From The Publisher September 1997 Lookin' Great in '98 * Welcome to select members of the American Landscape Contractors Association, of which a Landscape Architect, Judson E. Griggs, is the current president. This new readership group brings with them more than $200,000,000 (that's 200 million) in purchasing power as well as a plethora of fantastic projects which we will try to feature in the months ahead. *LASN also welcomes the new registered landscape architects in the states of TX, CO, WY, ID, and AZ who will be joining LASN's readership for the first time. LASN surveys every state about every 18 months and adds the newly registered Landscape Architects to our readership. In addition, but of equal importance, we are happy to welcome select members of the IALD (International Association of Lighting Designers.) These professionals join more than 2,000 readership members of the IES (Illumination Engineers Society) who have subscribed to LASN over the past two years. These Exterior Lighting contractors again add hundreds of millions of dollars of purchasing power to LASN's commercial readership. LASN's monthly circulation now exceeds 24,000 commercial professionals and will hit 27,000 by early 1998. As I indicated last issue, LASN's readership is purely professional. We let the ASLA hit the consumer newsstands and reach out to the public. (While the ASLA Trustee's probably know this, the advertisers are usually led to believe that ASLA's magazine is only for the profession and reaches all the RLA's. This is not true, but that's the story if you want to buy an ad. Of course, if you want to join the association their magazine reaches the public . . . Only in DC . . .) * Not the Green Industry . . . . This past month, I had the pleasure of attending a CLASS Fund meeting featuring Mr. Burt Sperber of Environmental Industries who spoke about the history and future of the industry. Mr. Sperber, a Registered Landscape Architect in California, heads the $300 Million privately held corporation which includes Valley Crest Landscape, Inc. and Western Landscape Construction; Valley Crest Tree Company; Enviromental Care, Inc.; Environmental Golf, Inc.; and a few other subsidiaries across the nation. While many things were discussed (some of which will appear in an upcoming news item), two things stood out in mind. "First of all, I am not in the Green Industry, I am in the Beautification Industry," said Sperber, who pointed out that besides a few tree and turf varieties a good percentage of the elements used in a landscape are not green (i.e. paving materials, irrigation systems, site furnishings et.al.) but all add to the beauty of the site. Another point, which could put a few dollars into your pockets, was that if he were to focus his attentions on a landscape architectural practice he would look to the maintenance companies and try to incorporate an ongoing contract, bringing the LA to the site over and over again with annual contracts and working with the installation and maintenance contractors, using your expertise to direct retro elements into the project. Who better than you to keep the project in sync throughout the years . . . * See you at the Shows . . . . Look for LASN at the Southern California Turfgrass Expo, in Costa Mesa, California, October 1 - 2; the NRPA (National Recreation and Parks Association) show in Salt Lake City, UT, October 29 - November 2; the IA (Irrigation Association) show in Nashville, TN, November 2 - 5; and the ASLA (American Society of Landscape Architects) show in Atlanta, GA, November 8-10. If it seems that the latter three shows are right on top of each other . . .You're right! It happens every year and every year the exhibitors and attendees try to get the associations to at least communicate with each other about their closed industry events, but alas . . . . Maybe next year. In any event if you happen to be at any or all of the shows stop by our booth and say hello. We're the ones under the big sign saying... LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT See you there . . . . George Schmok