows a licensed landscape contractor to execute a prime contract for a landscape project that includes a swimming pool, spa or hot tub. The measure was sponsored by CLCA and authored by Assembly member

Greg Aghazarian (R-Stockton). ?EUR??,,????'??This is a big and much needed victory for our members,?EUR??,,????'?? said Jon Singley, the chair of CLCA?EUR??,,????'???s Swimming Pool Task Force. ?EUR??,,????'??Congratulations to everyone who worked on the legislation.?EUR??,,????'??

Gov. Davis also signed a CLCA-sponsored bill that prevents project owners from using a legal loophole to unjustly enrich themselves at the expense of contractors. The measure, Assembly Bill 1386, was co-authored by Assembly members Shirley Horton (R-Chula Vista) and Lou Correa (D-Santa Ana).

CLCA?EUR??,,????'???s third bill, AB 607 by George Plescia (R-San Diego), would encourage local communities and water districts to meet landscape water conservation goals by adopting rate structures to reward efficient irrigation practices and discourage inefficient practices.

This measure did not pass muster with the Assembly Appropriations Committee and is now a two-year bill. During 2003, CLCA created the ?EUR??,,????'??Profit Through Learning: Your Training Toolbox?EUR??,,????'?? training program. This multimedia training program proved to be a benefit to companies of all sizes.

The association also created a training seminar for its ?EUR??,,????'??How To Make Money?EUR??,,????'?? program, a step-by-step system to help business owners accurately estimate for profit, keep more of the money they?EUR??,,????'???ve earned, and make the money they need for the lifestyle they want. Thanks go to lead seminar presenter Mark Swink of Swink?EUR??,,????'???s Creations.

CLCA took a new approach to the unlicensed operator problem. It is encouraging unlicensed individuals to obtain their contractor licenses and helping them get started. One might call this the ?EUR??,,????'??carrot approach,?EUR??,,????'?? in contrast to the ?EUR??,,????'??stick approach?EUR??,,????'?? the association has long used with mixed success. The carrot approach began in 2002 when the association launched Operation Helping Hand. Through this program, which was largely the inspiration of 2001 CLCA President Jeffrey Sheehan, CLCA headquarters provides participating associate members with countertop displays and brochures intended for unlicensed individuals purchasing landscape supplies. The brochure is Unlicensed and Tired of It, which makes a strong case that licensure is critical to making ?EUR??,,????'??the big money?EUR??,,????'?? in landscaping. It demystifies license application and provides a packet of free informational materials from CLCA.

The association continued to refine its on-going programs, including the consumer-friendly contractor search engine on its website, www.clca.org.

Association leaders have recently signed an agreement with the Design Imaging Group, Inc., to produce California-specific landscape design software. The new CLCA version of the software is part of a larger members?EUR??,,????'??? benefit project that will include a complete training program in the use and implementation of digital image manipulation software as a sales and client communication tool. CLCA feels that this technology will dramatically change the landscape industry in California by increasing customer awareness through high quality, photo-realistic images of projects before and after any proposed landscape changes. CLCA also expects the availability of the software and training to dramatically increase their membership by offering CLCA contractors a significant competitive advantage over nonmembers who do not use digital imaging as part of their sales presentations.

2003 was a very good year for the CLCA members.