Grass Roots and Advocacy Manager, American Nursery & Landscape Association,
Subject: GREEN ROOTS MUST SPREAD TO GROW!
Dear Bob
Degemmis,
Thank you for your encouraging words and your assistance at keeping Missouri Landscape & Nursery Association on track.
MLNA appreciates the umbrella
ANLA affords as well as the outlet opportunity for ideas and communication exchange on the website.
Per our past communications, I know you are aware of
MLNA’s effort to wake up after a very sleepy association time. Our membership has not had such a lax period; they have been wide awake and working to survive in a changing business/economic environment.
Please post this
MLNA survey on the
ANLA website.
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TOPIC: Participation in Professional Organizations
If you are an organization representative; what has been your best response to member services and benefits your organization offers?
[
MLNA members have benefited from
MaryAnn’ Fink’s “matchmaking” service. She makes contacts for them and shares information between growers, retailers, landscapers and product suppliers and educators.
MLNA members appreciate the website job posting and
MLNA’s willingness to approach service and product providers and request member discounts as well.
MaryAnn is quite the industry “matchmaker”.]
Comment:
If you are an individual, participating in professional organizations- what organization benefit do you value?
Most? Comment:
Least? Comment:
How many organizations are you actively involved? (Attend meetings, participate on committees, etc)
[
MLNA offers committee involvement whatever your interest and level of involvement)]
Comment:
How many associations benefit from your “sideline support” with dues/membership only?
[Some of our
MLNA members hope to be more involved later and in the meantime support us financially with dues]
Comment:
Do you post you professional affiliations on your website, business cards etc.?
[
MLNA offers proud member logo for ads, marketing and website use]
Comment:
Do you link websites?
[M
LNA encourages members to link to
http://www.mlna.org/ and we are happy to link back]
Comment:
Do other associations post your profile- business information?
[
MLNA showcases its members with their own member pages. With room for a 300 word profile to introduce yourself and two images- you can increase your web presence with
MLNA.]
Comment:
If you are an organization- do you offer education-training workshops? Do they help you find out what is new and what is happening in your industry?
[We offer educational opportunities,
CEU’s and will work with you and your business to have a topic that relates to your needs- You might even want to Host the event, showcase your business and make it convenient for your employees too!]
Comment:
If you are an individual- do you use your professional organizations as a learning resource?
[
MLNA is expanding its extensive plant library of over 4,000 plants and has a newly revised professional certification. Revamped by the horticulture educators in the region- you can begin a career in horticulture, work towards your degree and become professionally certified under the supervisions of the best educators in the state. Stay current and informed!]
Comment:
Does any of the professional organizations you belong to- promote you at events and encourage referrals?
[
MLNA recently distributed over 1,000 “GREEN PAGES” at well attended events that put members in the hands of future client and customers. We are working on the “PROFESSIONAL GREEN PAGES” to distribute at trade events and Green Building contacts. We advertise in the Business Journal for our members]
Comment:
Does your organization help you identify your environmental marketing strengths, help you think in “green language” what you are already doing for the environment and help you learn about what else you can do to improve your “green” strategy?
[
MLNA offers an Environmental Horticulture Consultation for New Members!]
Comment:
Does your professional organization ask you what do you want from them- and provide it?
[
MLNA does! Beginning in 2008, we are giving a voice to all our
MLNA members who are already role models in our industry and leaders in their communities. We are launching
MLNA’s first ever
AAI (Association Action Initiative) since our establishment in 1921. Using “Sustainability” as our platform, we will be showcasing our member’s efforts to use “Water as a Resource, not a Waste Product”; we will survey our members and promote their efforts at events and on our website
blogg. This will also serve as an educational awareness tool for member’s who are just beginning to build a “green vocabulary” as well as marketing/ selection guide opportunity for the general public].
Comment:
Thank you for your participation. Please visit www.mlna.org for survey feed back.
MaryAnn Fink
I have been told that “belonging” to a professional organization has only as much value as the membership places on being professional.
MLNA must stretch beyond the individual, increase the impact at the local level for the profit and offer an overview and preview of what lies ahead in our industry and beyond to create a positive impact on the business professional.
MLNA believes it is critical to improve our handholding ability and share a wider platform. We are the leaders not just the vehicle for this green band wagon. We are the “greenest of green”. As “green practitioners”, we have chosen this passionate profession because of our “green hearts”. We have invested in this platform built on the environment with our lives. Our investment will save everyone’s future!
I look forward to hearing from others who believe that our industry needs umbrella organizations such as
MLNA and
ANLA to build a strong team to pull this green wagon toward a greener ($) future!
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