Orlando, Florida

JANUARY 22-24, 2018

Winter Conference

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P.O. BOX 429LAGRANGE, GA 30241

Loaded with Information and Opportunity!

REGISTER TODAY

online at www.directgardeningassociation.com or by phone 706-298-0022

Serving the Direct Gardening IndustryWhere gardening companies & industry professionals meet

to learn, network, and grow!Register Now at: www.directgardeningassociation.com

Early Bird Registration Rates (Before December 15th)Members $420; Non-Members $815*

Regular Registration Rates (After December 15th)Members: $470; Non-Members $865*

*special offer: non-members can attend ONE DGA conference at the member rate. Please contact the DGA office for more details.

Monday, January 22nd8:00 am – 12:00 pmDGA BOARD MEETING – Invitation Only

12:00 pm – 5:00 pmREGISTRATION/NETWORKING AREA OPEN

Refreshments Sponsored by CommerceV3, Platinum Sponsor

12:30 pm – 2:00 pmASK THE EXPERTS This program provides an opportunity for DGA Catalog members to meet with Allied members for a no-fee private consultation during the Winter Conference. Members are able to get help from a fellow member on an issue they find challenging to their business and Allied members have the potential opportunity to gain new clients.

12:30 – 12:55 pm1:00 – 1:25 pm1:30 – 1:55 pm

Here is how the program will work: z Each of our participating companies has

been assigned a table in one of the two ‘Ask the Experts’ meeting rooms

z Each Allied company has (3) 25 minute time slots

z Any interested catalog members must contact the Allied Member directly in order to reserve their 25 minute appointment

z The Allied Member is responsible for reconfirming their appointment

Our Experts are:1. David Waterman, Ink-It Digital,

dwaterman@ink-it.net Websites, E-commerce

2. Val Gossett, Evergreen Marketing, val@GrowWithEvergreen.com Marketing, Advertising, Email & Social Media Marketing, Google adWords, Circulation Planning

3. Lisa Balch, Sargeant House, sargeanthouse@verizon.net Catalog Critiques

2:00 pm - 2:15 pmOPENING REMARKS BY DGA PRESIDENT KEN OAKES

2:15 pm – 3:30 pmPRESENTATION: “How to Leverage Brand and Content Marketing to Drive Awareness, Engagement and Activation with your Best Customers”– Renee Jordan, Fine Gardening Fine Gardening understands how to create value for an audience on multiple platforms. With compelling storytelling, expert and inspirational content, the brand continues to help avid gardeners excel with their passions, and helps marketers develop content experiences to build relationships with top influencers and buyers. With case studies also from the homebuilding, woodworking and sewing markets, Jordan shows how brand-building and content marketing tactics can grow audience, increase engagement, and drive purchase.

Renee Jordan is Senior Vice President at the Taunton Press, and Publisher of Fine Gardening, Fine Woodworking, Fine Homebuilding, and Threads media brands. Jordan is a seasoned direct marketing and media executive, with previous responsibilities

as Chief Marketing Officer at Reader’s Digest, Chief Strategy Officer at Clear Channel Outdoor, and she has held consumer marketing leadership roles at Primedia and Fairchild Publications. Throughout her media career, Jordan has specialized in the transformation of consumer marketing from traditional direct response and print to multi-channel and digitally-focused strategies.

3:30 pm – 4:00 pmBREAK WITH EXHIBITORS – Take a moment and visit with the DGA exhibitors. Representatives from various companies are there to talk with you about their latest and greatest products.

4:00 pm – 5:00 pmPRESENTATION: “Welcome to Florida Gardening” – Teresa Watkins, Sustainable Horticultural Environments“Gardening is so different here in Florida” is a common mantra of new residents to Florida’s year-round gardening paradise. Teresa passionately showcases all of the benefits of living in Florida for

beginning and master gardeners, young and old, and lets them know they picked the best place in the world to live and grow plants.

Teresa Watkins, garden author, landscape designer, horticulturist, and environmental consultant. Featured on Houzz.com, Watkins, a recognized gardening expert, designed the landscape for the first certified “green home” in Florida in 2001.

Watkins hosts her own weekly call-in gardening radio show; “In Your Backyard” on WLBE 790AM, www.My790am.com every Tuesday 1pm EST.In the last 16 years over 35,000 homeowners have attended Teresa’s landscaping programs. Her garden talks range from the ABC’s of landscaping to theme landscapes of fairy gardens to xeriscaping.Ms. Watkins’ humor grabs her audience’s attention with easily understood landscaping principles. She instills an appreciation for the environment, with her “gardening with soul” philosophy, while encouraging everyone that they can have a beautiful garden while still having a sustainable, low-maintenance yard.Teresa’s first gardening book series, A Gardener’s Compendium: Gardening in a Twitter World in 140 Characters or More, Volume 1 – Gardening with Life, and Volume 2 - Gardening in Time and Place are available now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, local bookstores, and at Xulon Press.

6:00 pm – 7:30 pmWELCOME BACK RECEPTION Say hello to our fellow members and make some new company contacts too. Light hors d’oeuvres and two complimentary cocktails will be available to each attendee. Cash bar available.

Tuesday, January 23rd7:30 am – 5:00 pmREGISTRATION OPEN

Refreshments Sponsored by CommerceV3, Platinum Sponsor

7:30 am – 8:00 amCONTINENTAL BREAKFAST

Sponsored by Quad Graphics, Platinum Sponsor

conference schedule

TO THE SPONSORS OF THE 2018 DGA WINTER CONFERENCE as of (10/4/17)

GOLD

SILVER

PLATINUM

8:00 am – 8:30 amCELEBRATE THE WINNERS OF THE DGA GREEN THUMB AWARDS!

The winners of the DGA 2018 Green Thumb Awards will be announced and recognized for their achievement. A company representative from each winning company should be present to receive their award and give a brief presentation on their award winning product(s).

8:30 am – 9:30 amPRESENTATION: “YOU Can Create Disney Magic Too!” – Lee Cockerell, Vice President (Retired) Walt Disney World® ResortLessons in Leadership, Management and Customer Service.Learn how “you can create magic too” in your organization by following The Customer Rules

z Learn exactly what you must do to be perceived as a great leader.

z Learn why you must understand the big difference between management and leadership.

z Learn how to practice great leadership that will ensure you leave a legacy.

z Learn about the free fuel we all have and don’t use enough.

z Learn four simple ways to set your organization apart in the eyes of your customers and your employees.

z Learn why the customer does not come first.

z Learn the difference between training and development.

z Learn the most important leadership behavior that will ensure success for you in all parts of your life.

Lee Cockerell is the former Executive Vice President of Operations for the Walt Disney World® Resort. As the Senior Operating Executive for ten years Lee led a team of 40,000 Cast Members and was responsible for the operations of 20 resort hotels, 4 theme parks,

2 water parks, a shopping & entertainment village and the ESPN sports and recreation complex in addition to the ancillary operations which supported the number one vacation destination in the world.One of Lee’s major and lasting legacies was the creation of Disney Great Leader Strategies which was used to train and develop the 7000 leaders at Walt Disney World. Lee has held various executive positions in the hospitality and entertainment business with Hilton Hotels for 8 years and the Marriott Corporation for 17 years before joining Disney in 1990 to open the Disneyland Paris project.

Lee has served as Chairman of the Board of Heart of Florida United Way, the Board of Trustees for The Culinary Institute of America (CIA), the board of the Production and Operations Management Society and the board of Reptilia a Canadian attractions and entertainment company. In 2005 Governor Bush appointed Lee to the Governor’s Commission on Volunteerism and Public Service for the state of Florida where he served as Chairman of the Board.He is now dedicating his time to public speaking, authoring a book on leadership, management and service excellence titled, Creating Magic…10 Common Sense Leadership Strategies from a Life at Disney, which is now available in 13 languages and his latest book, The Customer Service Rules...The 39 Essential Rules for Delivering Sensational Service . Lee also performs leadership and service excellence workshops and consulting for organizations around the world as well as for the Disney Institute.

9:30 am – 10:00 am BREAK WITH EXHIBITORS

10:00 am – 11:45 amROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION GROUPSCome with questions, leave with answers! Each roundtable will address a specific topic and timely issue pertaining to our industry. Attendees will have the opportunity to sit at two different table discussions for approximately 45 minutes each. An industry expert will briefly introduce the session topic and facilitate the discussion. Table participants will shape the session content based on their own specific questions.

11:45 am – 1:30 pm MEMBERS – LUNCH ON YOUR OWN

11:45 am – 1:30 pm PAST PRESIDENTS AND MENTORS LUNCHEON WITH FIRST TIME CONVENTION ATTENDEES AND MENTORSThis is a perfect opportunity for new attendees to meet our association leaders as well as other members attending a DGA conference for the first time. Our goal is to make you feel welcome and provide you with the opportunity to get the most from your DGA experience.

1:30 pm – 2:30 pm PRESENTATION: “Horticulture at the Happiest Place on Earth”- Eric Darden, Disney’s Horticulture

Eric Darden, Disney horticulturalist, will be speaking at our 2018 Winter Conference. Eric will be speaking on the Flower and Garden Festival and how he uses horticulture to increase attendance at Epcot. Eric also will be showing photos of the Flower and Garden

Festival and how it has evolved over time.

2:30 pm – 3:30 pm PRESENTATION: “How to Use Facebook LIVE to Market Your Business” - Lou Mongello, WDW RadioLearn how you can use and leverage Facebook LIVE to increase your social media reach while building a loyal, engaged community and build your business and brand. Lou will explore the features, strategies, and best practices that will help you get started quickly, learn how (and why) to use Facebook Live, what to do before, during and after your live stream, ways to use live video, as well as practical tips and strategies to get the most out of Facebook Live.

Lou Mongello is a former attorney who left the practice to pursue his passion and is now a Disney expert, author, podcaster, speaker, entrepreneur, and host of http://WDWRadio.com, named Best Travel Podcast for 9 consecutive years. He is the author of

books and audio tours about the Disney Parks, and founder of http://DreamTeamProject.org, which has raised more than $250,000 to date to send children with life-threatening illnesses to Walt Disney World through the Make-A-Wish Foundation of America. He provides mentoring, consulting, and workshops to those looking to build their business and brand, and is also a keynote speaker at events, conferences, and schools. Lou shares the magic of Disney and/or the power of new and social media, podcasting, live video, community, entrepreneurship, how to follow one’s dreams and passions, and custom topics tailored to the event audience. http://LouMongello.com

3:30 pm – 4:00 pmBREAK WITH EXHIBITORS

4:00 pm – 5:00 pmPRESENTATION: “Customer Service Is Not a Department” – Lee Cockerell, Vice President (Retired) Walt Disney World® Resort This presentation will focus on specific examples of ways to enhance your customer service that generally cost nothing.

Lee Cockerell is the former Executive Vice President of Operations for the Walt Disney World® Resort. “As the Senior Operating Executive for ten years Lee led a team of 40,000 Cast Members and was responsible for the operations of 20 resort hotels, 4 theme parks,

2 water parks, a shopping & entertainment village and the ESPN sports and recreation complex in addition to the ancillary operations which supported the number one vacation destination in the world.”One of Lee’s major and lasting legacies was the creation of Disney Great Leader Strategies which was used to train and develop the 7000 leaders at

Walt Disney World. Lee has held various executive positions in the hospitality and entertainment business with Hilton Hotels for 8 years and the Marriott Corporation for 17 years before joining Disney in 1990 to open the Disneyland Paris project.Lee has served as Chairman of the Board of Heart of Florida United Way, the Board of Trustees for The Culinary Institute of America (CIA), the board of the Production and Operations Management Society and the board of Reptilia a Canadian attractions and entertainment company. In 2005 Governor Bush appointed Lee to the Governor’s Commission on Volunteerism and Public Service for the state of Florida where he served as Chairman of the Board.He is now dedicating his time to public speaking, authoring a book on leadership, management and service excellence titled, Creating Magic…10 Common Sense Leadership Strategies from a Life at Disney. which is now available in 13 languages and his latest book, The Customer Rules…The 39 Essential Rules for Delivering Sensational Service. Lee also performs leadership and service excellence workshops and consulting for organizations around the world as well as for the Disney Institute.

6:00 pm – 7:30 pmNETWORKING RECEPTIONEnjoy a cocktail and some hors d’oeuvres with fellow members and those new friends you have made. Why not take a first time attendee to dinner afterwards? Take the time to meet someone new. We are all experts at something – there is a wealth of information amongst the DGA membership. Give a little, learn a lot!

Wednesday, January 24th 7:30 am – 8:00 amCOFFEE AND JUICE BAR

8:00 am – 12:00 pm REGISTRATION/NETWORKING AREA OPEN

8:00 am – 8:30 am DGA BUSINESS MEETING – All members are invited to attend. 8:30 am – 8:45 am LET’S MEET OUR SPONSORS! Let’s show our appreciation to those member companies that have generously donated funds towards the Winter Conference. Their support has brought excellent programs and social events as well as a low registration fee!

8:45 am – 9:00 amBREAK WITH EXHIBITORS

9:00 am – 10:00 am PRESENTATION: “Hiring and Retaining Millennials”- Beth Yovino, Hays (US Division) By 2025, 75% of the workforce will be comprised of millennials. Inter-generational understanding an collaboration has never been more important. Beth Yovino, talent acquisition strategist, will be sharing provocative insight on how companies have successfully evolved their hiring practices and culture to attract and retain this essential generation.

Beth Yovino is the Talent Acquisition Director for the US division of Hays, a global professional staffing firm. Ms. Yovino has 20+ years’ experience in the staffing industry. Prior to her current role, Ms. Yovino was the Director of Talent Attraction at Kforce

Inc, a top-tier professional staffing firm. She has held leadership roles overseeing staffing sales and delivery operations, as well as corporate leadership roles focused on development and execution of strategic staffing initiatives. Her key areas of expertise include workforce planning, selection and hiring, behavioral assessments, onboarding and training, building a winning culture, compensation and incentives, retention and recognition, talent attraction systems and business intelligence, operational effectiveness, competitive intelligence and staffing trends. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Finance from University of North Florida and holds her SHRM-SCP certification.

10:00 am – 10:30 am BRUNCH

Sponsored by Fine Gardening, Platinum Sponsor

10:30 am – 12:00 pmPRESENTATION: “Let’s Get Real – A Close Look at Issues Affecting You!”

Do you have an issue that you just can’t think of a way to solve? Think of this session as an open forum to discuss anything and everything that may be top of mind. DGA was founded as means for companies to come together for idea sharing and problem solving. A mix of pre-selected issues will be presented, but feel free to contribute with something that has been nagging you!

12:00 pm – 12:15 pmCLOSING REMARKS FROM THE PRESIDENT AND ADJOURN

2018

PO Box 429, LaGrange, GA 30241706-298-0022 | 706-883-8215 FAXwww.directgardeningassociation.com info@directgardeningassociation.com

REGISTER TODAY at www.directgardeningassociation.com

Many Thanks!