2010 CONFERENCE SPEAKERS

HortEast has scheduled a variety of speakers for the 2010 show - garden centres, landscapers and designers, arborists, nursery and greenhouse operators, students, and more will find great value from this years program.

Opportunities will be available to earn credits for certification renewal (CLT, CLD, and CLP), as well as continuing education units (CEU) with the International Society of Arborists and Plant Health Atlantic.

Keynote Speaker: Tim Brennan ( HiringSmart Canada Inc.)

Keynote Seminar: "It is Up To You - Revisiting The Hiring Process" Tuesday November 23rd, 9:00am - 10:00am (Speaker Room A) Why do organizations struggle with the hiring process so much? How can a company get it so right once and so wrong the next time? If you've ever hired someone who didn't meet expectations, hired someone and invested in their training only to see them leave, or you just can't find enough good people, "It's Up To You" can help you evaluate your hiring process and develop new ideas to avoid these costly mistakes. The seminar will outline Three Bold Statements; We've been measuring the wrong things We have to learn to fish where the fish are Resumes are Dead! Tim introduces the three statements and through stories and conversation with the audience he connects the ideas to the real workspace. The result is closing the gap between theory and the reality of the limitations that come with outdated traditional hiring practices. Tim Brennan's seminars are sponsored by Nova Tree.

Seminar: "Engaging your Seasonal Workers for Increased Productivity and Retention"
Wednesday November 24th, 2:00pm-3:00pm (Speaker Room A)

Tim Brennan from HiringSmart has been working with small and medium size businesses for 15 years. He will help you see things about your people and your business you may not have been aware of. Tim will introduce you to ways to make your communications heard and how to keep your seasonal workers engaged for the whole season.

Topics:

• Understand what separates Top Performing managers from the rest.
• Learn how to know more about your people and what they want from you.
• 5 Rules to follow for communicating to owners as well as employees.
• Engaging your seasonal workers for increased productivity and retention.

Biography - Tim Brennan

Tim Brennan is fascinated by processes, and has spent the better part of his career studying why people and organizations can seem to get the hiring process so right once, and then completely miss the next time.  After graduating from Queens University with a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Education, Tim spent 13 years with Hostess Frito-Lay working  in Sales, Management, IT, Key Accounts and Human Resources where he was Training Manager for Eastern Canada. During his time as Training Manager, Tim questioned traditional hiring practices that focused on experience and education while ignoring critical factors like job-fit, core values and beliefs. As a result Tim developed new insights into the differences between top performers and bottom performers, and new processes to find, hire and keep the best people.   

In 1998 Tim left Hostess Frito-Lay to start HiringSmart Canada, with the goal of helping North American businesses improve recruitment results by providing the tools and advice to develop their own more successful hiring and employee retention processes. Today, HiringSmart Canada Inc and HiringSmart International Inc. provides over 1200 organizations throughout North America with the resume-less “HiringSmart” system to improve efficiency, increase revenues and cut expenses. Tim is also a talented and engaging speaker, who finds himself in demand across Canada. He readily admits that he doesn’t have all the answers, but he does ask the right questions.  His unique case-based seminars use real life examples to entertain and educate participants in a practical and memorable way. Tim and his wife, who is a professional musician and freelance writer, live with their two children in Halifax, Nova Scotia, where he says, with a smile,  “Because of the time zones, we’re slightly ahead of the rest of Canada.”

Liz Klose, B.Sc. (Agr.), CLP Landscape Canada Committee / CNLA, Milton ON Liz Klose, BSc (Agr), CLP, is the Landscape Priorities Manager with the Landscape Canada Committee of the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association.  Networking with provincial and related associations, her role involves working with various committees and stakeholders, addressing priorities to further enhance the landscape sector. Liz is the former Superintendent of the Niagara Parks Commission School of Horticulture, where she began as an Instructor/Curator in 1991. Her teaching experience included:  plant identification, soils, plant health care, plant propagation, fruit and vegetable culture; and practical skills as Instructor/Curator of the Herb, Vegetable, Perennial, Ornamental Grass and Rose Gardens. Liz was appointed Superintendent in 2002 and held the position until she joined the CNLA in 2008.    A Certified Landscape Professional (CLP), Liz also co-authored two gardening books: Roses for Ontario, and The Best Garden Plants for Ontario, and is a frequent contributor to print media.

Recognized for her years of dedication to the green industry and horticultural education, Liz received the 2006 Ontario College Horticulture Educator of the Year Award by Landscape Ontario, is an Ontario Parks Association Foundation Honour Roll Award recipient and a member of the Perennial Plant Association.

Seminar: Tuesday November 23rd, 11:00am - 12:00pm (Speaker Room A): "Proven Performance Plant Partners" - an inspiring overview of tried and true perennial plants and partner combinations with a creative flair. Expand your landscape design palette and cultural maintenance tips on bulbs, perennials, shrub roses and ornamental grasses. (Any plants on the required study list for the CLT Plant Identification exam will be identified).  The finale to this presentation incorporates “plants of virtue” discovered during the 28th Perennial Plant Symposium nursery, garden centre and landscape design tours in Portland, Oregon, July 2010.

Seminar: Tuesday November 23rd, 4:00pm - 5:00pm (Speaker Room A): "Going to Pot" - a colourful trip through the seasons, showcasing inspirational spring, summer, fall and winter containers.  Looking at design concepts beyond the plants in the pot, this presentation is guaranteed to spark your imagination.  Using the new ideas from the featured themes will have you “urning” rave reviews from your clients.

Part of the Landscape Maintenance Workshop: Monday November 23rd, 1:00pm - 7:00pm (Westin Nova Scotian Hotel - Commonwealth B): "Improved Grounds Maintenance" - The magic behind every outstanding landscape is found in attention to detail. Knowledge is the key to quality work, and this seminar will unlock some of the theory and techniques needed to attain an eye-catching landscape. Learn how those who deliver superior results are not simply doing more of the same things everyone else does; they are doing better things. Explore the details and advanced techniques needed to deliver excellent landscape maintenance in today’s changing world. Click here to download registration form with more details on this workshop.

Seminar: Tuesday November 23rd, 11:00am - 12:00pm (Speaker Room B): "Phenology" - Learn about the history and ‘science’ of phenology. Understand why phenology works and how to effectively use it to improve your IPM and PHC program. Review of plant indicators for regional specific pests and diseases.

Seminar: Tuesday November 23rd, 4:00pm - 5:00pm (Speaker Room B): "Arboriculture Tree Myths and Their Contribution to the Landscape" - There are many tree ‘myths’ that abound in the industry. Which ones are busted or confirmed? Attendees will learn:
• Which myths are negatively affecting your landscape.
• What trees really need to survive in the landscape.
• How to properly maintain trees.
• How to properly plant trees.

One CEC will be offered through Plant Health Atlantic for each of Jeff McMann's seminars on Tuesday, and two for attending Monday's workshop.

One CEC will be offered through the ISA for each of Jeff McMann's seminars on Tuesday.

Part of the Landscape Maintenance Workshop: Monday November 23rd, 1:00pm - 7:00pm (Westin Nova Scotian Hotel - Commonwealth B): "Pesticide free turfgrass management" - With current municipal and provincial bans on pesticides changes must be made to cope with the loss of these agronomic tools.  This seminar will focus on how to move forward with different pesticide bylaws starting with identifying challenges of both turfgrass establishment and ongoing maintenance.  The seminar will focus on the practical side of turfgrass management and stress the interconnectedness of good agronomics and communication to aid in a successful transition to pesticide free management of urban landscapes. Click here to download registration form with more details on this workshop.

Seminar: Tuesday November 23rd, 2:00pm - 3:00pm (Speaker Room B): "Making Decisions on New Products" - The seminar will cover the ins and outs of evaluating new products from a turfgrass manager’s perspective.  Topics covered will include interpreting both independent and marketing research, understanding the theories and mode of actions of new products, and how to evaluate products on site to see if they will have value for your management operation.  New products will be used as examples in the seminar although the primary goal is to give the participants the tools to move forward with evaluating new technologies that are flooding our market with the current climate regarding pesticides and fertilizer regulation.

One CEC through Plant Health Atlantic will be offered for Eric Lyon's seminar on Tuesday, and three for attending Monday's workshop.

Landscape Construction Workshop: Monday November 23rd, 1:00pm - 7:00pm (Westin Nova Scotian Hotel - Atlantic Ballroom): This 6 hour workshop will cover the Construction of Permeable Pavements, How to Sell and Market Concrete Pavers, Estimating Labor and Materials for Segmental Concrete Pavements, Maintenance of Management of Interlocking Concrete Pavements, and will provide ample opportunity for question and answers.Click here to download registration form with more details on this workshop.

Seminar: Tuesday November 23rd, 2:00pm - 3:00pm (Speaker Room A): "The Pattern Language of Concrete Pavers" - Learn the “design vocabulary” of the basic paving patterns and progress to more intricate variations. 

Sue Sirrs, CSLA, ASLA, LEED, AP Outside! Planning & Design Studio, Halifax NS Sue Sirrs is a principal with the Landscape Architecture firm Outside! Planning and Design Studio. She has an undergraduate degree in Environment and Resource Studies from the University of Waterloo and a Masters Degree in Landscape Architecture from the University of Guelph. Sue is a member of the Canadian and American Society of Landscape Architects and the Canada Green Building Council. She obtained her LEED Accredited Professional designation in 2004 and has worked on many LEED projects in conjunction with Solterre Design. Sue is actively engaged in research on living walls and green roofs for clients in Atlantic Canada and has a keen interest in blending sustainable landscape practices and green building design. Seminar: Wednesday November 24th, 9:00am - 10:00am (Speaker Room A): "LEED and Sustainable Sites Initiative" -  Sue Sirrs will provide an overview of LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) in Atlantic Canada and a brief introduction to the Sustainable Sites Initiative. .

Seminar: Wednesday November 24th, 11:00am - 12:00pm (Speaker Room A): "Living Walls & Green Roofs" - Living walls and green roofs have captured the imaginations of people around the world and images of installations are showing up regularly in industry magazines and popular culture. How do we do these projects in cold climates? Sue will share her experiences in Atlantic Canada working on exterior living walls and green roofs. Tim Amos will join her for an in-depth look at the NSCC exterior living wall project and the research that went into the development of the wall.

One CEC will be offered through the ISA for Sue's seminar on "Living Walls & Green Roofs" on Wednesday.

Seminar: Wednesday November 24th, 9:00am - 10:00am (Speaker Room B): "New Varieties from PanAmerican Seed Co and Ball Seed" - 2011 is a very exciting year for introduction. Jerry will be talking about new and innovative products that can spark excitement at both the wholesale and retail level. This will include new colors in petunias never seen before, eatables that will entice your appetite, and economical seed forms that can help with the bottom line.

Seminar: Wednesday November 24th, 11:00am - 12:00pm (Speaker Room B): "Controlling the Growth of Your Greenhouse Crops" -  How often do we look at our greenhouse crop and feel we lost control? Jerry will be talking about the growing environment, cultural practices and other ways that you can be in control of your greenhouse crops throughout it’s cycle. There is more you can apply then just chemicals.

Continuing Education Credits and Recertification Credits

	Landscape Industry Certified recertification: Each hour of seminars you attend will get you one CEU credit. Visit www.landscapeindustrycertified.org for more information.
	ISA Continuing Education Units (CEU): Jeff McMann's seminars "Phenology" and "Arboriculture Tree Myths" will each quality for one CEU and Sue Sirrs' seminar "Living Walls & Green Roofs" will qualify for one CEU. Visit www.isaatlantic.org for more information.
	PHA Continuing Education Credits (CEC): One CEC will be offered for Eric Lyon's seminar on Tuesday, and three for attending Monday's workshop. One CEC will be offered for each of Jeff McMann's seminars on Tuesday, and two for attending Monday's workshop. Visit www.planthealthatlantic.com for more information.