Team management will be the theme of this year’s Ohio Nursery and Landscape Association (ONLA) Member Summit.
The 2019 ONLA summit is a two-day, intensive program for business owners and key decision makers.
This two-day retreat is specifically designed for owners and key decision makers who want to take their management skills to the next level and develop a productive, efficient workplace.
When:
December 11-12, 2019
Where:
Nationwide Hotel & Conference Center
100 Green Meadows Drive South
Lewis Center, OH 43035
Cost:
$399 per person, includes all meals and education sessions.
Registration: Advance registration is required!
Hotel Reservations:
Discounted rates start at $139.00. Reservations can be madeHERE or by calling Nationwide Hotel at 614.880.4300 and mentioning Ohio Nursery and Landscape Association.
What You Can Expect
At the 2019 ONLA Member Summit you can expect to:
Hone your leadership skills.
Learn best practices for cultivating high-performance teams.
Network with like-minded professionals and sponsors.
Get energized and motivated to create lasting, positive changes in your career and business.
Keynote Speakers
Jim Paluch, President, JP Horizons, Inc.
For the past 30 years, Jim has motivated thousands of individuals and organizations across North America to strive toward excellence. He has written hundreds of articles and been published as an industry expert dozens of times.
Jim has a remarkable ability to help audiences address obstacles and discover opportunities that lie between their current state and their future desired state. His talent in facilitating a group, and creating a collaborative effort where ideas and solutions can emerge, always produces inspiring results for everyone involved.
Jon Petz, CSP
Whether he’s focusing on performance mindset, deeper client and team engagement, customer surprise and delight, or growth at all organizational levels, Jon Petz offers much more than “just” a keynote!
A former sales and marketing executive, Jon led his teams to break-away performances withing various industries and environments. Jon is an engagement and performance expert, who has delivered motivational keynote programs for world leading brands, industry and association conventions, and organizations of all sizes.
Jon has authored three books, two of which, Boring Meetings Suck and Significance in Simple Moments, hit the business best-sellers list. His work has been featured by the Wall Street Journal, CNBC, ABC News, Success Magazine, and The Globe & Mail, among others.
John Kennedy, Owner, John Kennedy Consulting
For nearly two decades, John Kennedy has inspired well over 250,000 audience members throughout North America, Europe, Australia and the Caribbean with his world-class training programs.
John’s success was galvanized in the hospitality and tourism industry, as a restaurant and hotel executive with a strong sense of teamwork, sales and leadership. John’s client list includes: American Bus Association, The Baltimore Ravens, Marriott Hotels, Orvis, U.S. Air Force, Bermuda Gas, Elizabeth Arden, Taco Bell, Canada Bread, as well as more than one hundred local, state and federal government agencies and associations.
Becoming a certified WaterSense professional demonstrates to your customers that you have the knowledge and experience to help them save both water and money.
And certification entitles you to exclusive EPA benefits. Such as:
Work opportunities for new home projects, federal facilities, and LEED® projects.
Use of the WaterSense promotional label on business cards and marketing items.
Increased exposure to customers through national recognition from EPA as an environmental steward.
Access to helpful tools and materials created by EPA.
Certification Programs
WaterSense offers the following certification programs for landscape irrigation professionals:
Irrigation System Design Program
The design program teaches you how to tailor irrigation systems to match the surrounding landscape and local climate conditions. This course is offered by the national Irrigation Association.
To become a Certified Irrigation Designer (CID), you must:
Register for the exam. Recommended: three years of irrigation-related experience or education in an irrigation-related field.
Pass the general landscape/turf exam. The four-hour general landscape/turf exam includes 150 equally weighted, multiple-choice questions on irrigation equipment, hydraulics, system components, scheduling, precipitation and application rates, spacing, soil-water-plant relationships, efficiency/uniformity, economics and pumps.
Pass a landscape/turf specialty irrigation exam. Candidates have four hours to complete a specialty exam in commercial, golf course or residential landscape irrigation. See the Certification Candidate Handbook for details on specialty exam content. Candidates may not take both the general landscape/turf exam and one of the landscape/turf specialty exams on the same day.
Irrigation System Installation and Maintenance Program
The installation and maintenance program teaches you how to select the appropriate equipment, lay out the site, and ensure proper scheduling for optimal irrigation system performance.
To become a Certified Irrigation Contractor (CIC), you must:
Register for the exam. Recommended: three years of irrigation-related field experience.
Pass the irrigation contractor exam. The 3½-hour exam includes 150 equally weighted, multiple-choice questions on irrigation design, irrigation installation, irrigation scheduling, water management and conservation, maintenance and repair, federal laws and codes, and general business management. Candidates have 3½ hours to complete the exam.
The irrigation auditingprogram teaches you how to identify systems that are distributing water unequally or inefficiently and determine how to improve performance.
Are You Already Certified by the IA?
If you already have an Irrigation Association certification, and wish to become WaterSense certified, you’re in luck!
All you have to do is apply for the WaterSense certification and agree to uphold the terms of the WaterSense Partnership Agreement. No fees are required to become a WaterSense certified partner if you already hold an Irrigation Association certification.
To become a Certified Landscape Irrigation Auditor (CLIA), you must:
Pass the irrigation auditor exam. The three-hour exam includes 125 equally weighted, multiple-choice questions on irrigation audit procedures, soil-plant relationships, irrigation scheduling and equipment/technology.
Submit a landscape irrigation audit. Audits must be completed independently and verified by an IA-certified professional in good standing within one year of acceptance into the certification program. (See audit guidelines and worksheets.)
The WWLP training presents a holistic watershed approach to outdoor water use efficiency, emphasizing plant, soil, water relationships, and rainwater as a resource. Certified professionals assess the proper functioning of irrigation systems, perform irrigation water audits, recommend watering schedules, and conduct whole-site evaluations. This certification also requires a solid understanding of the principles of watershed management in the landscape. The program is available throughout the United States.
To receive this certification, you must:
Complete the two-day (16 hour) WWLP coursework offered in your area by a G3 Qualified WWLP Trainer.
All exam fees for programs offered by the national Irrigation Association are $250 for national IA members and $495 for non-members. If you’re not currently an IA member, you can save money by joining now. Here’s how:
Because the Ohio IA is an affiliate member of the national association, all Ohio IA contractors are eligible for a $100 discount off of the $520 regular IA membership rate.
The IA membership year is Jan. 1-Dec. 31. If you join midyear, you must remit full-year dues ($420) with your IA membership application; however, your dues will be prorated in the second year of membership.
CIT training is scheduled from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Wolf Creek’s Columbus branch, located at 6700-B Huntley Road in Columbus, Ohio.
To register, contact your Wolf Creek representative, or click the registration box above. Space is limited; cost for the training is $100 per attendee.
Don’t miss out on this opportunity to add instant credibility to employers and increase your marketability, all while demonstrating your commitment to efficient water management!
What Exactly Does a CIT Do?
Certified Irrigation Technicians install, maintain and repair irrigation systems.
This entails knowing the limitations of different piping systems and understand basic hydraulics, in order to properly cut and join pipe.
CIT’s lay out, install and repair all irrigation system components, including:
Piping and water delivery components
Backflow prevention components
Mechanical, hydraulic and electrical irrigation controls
To Become a CIT You Must:
Register for the exam. Recommended: six months or 1,000 hours of irrigation-related field experience.
Pass the irrigation technician exam. The three-hour exam includes 100 equally weighted, multiple-choice questions on basic irrigation principles, basic electrical principles and basic hydraulics.
Last month, 18 Ohio-area landscaping contractors participated in Certified Irrigation Technician (CIT) training at two separate sites. These Irrigation Association training sessions were sponsored by Wolf Creek Company and Rain Bird.
During the training, contractors learned the basics of hydraulics and irrigation system installation and maintenance. In addition to an overview of irrigation system components and how they operate, attendees learned how to:
Glue and repair PVC pipe
Install nozzles and adjust sprinkler heads
Set and repair electric valves
Utilize various field and controller wiring techniques.
Trainees also prepared for the CIT exam, a prerequisite to receiving certification.
CIT Overview
A CIT is an entry-level irrigation field professional, and it is the newest certification offered by the Irrigation Association. CITs install, maintain and repair irrigation systems. Their responsibilities include:
Cutting and joining pipe, with an understanding of basic hydraulics, as well as the limitations of different piping systems.
Laying out and installing pipes and water delivery components; backflow prevention components; mechanical, hydraulic and electrical irrigation controls; and other irrigation system components.
Troubleshooting and repairing all irrigation components and systems.
Becoming a CIT
Certification gives you a competitive edge. By becoming a CIT, you can:
Add instant credibility with customers and employers.
Increase job opportunities.
Demonstrate your commitment to efficient water management.
Qualify for the EPA WaterSense program.
Interested? Here’s what you have to do:
Register for the exam. Recommended: six months or 1,000 hours of irrigation-related field experience.
Pass the irrigation technician exam. The three-hour exam includes 100 equally weighted, multiple-choice questions on basic irrigation principles, basic electrical principles and basic hydraulics.
When:
Hone your leadership skills.
For the past 30 years, Jim has motivated thousands of individuals and organizations across North America to strive toward excellence. He has written hundreds of articles and been published as an industry expert dozens of times.
Whether he’s focusing on performance mindset, deeper client and team engagement, customer surprise and delight, or growth at all organizational levels, Jon Petz offers much more than “just” a keynote!
For nearly two decades, John Kennedy has inspired well over 250,000 audience members throughout North America, Europe, Australia and the Caribbean with his world-class training programs.
Inclusion in the WaterSense online 
Don’t miss out on this opportunity to add instant credibility to employers and increase your marketability, all while demonstrating your commitment to efficient water management!
This entails knowing the limitations of different piping systems and understand basic hydraulics, in order to properly cut and join pipe.
