Around the Industry
Conard-Pyle Redesigns Websites
The Conard-Pyle Co.’s re-designed websites make it easy to find the information you need, whether you’re a professional in search of wholesale supply or a homeowner looking for the perfect landscape plant.
“We’ve combined all of our sites – Star Roses, Star Plants, the Knock Out Family and Conard-Pyle – into one user-friendly, easy-to-navigate website,” said President Steve Hutton. “It’s more than just a catalog. It’s informative and inspirational.”
For retailers: New and improved content provides customers and licensees with productivity tools, marketing support and updated plant availability, plant picks of the week, sales representative information and a complete trade show schedule.
Downloadable photos, logos, banner ads, press releases and marketing materials make it effortless for retailers to create customized sales materials. “This is the first time that we’ve ever provided our customers with these tools so that they can market our products,” Hutton said. “We are ready and able to help our customers in any way.”
For home gardeners: The new “Plant Picker” feature allows users to search by genus, species, common name, cultivar or specific plant characteristics to find the perfect plant for their garden. A retailer locater makes it easy for consumers to find nearby garden centers that carry Conard-Pyle products.
Homeowners and industry professionals alike will appreciate timely e-mails that update them on new plant introductions, news and articles, advertising schedules and company updates.
Aquascape CEO Receives Inc. Magazine Mention
As part of its 30th anniversary celebration, Inc. Magazine chronicled 30 classic examples of innovation. Greg Wittstock, CEO of Aquascape, Inc. in St. Charles, Ill., appeared on the magazine’s list of accomplished entrepreneurs that includes Debbi Fields of Mrs. Fields Cookies, Ty Warner of Beanie Babies fame and Jeff Bezos of Amazon.com.
Wittstock is credited for changing the way the world builds ponds with his 20/20 philosophy: that ponds can be built profitably in just one day, using 20 steps and 20 products. This pond-building rule became a major phenomenon with contractors across the nation and made Aquascape the industry leader in water features.
Aquascape first appeared in Inc.‘s list of the 500 fastest-growing, privately held companies in 1999. The company appeared on the list three more times from 2000 to 2002. Wittstock was featured in the November 2003 cover story, “How to Win Customers for Life.” The company was later showcased in the magazine’s August 2007 issue in “Fun! It’s the New Core Value.”
For more information about Aquascape or its products and programs, visit www.aquascapeinc.com or call (866) 877-6637.
America in Bloom Receives Urban Beautification Award
The American Horticultural Society recently announced the recipients of its 2009 Great American Gardeners Awards. America in Bloom received the Urban Beautification Award, which is given to an individual, institution or company for its contributions to urban horticulture and the beautification of American cities.
The awards will be presented on June 4 during the Great American Gardeners Awards Ceremony and Banquet at River Farm, the AHS’s headquarters in Alexandria, Va. American in Bloom President Marvin Miller will be accepting the award on behalf of AIB.
The winners of these awards represent the best in American gardening: Each has contributed significantly to fields such as plant research, garden communication, landscape design, youth gardening, teaching or conservation.
For more information on the awards, visit www.ahs.org/awards or call (703) 768-5700 ext. 121. For more information on America in Bloom, visit www.americainbloom.org.
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