Saturday, July 12

8am-9am
Hints and Tips for 1st Time Attendees (And Everyone Else)
Knowledge leaders: John Clark, Alicia Wells
Don't be imtimidated by your first trip to the OFA Short Course. Learn some "insider tips" to finding your way around the trade show, seminars, not-to-miss events, and where to get a good fast lunch. Join John, who has learned the ropes from the inside out, and Alicia to get you on the fast track to Short Course success. Attendees will also get a sneak peek at the trade show before anyone else. This session is open to all Short Course registrants.

8am-9am
Nondenominational Worship Service
With Don McMurry
Join other Short Course attendees for this nondemoninational workship service. The sermon will correlate plant growth with the personal growth of the individual's spiritual life, in part, on the parable of the seeds and the sower.

9:15am-10:30am
Reaching Beyond Excellence
Knowledge leaders: Jim Mathis
What are the three essential qualities people who “reach beyond" have in common? What virtues do they possess within themselves that help them go above average to accomplish great things? The answer: They persevere in the face of obstacles; they reinvent themselves when times change; and they do great things for the benefit of others. How can you instill these qualities in your life? How can they take your organization to a new level right away? Jim shares the inspirational answers to these questions. Leave with renewed vision!

1pm-2:15pm
Leadership Chemistry 101
Knowledge leaders: William McCulley
This interactive session will explore recipes for leadership that can create a great base for any company. Letting go of old traditions and adopting a new mind set for successful leadership can render many leaders and managers with a feeling of vulnerability, but without fear there is no courage. In this session you will learn the many components of successful leadership and how you can implement them in your life and in your team.

2:30pm-3:45pm
Industry Success Stories
Knowledge leaders: Stan Pohmer, Dan Heims, Jim Eason, Matt Horn
Dan (finds and grow exotic plant products), Jim (owns a broker company), Matt (owns a destination garden place), and Stan (industry consultant) will share with you what they are doing in the industry today and some tips that they've learned along the way that helped them succeed.

4pm-5pm
Leading with Spirit
Knowledge leaders: Jim Mathis
According to a recent survey on the American workplace, 58 percent of workers say they like their co-workers. That means 42 percent are in a dissatisfying relationship with their teammates. Lear the roles that the right people, the right attitude, and overcoming a “culture of lack” can play to move average people to excellence in management. Jim will share the answers to these questions to lead you on the path to remarkable leadership thinking.

8am-9:15am
"Green" Nuts & Bolts: Understanding What the Proposed ANSI Sustainable Draft Standard Means for You
Knowledge leaders: Michael Arny, Linda Brown
Sponsored by Ball Horticultural Company and BioWorks
This is your opportunity to learn the details of and ask questions about the proposed establishment of an American National Standard for Sustainable Agriculture and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) process by which the draft could become a national standard. Do you have a grasp of the obligations that would be required of greenhouse, nursery producers, and garden centers - and why you should care if this is a “voluntary” standard? While conformity to the proposed standard would be voluntary, consumer awareness and retail directive could make it voluntary in name only. Learn the details of the draft standard, its roadmap leading to potential ANSI adoption, and floriculture’s involvement in shaping its content.

9:15am-10:30am
Safety - For the Health of It
Knowledge leaders: Gary Hanson
Sponsored by Compensation Consultants Inc Gary will discuss some basic safety guidelines that should be observed while working day-to-day in your business.

9:15am-10:30am
AFE/OFA Roundtable on the Needs for Floriculture Students
Learn the needs of today’s floriculture students as described by the students themselves. Dr. Mike Mellano will open the meeting and a panel of students, led by Melissa Kitchen and Brian Krug, will share insights on our topic. Audience participation will be encouraged. Find out about the availability of scholarships and internships and other topics of importance to today’s floriculture students.

9:15am-10:30am
"Green" Nuts & Bolts: Understanding Certification
Knowledge leaders: Linda Brown, Theo de Groot
Sponsored by Ball Horticultural Company and BioWorks
You've decided that it is in your best interest to become certified as sustainable. In this session you will learn of the duties and obligations that you will be required to meet as you position your growing or retail operation for certification with Veriflora or MPS.

2:30pm-3:45pm
"Green” Nuts & Bolts: The Journey to Certification
Knowledge leaders: Chris Schlegel, Juan St Amant, Abe Van Wingerden
Sponsored by Ball Horticultural Company and BioWorks
The obligations of sustainable and organic certification programs will require changes to your business and production practices AND may seem intimidating and perhaps unreasonable. Come with questions and open minds as these panelists share wisdom and experiences gained in their efforts to become certified -- and perhaps dispel some of your fears.

4pm-5:15pm
“Green” Nuts & Bolts: Take-Home “How-To’s” on the Road to Sustainability
Knowledge leaders: Lloyd Traven, David Pruitt, John Bonner
Sponsored by Ball Horticultural Company and BioWorks
Moving toward sustainable and away from traditional crop production could mean a change in almost every aspect of your production program. From pots and media to seed and cuttings and from pest management to product movement and shipping, your production strategies and practices could change. But those changes needn’t bankrupt you. The panelists will share creative ways they contained costs and saved time.

5pm-10pm
Shuttles to Easton Town Center
Want to get away from the Convention Center for the evening? Easton Town Center has unique dining, entertainment, and shopping areas. For more information, visit www.eastontowncenter.com. Complimentatry shuttle service will run from the Convention Center connector to Easton Town Center on a continual basis. The last shuttle will leave Easton at 10 p.m. You do not need to register for this

5:30pm-6:30pm
"Green" Nuts & Bolts: Marketing Sustainability for Money
Knowledge leaders: Niles Riese, John Kinsella, Annie Gardiner
Sponsored by Ball Horticultural Company and BioWorks
Learn how to embrace sustainability and avoid subsidizing consumers' growing demands for sustainable products. The panelists will share successful strategies they and others are using to market sustainability to get higher prices at wholesale and retail, and how the industry might use sustainability to increase consumer appreciation and consumption.

6:30pm-8:30pm
OSU Annuals and Mixed Container Trials
Board a shuttle bus at the Convention Center Connector beginning at 6:30 p.m. for a short ride to The Ohio State University Chadwick Arboretum & Learning Gardens to view the Annual Cultivar Trials and Mixed Container Trials. Heavy refreshments, jazzy entertainment, and guided tours of the trials and gardens will be provided. This venue is the perfect place to network with clients, relax with friends, or simply meander through the gardens. Be sure to bring your camera and business cards! Shuttles will depart the Convention Center Connector and OSU every 30 minutes. Final departure from OSU will be at 8:30 p.m. Return trips will drop off at the OFA short course hotels. This garden tour/networking opportunity is open to anyone with a badge.

8pm-10pm
Unplugged
Sponsored by BASF Turf and Ornamentals
Back by popular demand! A cool networking event for young industry professionals! Looking to connect with peers and see what other young professionals are doing in the industry? Stop by “Unplugged,” a casual and fun networking event for young industry professionals. Hang out with your peers at the Spice Bar (note the new location) near the Convention Center for food, drinks, and LIVE music. OFA Short Course badge and ID required for entrance. The Generation Next committee, sponsors of “Unplugged,” is dedicated to the development of young and new horticulture professionals. We believe that personal relationships and contacts are the keys to a successful long-term career and future involvement in OFA. “Unplugged” will provide younger industry professionals new opportunities while having a great time in the process.