LETTER FROM THE CEO
On the Road Again…So Incredibly Glad to Be on the Road Again
I HAVE HAD THE GOOD FORTUNE TO GET VACCINATED and have the ability to travel to visit our members. As an “association person” it is so important for me to be able to visit members so I can see firsthand what they do and how they do it. Now, I was fortunate enough during the pandemic to be able to visit a few members locally (Kingstowne, Rossen, Weed Man and Blades of Green) for our “On Tour” virtual visit showcase. But, with pandemic protocols in place and trying to film their operations, it was not the best time to ask “silly” questions about how things run in their businesses. That takes me to my quick trip to Orlando in late May and my first member visit since February of 2020.
I was very grateful to the folks at Massey to host Andrew Bray and me so we could share the new things going on at NALP, as well as learn more about their business….and we did learn quite a bit. While I won’t go into great detail, I will say that Massey is a superbly run organi- zation and is willing to share what they know with others. However, our biggest takeaways from the visit were the opportunities that NALP has if we listen to and learn from our members. We walked away aware of new opportunities for NALP to deliver education that can be valued by a large portion of our members, as well as increased opportuni- ties for NALP to serve as a greater resource
in government and regulatory affairs in the states. Now, being diligent with my time, I was also able to drive over to the other side of town to the Gaylord Palms to join my events team as they were laying down plans for our new Annual Meeting in 2022. Being at the hotel got me really excited for all of the new things we will be introducing at the event in about 16 months. I am confident that you will find that the Gaylord is a fantastic hotel for networking. Add to that some topflight edu- cation, and even a few surprises that are too early to talk about, you should be prepared for an incredible experience in Sep- tember of 2022. Where are we headed next? In June, Andrew Bray and I will be visiting members in Califor- nia and Oregon. During that trip we plan to spend some time with our colleagues at the Cal-
ifornia Landscape Contractors Association (CLCA) and partner with them on lobbying the state legislature on some potential legislation that may limit the sale and use of gas-powered equipment in the state of California. We also plan to meet with the Washington Associa- tion of Landscape Professionals (WALP) to talk about new ways where the two organizations can work closer together. Later this summer, I plan to be in the Northeast (Connecti- cut & Massachusetts) seeing members, and then I hope to get out West (Arizona & Texas) one more time before the fall. I also am looking forward to greeting members and spending some time learning about one of the best in our business at NALP’s Field Trip to Ruppert Landscape (hosted by Frank Mariani & Marty Grunder) on Sept. 1-2 in Gaithersburg, Maryland. So, here’s to being on the road again. I hope to see you soon at your location or at Rup- pert in September. And don’t forget to mark your calendar for Sept. 18-21, 2022, for our new Annual Meeting in Orlando. Stay safe and stay healthy.
Britt Wood, CEO
6 The Landscape Professional //July/August 2021
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