President's Letter: Opportunities (and Challenges) Abound!
August 10, 2023
First, I want to thank everyone who had the opportunity to attend FNGLA’s Annual Convention in Sarasota. It is a well-deserved “Thank you” to FNGLA Past President Eric Smith and, once again, FNGLA staff and volunteers pulled all the strings and put all the pieces in place for an amazing event.
July 1 is "New Years Day" as far as our FNGLA year is concerned (the association follows a fiscal year calendar). July and August are a time when new officers and directors are installed in our local Chapters across the state. Last month, I had the privilege of installing the new officers and directors of both the Frontrunners and Palm Beach chapters where I witnessed the dedication to planning and camaraderie of the members present at the meeting.
The organization is in a good place as we approach The Landscape Show. FNGLA staff have been hard at work planning our two major annual trade shows (The Landscape Show and Tropical Plant International Expo) and many educational opportunities across the state. With that being said, there are still many challenges ahead for our industry which will require leadership to provide direction to our members and their businesses. Continued fallout from labor issues, water usage and irrigation, land use and acquisition, the application of fertilizers and pesticide are all current and real issues that could have negative impacts on our industry as policies evolve.
Many of these issues will have to be addressed at local levels and it will require Chapter leaders and representatives to step up, become involved and be part of the solutions.
This year’s Landscape Show is just around the corner and promises to be one for the record books. With the Heat Index well above 100 degrees across the state what feels like every day, attending the show would be a great way to get out of the heat for a few days to relax and recharge your batteries.
I hope to see all my FNGLA family and friends in Orlando!
Phil Buck (Crawford Landscaping, Naples)
FNGLA 2023-24 President
