MIDLAND PARK, N.J.—The New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association (NJLCA), Elmwood Park, N.J., and the Professional Landcare Network (PLANET), Herndon, Va, are hosting a joint meeting at Jacobsen Landscape Design and Construction in Midland Park, N.J., on Thursday, Nov. 29, from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m.

This extended membership meeting will feature a facility tour, followed by presentations by both the NJLCA and PLANET, promoting their newly created partnership. Head Harvester Ed Laflamme, of the Harvest Group, will be the evening’s keynote speaker, challenging the audience with his presentation, “Are You a Fierce Competitor?”

“In today’s marketplace, landscape contractors need to utilize every resource at their disposal to be fierce competitors,” says Laflamme.  “When I joined back in 1990, the new friends I made and the ideas I was exposed to not only transformed my business, but changed me personally as well!  Becoming a member of, and getting involved with, professional Green Industry trade associations like the NJLCA and PLANET is a vital resource.”

“These types of partnerships have become increasingly important to our organization as we continue to grow throughout the state of New Jersey and beyond,”says Jody Shilan, NJLCA executive director. “In addition to PLANET, we are continuing to expand and grow our other partnerships, including Rutgers University, the New Jersey Turfgrass Association (NJTA) and the Irrigation Association of New Jersey (IANJ).

“We are very excited to be the first statewide landscape contractors association to partner with PLANET, as we continue to provide more and more value to our NJLCA members every day,” says NJLCA Director of Operations Gail Woolcott.