VNLA Newsletter Spring 2018

and the committee are working hard to improve the Certifi- cation Manual and the exam. Another task the committee is tackling is making the Continuing Education Unit (CEU) reporting more user friendly. The VNLA also continues to pursue an Advanced Certification that may include more landscape specific certifications that will help our landscape contractor members. We are proud of this great program and the 40 years of providing it to our members. We look forward to the next 40 years of excellence! Cecilia Palmer, our Continuing Education Chair, has worked hard to set up this year’s Field Day, Workshop and Summer Garden Tour. We are very thankful for Colesville Nursery as the host for this great event! I hope all of our members mark their calendar for the Jim Paluch workshop on July 11 – Jim will present “The Important Work We Do”! We all look forward to July 12 and Field Day with Colesville Nursery. The day includes terrific speakers, demonstrations and tours of Colesville Nursery’s Farm. Friday July 13 will be a fantastic Summer Garden Tour to include the beautiful Bruce home garden as well as Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, Spring Hill Nursery and Zoen Garden Creations. Cecilia and Shellie have really put together a great member event with the help of the Field Day committee. These events are valuable for all of our members and fulfills needed CEUs for certified members. Plus, it’s always a lot of fun networking and enjoying the social events! I want to end by thanking the Executive committee for the many hours of hard work over the last few months in helping to make the transition of our past Executive Director (Jeff Miller) to our current Executive Director (Shellie Archer) a successful one. There have been many phone calls, meetings and action toward our strategic goals. We are happy to say that Shellie is very excited to be the VNLA’s Executive Director and she is bringing a lot of great ideas and energy. We are looking forward to a bright future for the VNLA with Shellie at the helm! Sincerely,

Vol. 88, No.2; April/May/June 2018 Editor: Jeff Miller

5101 Monument Ave Ste 203, Richmond, VA 23230-3621 Internet E-mail Address: shelliearcher@vnla.org www.vnla.org (Association Info)

https://www.facebook.com/VNLA1932

Twitter: @vnla1932 Telephone 804-256-2700 Fax: 804-709-0288 Disclaimer: Published for your information, this newsletter is not an endorsement for individual products or editorial comments.

President’s Message

This has been one of the busiest spring seasons I can remember! I hope all of our VNLA members are ex- periencing good sales and booked out schedules! While we have been busy working in our businesses, the new VNLA Executive Director has been ex- tremely busy getting everything settled in at our new Richmond office. Shellie Archer has been working closely with

Jeff Miller to complete the transition from the Christians- burg office to Richmond. Many of you know what it is like to set up a new office or start a new branch office - the same challenges apply for an association! Jeff Miller served the VNLA for over 30 years and is re- tiring at the end of June . He will be missed! Jeff has been involved in our industry throughout his adult life and has made quite an impact! I am sure many of our members have already reached out to Jeff to wish him well. He will enjoy a well-deserved retirement, but I am sure he will stay in touch. Congratulations, Jeff! The VNLA is excited to have a long history of providing the Virginia Certified Horticulturalist (VCH) program . The VCH program is celebrating its 40 th anniversary this year! Jeff Howe is our Certification Committee Chair; he

Aaron R Williams, 2018 VNLA President 40 th Anniversary! Virginia Certified Horticulturist Program Over 3,100 members since 1978! 0 t irginia ertified orticulturist Progra Over 3,100 members since 1978!

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April/May/June 2018 VNLA Newsletter April / May / June 2018 V LA Newsl tter

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