RESUME
Name: Dick Campbell.
Company: Campbell's Nurseries & Garden Centers Inc., 7000 S. 56th St., Lincoln, NE 68516-3401; (402) 423-4556; fax (402) 423-9653; rbc@campbellsnursery.com.
Association: ANLA, 1000 Vermont Ave., N.W., Suite 300, Washington, DC 20005-4914; (202) 789-2900; fax (202) 789-1893; www.anla.org.

Do you have a response to this article? Send an e-mail to Todd Davis.

In July, American Nursery & Landscape Association OK'd a proposal to look at merging with PLANET, the Professional Landcare Network. Representatives from both groups have been meeting to come up with a merger plan. A leader in this for ANLA has been Dick Campbell. I caught up with him to find out the latest news.

Q. Has the feedback about the proposed merger been the same among ANLA and PLANET members?

A. Yes. Even though communication in each organization goes to different voting audiences, the information has been the same. ANLA, besides its board of directors, communicates with its Senate and division governing boards. PLANET has communicated with its board of directors and both have communicated with every dues-paying member.

The information provided each audience has been consistent and in similar form.

Q. How often do the groups meet?

A. As with any group of volunteers, schedules make formal face-to-face meetings more difficult. The task force has organized itself with a steering committee that meets frequently via conference phone calls.

The entire task force met in October [2005] and will meet again in January [2006]. Between these formal meetings, a couple of conference calls and Web calls have been conducted. Of course, e-mail communications have occurred almost weekly.

Q. How does it look like the new organization would be organized? How would it differ from how ANLA and PLANET are currently structured?

A. The final organizational structure will be determined by the PLANET and ANLA governing bodies with their final votes for merger. At this time, the best of both organizations' governing structures have been incorporated.

The recommendation right now is for an executive committee consisting of a past president (two -- one from each organization -- in the first board), a president, a president elect and a treasurer. The board of directors would consist of eight representatives, elected by region from four regions of the country.

Board members would serve two-year terms and would be eligible to be re-elected for consecutive two-year terms. Each board member would be responsible for a critical result area for the association.

In addition, each specialty group or division of the association would be represented for one-year terms by the elected president of that division or specialty group. Thus, at present, it appears the board of directors would consist of 19 individuals.

Q. The original plan was to have the proposal ready for a vote in early 2006. Has the timetable changed?

A. Yes, in working through the due diligence necessary for such a merger, and in listening to the membership and leadership of each organization, it was decided to use the winter meeting schedules to help answer questions. This gives people more information and allows dialogue before bringing forth the final proposal for consideration.

To accomplish this member involvement, a final vote on the merger will take place this summer at each organization's respective meeting. If passed by both, implementation would be Jan. 1, 2007.

Q. Who has the final vote on whether the merger proposal passes?

A. In the case of PLANET, the board of directors and finally a member-by-member ballot. In the case of ANLA, which operates as a representative form of governance, the board of directors and the ANLA senate.

Q. What are the major objections you're hearing from ANLA members, and how do you reply?

A. The most common concern has been whether the two cultures can pull together to represent our industry as a unified voice. Once people realize ANLA already has many different cultures and business focuses existing within its own organization, it becomes easier to see that this is an issue we can wrap our arms around.

It has existed and has successfully been handled already with the present ANLA structure. Yes, growers, retailers, landscape contractors and landscape distributors often approach issues from different perspectives. But working together, ANLA has been able to focus on what is good for our industry as a whole and move forward addressing those issues important to a specific segment or the industry as a whole.

We are always fearful of the unknown but, truth be told, there are approximately 10 percent of the members within each organization that also belong to the other. That different "culture" is already hidden in our own respective organizations now.

Time will allow each member to make new friends and find that we all eat, sleep and breathe just like each other.

Q. I've heard growers say they're leery of being "taken over" by a flood of new landscape members. Are their fears legitimate?

A. A few growers have expressed concerns of being overwhelmed by the numbers from other segments in a new merged organization. If this were legitimate, it already would be happening -- and it is not.

Within ANLA's present membership, growers are heavily outnumbered. Yet, when you look at the elected representation for the association, all segments are represented and each segment carries a strong voice in any final decision for the organization.

I have found through my years of involvement that when an issue arises that is important to one segment, the other segments have been very supportive. It doesn't take long before another issue arises that is a focus for the segment that supported the needs of another in the first issue.

We are one industry and a pretty small one in comparison to many. We need to work together if we are to be successful in addressing issues and achieving success.

I have also observed that when an individual is elected to a leadership position, they fast recognize this need to be supportive of each other and vote and govern accordingly. This is a great accomplishment for our association and I see the same focus continuing in the future of the merged organization.

Q. Who should ANLA members contact with questions about this proposal?

A. Any member with questions should contact their elected senator or the board member representing their region, either via e-mail, phone or in person during the winter meetings.

In addition, anyone is free to contact me or any other member of the task force either through the ANLA office in Washington, D.C., or my direct e-mail, rbc@campbellsnursery.com.

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© 2006 Branch-Smith Publishing