President's Letter: Well Wishes for 2021

December 21, 2020

I hope this letter finds you, your family, employees and your business doing well.

As I write this, my wife and I have brought our four-year-old daughter to Walt Disney World for the very first time. While here, I can’t help but reflect on what a roller coaster ride 2020 has been! Even though this year put off more than its fair share of adversity, it still feels like it has flown by.

I was very hopeful we were going to have an in-person Tropical Plant International Expo (TPIE). Yet, as we got closer to the show dates, as was the situation with The Landscape Show, it became more and more apparent the risk was going to outweigh the reward.

I applaud our volunteer members who serve as our TPIE Committee, as well as our FNGLA staff, for all of their hard work and efforts. In spite of all the trials and tribulations, they have done a great job of pivoting and adjusting with each curveball – and there have been many!

Please be sure to sign up for the online TPIE events being offered. The TPIE Opening Session where Max Luthy of TrendWatching will return to talk about and open our eyes to what will be post-pandemic consumer interests – and how plants will fit in with consumer awareness/needs.

There will also be a slate of online Education Sessions aimed at important business aspects, such as driving more sales, understanding how artificial intelligence will alter our industry’s future, and even marketing to millennials. Also planned are sessions aimed at interior design in the workplace and interiorscape need-to-knows.

I love the holiday season. At this time of year, one can really see all the good in our communities and our world. I hope you and your family have a very Merry Christmas and may 2021 bring us all peace, joy, good health and prosperity.

Enjoy the Holiday Season,

Martin.Hackney.Sig