Welcome To (The) PLANET

PLANET stands for Professional Landcare Network, the organization born when the Associated Landscape Contractors of America and the Professional Lawn Care Association of America merged on Jan. 1.

Professional Landcare Network, or PLANET, is the name of the organization born when the Associated Landscape Contractors of America and the Professional Lawn Care Association of America merged on the first of the year.

Members of both groups approved the merger in an August vote.

Since then, however, both groups have continued with their own offices, websites and personnel.

With the new name's debut on Jan. 6, however, the groups' merger has taken effect. There is a new website at https://www.landcarenetwork.com.

George Rogers, president of Eyeninety Communications in Hamilton, Massachusetts, was selected to develop the new organizational name and logo. Eyeninety surveyed a broad array of stakeholders across the country to establish the name.

Dan Foley, the owner of a Walpole, Mass. Landscape contractor firm, is PLANET's first president.

Seventy-six possible organizational names were initially considered. Each name was tested on its merit of meeting key objectives and then ranked according to the number of the attributes that it met.

The Professional Landcare Network will continue to be headquartered in Herndon, Virginia, and will also have a satellite office in Atlanta, Georgia. New employees have been hired at both locations to further serve the membership. New member programs will be announced soon.

The Professional Landcare Network is comprised of approximately 4,000 professional member companies specializing in lawn care, interior and exterior landscape maintenance, installation, and design/build and suppliers nationwide. These firms and their employees represent more than 100,000 green industry professionals. For more information, contact Lynn Meloche at (800) 395-2522, or visit the website at landcarenetwork.org.

Dan Foley, CLP, is the founder and owner of a Walpole, Mass. landscape contracting firm. He is the PLANET president for 2005.