Featured speaker: Jim Marstiller  The Power to Innovate is the title of a book written by 2008 Seeley Conference keynote speaker, Jim Marstiller. Marstiller is Senior Vice-President of Consulting Services for TNS Retail Forward, a leading management consulting and market research firm specializing in consumer behavior and its impact on retailers, those that supply retailers, and the economy. Jim's consulting focus is on growth strategies, category reinvention, brand development, and innovative merchandising solutions. Among others, he has worked with Gillette, Coke, SC Johnson, Nestle, Purina, Anheuser-Busch and Safeway. Previously, he worked at Purina as Global Director-Business Development and Strategy and led consulting engagements in Holland, Japan, UK, France, and Australia, as well as the US. Jim also was U.S. Vice-President and Managing Director of Customer Development and also director of Purina's National Accounts Team, which focused on sales to Wal*Mart, Kmart, Target, Costco and BJ's. Marstiller is just one reason floriculture leaders should consider attending this year's Seeley Conference at Cornell University, June 21-24. Organized by conference coordinator, Bill Gouldin of Strange's Florists, Greenhouses and Garden Centers (VA) and the Seeley Conference Board of Directors, this year's conference is exploring the topic "Profit Squeeze: Is Differentiation the Solution?" The conference will explore changes in the industry's maturing marketplace, with focus on differentiation and innovation as ways to achieve success. Growers Gary Mangum of Bell Nursery (MD) and Brian Minter of Minter Country Garden (BC), both renown for their approaches to the marketplace, will share perspectives of differentiation for the mass marketer and the independent retailer, respectively. Ball Publishing's Jennifer Duffield White will ask whether sustainability in floriculture is a tipping point for producers, retailers and consumers. William Lipinski, CEO of First Pioneer Farm Credit, will discuss "The Ultimate Product." This year's Seeley Conference certainly serves as a tremendous opportunity for growers and others to focus on the future. For registration information, please see the conference brochure. Questions? Contact Dolores Higareda at 607-255-1789 or dh29@cornell.edu. About Seeley Conferences
Seeley Conferences promote discussion of issues important to the future of commercial floriculture. The meetings are structured to foster discussion by industry leaders and increase the level of understanding of topics through presentations by speakers with a wide range of backgrounds and experiences. The goal of the Conference is to better prepare attendees to make decisions on issues that have a great impact on their businesses and the industry as a whole. To assure free exchange of ideas, participants, including representatives of the trade press, are asked not to attribute comments or points of view to speakers or industry leaders unless such dissemination is agreed to by the person expressing their point of view. Information about previous conferences: Seeley Conference website: www.hort.cornell.edu/seeleyconference/ Contact: seeleyconference@cornell.edu Mail: Seeley Conference, 134A Plant Science Building, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853 Phone: 607-255-3677, 607-255-4568; or fax: 607-255-0599. |
John G. Seeley 1915-2007 We mourn the passing of this floriculture pioneer. Contributions can be made to