Garden Center magazine launches 2019 Executive Summit

The Garden Center Executive Summit, an educational conference presented by Garden Center magazine, will bring key decision-makers from independent garden centers across North America together to discuss how to make the most of the greatest opportunities and rise above the challenges facing the retail industry. The event will take place Feb. 18-20, 2019, at the Grand Hyatt in Denver, Colo.

“Innovative industry leaders from across the country have been involved in the educational direction of the program since the inception of this conference more than a year ago, ensuring we provide sessions targeted to the unique, evolving needs of garden center retailers,” says Michelle Simakis, editor of Garden Center magazine. “These experts include those who comprise our 2019 Executive Summit Advisory Board, and are passionate about learning, growing and sharing ideas with their peers in the industry.”

The 2019 Garden Center Executive Summit Advisory Board includes:

Susan Bachman West, president, Bachman’s

Richard Christakes, CEO, Alsip Home & Nursery

Frank Benzing, president and CEO, SummerWinds Nursery

Mark Bigej, chief of operations, Al’s Garden & Home

Rob Sproule, co-owner, Salisbury Greenhouse

Mick Mulhall, president, Mulhall’s

Tammy Behm, owner and managing director, Maypop Coffee & Garden Shop

The Garden Center Executive Summit will include solutions-based sessions on engaging with and understanding what drives consumers today, how to develop a culture of inspiration and motivation, and navigating the evolving role and responsibilities of owners and upper-level managers. The conference will include a mix of keynote addresses, panel discussions and roundtable breakout sessions, in addition to opportunities to network before and after the conference. The Garden Center Executive Summit will also celebrate businesses on Garden Center magazine’s Top 100 Independent Garden Centers List, companies that together have a $1.2 billion sales volume across their 294 locations.

“The Executive Summit will provide a forum to strategize on topics not addressed anywhere else to move the industry forward and grow together,” says Jim Gilbride, group publisher of Garden Center and its sister publications.

About Garden Center: Garden Center magazine is the leading industry trade publication serving independent garden center retailers in North America, providing business owners with the research, insight and analysis to help them grow their companies.