News

RISE honors Armbruster with leadership award

SARASOTA, Fla. – During its 21st annual meeting RISE honored one of its long-time volunteers for his exemplary leadership to the specialty pesticide and fertilizer industry.

Jim Armbruster, PBI/Gordon Corp., was honored as the third recipient of the E. Allen James Leadership Award that annually recognizes the outstanding contributions of a RISE volunteer leader.

The award is named after RISE's former president of 20 years, Allen James, who retired in 2010. RISE's annual meeting keynote speaker Michael Durant, a master pilot and inspiration for the movie "Blackhawk Down," presented the award to Armbruster during the opening session attended by approximately 100 RISE members.

Armbruster has volunteered on RISE committees since 1998, most recently serving as chairman of the RISE Science & Technology Committee. He's invested time and expertise on numerous issue management teams, most recently those working in the Northeast.

"RISE volunteer leaders are the backbone of our association and play a vital role in the work we do," said RISE President Aaron Hobbs. "Jim Armbruster is a thoughtful, knowledgeable expert who's made many outstanding contributions to science and advocacy that are at the heart of the RISE mission. He is much deserving of this year's award."

As PBI/Gordon's vice president of research and development and regulatory and technical services, Armbruster will retire this year after working with the company since 1988. Besides his volunteer efforts with RISE, Armbruster's expertise in the areas of pesticide chemistry, weed science and patent law was also invaluable to The Industry Task Force II on 2,4-D Research Data, Chemical Producers and Distributors Association and the American Society of Agronomy, among others.
 

Jacobsen names new president

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – David Withers has been named president of Jacobsen, after serving as managing director of the Ransomes division since 2005.

In his most recent position, located in the United Kingdom, Withers oversaw international operations for all Jacobsen brands as well as the E-Z-GO brand in Europe.

"I'm very excited about this opportunity. Having worked in the golf and turf maintenance industry for over 25 years, 19 of those with the Jacobsen team, this appointment is what I have always aspired to," said Withers. "I look forward to working with the team, growing our market share around the world and continuing Jacobsen's leadership in turf maintenance products."

Withers joined parent company Textron in 1992 as a regional sales manager for Jacobsen in the United Kingdom. In 2002, he was promoted to sales and marketing director before his appointment in 2005 as managing director of Ransomes Jacobsen.

"With his broad international experience – which spans over 45 countries – and his strong track record in business development and operational excellence, I am confident that he is the right person to maximize the growth opportunities that lie ahead for Jacobsen," said Scott Donnelly, Textron CEO.

Withers will succeed Dan Wilkinson, who is retiring from the company after 14 years of service to Textron.
 

Spring-Green raises funds for cancer center at national conference

PLAINFIELD, Ill. – Spring-Green Lawn Care welcomed more than 225 franchise owners, managers, employees and spouses to its National Training Conference at Hilton Chicago/Indian Lakes Resort. Themed "Building for Profit," the focus of this year's event leveraged the collective knowledge of the organization and its strategic vendors as they worked to continue growing local businesses and market leadership in these challenging economic times.

"Spring-Green franchise owners had an excellent year in an economy that has not stabilized," said Ted Hofer, Spring-Green Lawn Care's CEO.

Spring-Green's revenue was $34.2 million in 2010, an increase of 5 percent over 2009, according to Lawn & Landscape's Top 100. The company, which has 75 franchisees, expected a 6 percent increase in revenue for 2011.

The speakers at the conference included Thom Winninger, who spoke about market leadership, and Susan Black-Beth who spoke on the realities of running a family business. "Along with knowledge gained from other owners, our franchise owners went home armed with dozens of practical solutions to grow their business," Hofer said. "To be successful in these times, you must execute."

Spring-Green also raised $20,000 through a silent auction in the name of 4-year-old Jack Geibel for the Aflac Cancer Center of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta.

Jack was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in November 2010 and is being treated at the Aflac Cancer Center. Lenny Geibel, Jack's father, has owned Spring-Green Lawn Care in Lawrenceville, Ga., for four years. In addition to Jack, Geibel and his wife, Paula, have two boys: Lenny, 10, and Max, 2.

Geibel chose the Aflac Children's Cancer Center as the recipient of Spring-Green's donation. "Our family feels very blessed that Spring-Green offered to so generously support a cause that has directly touched our family," Geibel said. "We are thrilled that $20,000 will go to help the cancer center where Jack is being treated."
 

Syngenta invests $8 million in R&D Center

GILROY, Calif. – Syngenta Flowers, a breeder and producer of hybrid flower seed and vegetative cuttings for pot and bedding plants, is investing $8.25 million in its Gilroy, Calif., research and development campus to build an R&D Center of Excellence for ornamental horticulture. The center will provide Syngenta with new capabilities in plant protection, media and genetics to develop new solutions for customers in the ornamental horticulture industry.

"Our new Center of Excellence in Gilroy will better enable Syngenta to develop and deliver plants and solutions that provide superior performance in the professional greenhouse, at retail, in professionally landscaped environments and in the home garden," said Tim Kroenke, head, Syngenta Lawn & Garden, North America. "To continue to earn our customers' business in today's marketplace, Syngenta is committed to delivering unsurpassed plant solutions throughout North America and the world. This new center will provide us with the facilities needed to carry out this ambitious mission."

The majority of investment dollars will be used to replace existing greenhouse structures with three state-of-the-art greenhouse facilities. Additionally, hoop houses and a pot-filling operation will be constructed.

The greenhouses, which are expected to be completed by the fall of 2012, will house breeding programs for pansy, viola, geranium, chrysanthemums and other flower crops. A third R&D greenhouse structure will provide environmental testing capabilities furthering the study of individual plant performance.

"The new greenhouses will also provide us with the research capabilities and technology we need to extend plant shelf-life at retail, reduce plant losses during transportation and better understand methods for managing water stress," said Keelan Pulliam, president of Syngenta Flowers in North America. "Our R&D teams will also continue to focus on the creation of new innovative varieties that could be attractive to growers and consumers."
 

ValleyCrest helps Jelly Belly reduce water use

PETALUMA, Calif. – HydroPoint Data Systems and ValleyCrest Landscape Maintenance announced a partnership with Jelly Belly Candy Co. to implement water management solutions across the 35-acre campus, which includes corporate headquarters, manufacturing, warehousing and a public tour center in Fairfield, Calif. Using the new water saving technologies, Jelly Belly Candy Co. will reduce outdoor water use by 29 percent. 

These new technologies help preserve both natural water resources and a landscaped campus that consists of 5 1⁄2 acres of green space with turf, trees and shrubs, which was designed to enhance the experience of more than half a million visitors who tour Jelly Belly's facility each year. Jelly Belly Candy executives partnered with ValleyCrest Landscape Maintenance to replace out-dated irrigation clocks with smart irrigation controllers in hopes of receiving significant cost savings.

"We actively look for ways to improve cost efficiencies in our manufacturing and site expenses," said Jeff Brown, vice president operations and distribution for Jelly Belly Candy. "An irrigation solution with minimal capital investment and disruption that would yield significant water savings in our landscaped areas was intriguing."  

HydroPoint's smart controller solutions provide grounds crews with 24/7 visibility and remote control access to irrigation schedules and water use. Daily evapotranspiratio data is transmitted to the controllers, updating the automated watering schedules as local weather conditions change. Plants receive precise amounts of water only when they need it.     

The technology helps eliminate over-watering, water run-off, hardscape repairs and liabilities. It also automates irrigation to run after business hours, so Mr. Jelly Belly and the 30-foot inflatable Jelly Belly mascots can greet visitors without interference from overspray or excess water.

"We commend Jelly Belly Candy Co. for their commitment to making outdoor water efficiency a priority," said Richard Restuccia, director of water management solutions for ValleyCrest Landscape Maintenance.
 

TCIA receives safety training grant

LONDONDERRY, N.H. – The Tree Care Industry Association has been awarded a $165,000 grant from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to provide electrical hazard training.

The grant was awarded through the Susan Harwood Training Grant Program, which provides funding for nonprofit organizations to conduct in-person, hands-on training and educational programs for employers and workers on the recognition, avoidance and prevention of safety and health hazards in their workplaces.

"With the help of this grant, we can work toward keeping workers safe," said Mark Gavin, TCIA president. "It is an important component toward achieving our industry's goal of reducing injuries and fatalities with respect to electrical hazards in tree care work."

With the grant, TCIA will develop approximately 25 free workshops and train 750 employers and employees of tree care companies in safe ways to handle electrical hazards associated with trees. These selected workshops, financed 100 percent through the federal funds, will be offered to small businesses and limited-English, low-literacy and hard-to-reach workers throughout 19 states.

"The grants awarded by the federal government today will provide tools for workers and employers in some of the most dangerous industries to identify and eliminate hazards," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis in announcing the grant. "This education and training will help ensure that every worker returns home safely at the end of his or her shift."

TCIA's Electrical Hazards Awareness Program has trained thousands of arborists involved in line clearance and those working near energized lines.

Looking for more?

For more information on the courses, contact Amy Tetreault at the Susan Harwood Training Grant at 603-314-5380 or tetreault@tcia.org.
 

DuPont offers new Imprelis guidelines

WILMINGTON, Del. – DuPont Professional Products has issued a set of guidelines for planting trees on properties where its new herbicide Imprelis was used. The guidelines come after DuPont and the Environmental Protection Agency banned the sale of Imprelis because of trees, mainly Norway spruce and white pines, showing injury when the product was used in the vicinity.

The guidelines tell contractors how to remove and replace trees on their own.

The instructions include addressing potential effects of Imprelis remaining in the soil and recommends adding activated charcoal to the backfill soil. It also advises disposing tree and excavated soil materials at a solid waste landfill and clearing all tree debris from the removal site.

Multiple lawsuits have been filed against DuPont, charging it was negligent or reckless in putting Imprelis on the market. Injured trees have been reported largely in the Midwest and Northeast regions of the country.

In releasing the new guidelines, DuPont Professional Products Global Business Leader Michael McDermott said, "We regret the problems caused by Imprelis, and remain committed to your satisfaction and the proper stewardship of our products. Thank you for your patience and support."

For the full list of guidelines, visit www.lawnandlandscape.com and search “DuPont.”
 

Ambius takes home 11 PIA awards

BUFFALO GROVE, Ill. – Ambius received 11 awards, including the Judges Award for Best in Show, at the 19th annual PIA Interior Plantscape Hall of Fame and Awards Banquet.

Ambius received the Judge's Award for the most outstanding overall project in 2011 for the Living Wall at Longwood Gardens, located in Kennett Square, Pa.

The wall features a terraced lawn, lush new plantings and the largest indoor green wall in North America, spanning more than 4,000 square feet of 25 species of tropical plants and ferns.

"I am extraordinarily proud of our talented team of designers who are unfailingly innovative and engaged with exceeding our clients' expectations," said Jeff Mariola, president, Ambius.