Te first was the introduction of the new logo Charles originated, uniting ASPA with the easily-recognizable roll of sod. He encouraged members to incorporate it into their advertising and use it on their letterheads and other promotional materials. Te second was the new ASPA brochure, “Te Dream Lawn is Yours in Hours with Sod.” Charles, as chairman of the committee, collaborated with Pine Island’s advertising company to develop a piece that emphasized the benefits of sodding to the end user and identified the sod producer as the expert to provide those benefits. It was as useful in reaching landscape architects and contractors as homeowners; the basis for presentation and promotion to “anyone with an interest in lawn development.” Initially, 100,000 copies were printed, with later printings to follow.
Charles attended both the Mid-Winter Conferences and the Summer Conventions and Field Days, making the summer trip a family excursion whenever possible. In 1978, the year of his presidency, the summer meeting was in Spokane. He says, “I had worked in the Pacific Northwest, knew the area, and wanted to show it to my family. We rented a motor home and headed to Washington State on a three-week trip with stops at attractions such as Mt. Rushmore and Salt Lake City along the way. Our oldest daughter was 18; Chip was 15,
and our youngest about 9. I think that’s when Chip got hooked on wanting to get into the industry.”
Chip adds, “It was a wonderful family adventure, a highlight among memories of great trips. It also gave me insight on the strength of ASPA and the power of sharing information; half of the learning took place in the hallways and social events during members’ in-depth business conversations.”
Growing the Business As the children got older, Ruth became even more active in the business, serving as office manager and corporate secretary. Chip’s role on the farm increased, too, as he continued to take on more responsibilities. He attended Cook College at Rutgers, but opted to return to the farm full-time and immerse himself in learning through multiple other resources. “My colleagues, the educational sessions and networking opportunities at TPI and other industry associations, and the information from our suppliers all contributed to my on-the-job training,” he says. He and Shari married in 1986. Chip says, “She had been working for her father who was running a Warren Turf Nursery operation, which was our biggest competitor. After the wedding, she came to work for us and, when Warren’s closed that branch location, we ended up
This aerial view gives a snapshot of Pine Island Turf Nursery before the addition of the Malt
House.Photo courtesey of the Lain family. TPI Turf News November/December 2016 91
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108