Spring Events 2023 — Spring Training: Statewide Grows Even ILCA, IGIA, and Stoneleaf Nursery Set New Records at Annual

Last year, Spring Training - the statewide education and networking event held in Eureka, IL hosted 300 green industry professionals. The biggest concern when an event is immediately successful is replicating that achievement. This year, when registration topped 350 and the event needed to start a wait list, it was clear that replicating the initial success was not a longer a problem. Spring Training is a perennial hit!

The partnership between Stoneleaf, IGIA, and ILCA grew even stronger this year. Much of last year was spent getting to know one another, our volunteers, and our goals. Our strong familiarity and trust helped the event achieve even loftier heights.

“With a first year event, you always wonder if there is an audience who is receptive to what you are trying to do,” said Scott Grams, Executive Director of ILCA. “We knew we had the audience, now it was a question of delivering new content and value to meet their high expectations. Further, each event has to level-up and feel different and improved. Lastly, you just hope it isn’t cold enough to snow or warm enough to plant. Thankfully, we found success on all fronts.”

ILCA and IGIA unification is official this spring. Kellie Schmidt will formally join the ILCA staff on July 1st as the Statewide Director of Development. Prior to the event, ILCA and IGIA hosted a small dinner to discuss additional programs the unified organization can bring to members statewide. Members came from as far as Springfield to share a meal and their thoughts on how a unified ILCA can bring immediate and long term value to their businesses. There are many commonalities between the regions, but each area has their own unique challenges and opportunities. The lessons learned from Spring Training and working with Stoneleaf are paying dividends in other areas.

The most stark difference between 2022 and 2023 was the nursery itself. John and Samuel Cotrell, as well as their personal and professional families, created a learning environment that rivaled any hotel or convention center. Gone were the black tarps meant to shield the sunlight. This year’s event used a professional AV team and LED screen that elevated the look and feel of the entire event. The greenhouse glowed with natural light and crackled with energy. Stoneleaf used live plant material to section the green house into vignettes.

Attendees came from towns all across central, southern, and western Illinois. The furthest distance traveled clocked in at three hours. The program was divided into a Technical track and an Owners and Managers track. Members of the ILCA Technical Skills Committee were paired with IGIA members to jointly handle the program development and instruction. This partnership made sure content included local flavor and plant palettes.

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