PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

During seasons of change, I believe efficient communication to be one of the top three traits of great leaders, companies, and organizations. There are many things that could be said in this first installment of our newsletter for the year, but to keep it brief, let me give you the highlights of what is important FOR YOU.

First off, who are we? The INLA is an established group of tenured professionals looking to balance that with more fresh talent. We have a focus on professionalism in the landscape industry, with continued education as a top priority. The upcoming Indiana Green Expo is number one on this list, and if you are reading this and haven't signed up because you didn't know about it or don't have the time, the rest of this article is not that important, so just stop what you are doing and sign up here at indianagreenexpo.com. Education also comes in the form of certifications, with a statewide recognition of our in-house program, the IAH (Indiana Accredited Horticulturalist), and collaboration with Purdue, OISC, and MRTF to provide extensive certifications in specific areas of interest. Read more about these opportunities at inla1.org/certifications.

What is our history? Established in 1933, this organization was founded to build a collaborative effort across the state to unify and fortify individuals (and teams) efforts in one foundation that could outlast any one person or company. With the aforementioned IAH as our primary showpiece, we promote that effort to build on the future of our organization through the INEF (Indiana Nursery Endowment Foundation). This offshoot was formed to give teeth to our efforts and put dollars in students' pockets to continue their education. This effort continues to grow through our summer tour and shooting for scholarships. You can read more about this here. In its entirety, INEF from 2003-2013 had approved approximately $22,000.00 for distribution. In the years 2014-2022, INEF has quadrupled its monies and given $90,500.00 in scholarships and donations to students, educational facilities, and programs, to further this movement.

Now, to where are we going? In most recent years, the INLA board has recognized the MISSION CRITICAL NEED TO INCREASE MEMBERSHIP. WE KNOW we have great benefits and those who have tenure with the organization know how to tap into what they need to help their own companies/organizations succeed. AND our track record proves good in our retention record. The organization is not running out of funds, but we are aging out our members, so if we don't double down our efforts, the original purpose of creating something sustainable that is greater than any individual's effort will be knowingly setting a mortality date on this beloved treasure of an organization. To further that mission, we have increased our efforts in educating the youth by investing in a few great high school trades programs and the FFA, using INEF scholarship funds to give life support to these teams in their time of greatest need over the last few years of uncertainty.

Bringing it home to you, the individual: I myself work in Brown County for a small design/build company called Designscape. We specialize in custom residential landscaping, and have been fortunate enough to grow alongside the INLA since 1985. Right in line with the organization now, we too are a group of tenured professionals looking for fresh talent. I say that to encourage you all that no single company or organization has this magic bullet, but to commemorate the fact that regardless of new or old, WE ARE ALL IN THE SAME BOAT. Instead of continuing to go it alone without your compass, YOU getting more involved with the INLA could be the springboard to greatness your company has been searching for and desperately needs. The next opportunity to do just that is at our Joint Committee meeting on March 8th in Fishers. This is the easiest way to get involved in committees that shape the future of the INLA. You'll find the signup form on the next page.

If we can get more rowers on the boat, the INLA is the perfect captain to continue the landscape professional in the future.

Gabe Gluesenkamp, INLA President Designscape Owner / GM