Leadership 2005: Raising the Bar

True leaders raise the standards by which they judge themselves and the group they lead. We at Bayer Environmental Science are constantly striving to raise the bar for our company and for the Green Industry as a whole.

It’s not enough to set goals for one year and work to achieve them – leadership is an ongoing process requiring continual revision and adaptation.

Ever since the merger of Aventis and Bayer Corporation three years ago, our goal has been relatively simple: To help Green Industry members meet the challenges confronting them.

Nothing embodies our efforts to achieve that goal better than the Backed by Bayer initiative.
We started by creating a new national sales region dedicated to lawn and landscape professionals. We expanded that region the second year by more than doubling our sales force.  Dedicating personnel to the market brings us closer to the customer.

Getting closer to the customer encourages Proximity Innovation, an initiative we started to design products that better suit your needs. Products including TopChoice™, Revolver™ and Allectus™ are examples of superior solutions provided by Bayer Environmental Science. This year, we have two new products for the lawn and landscape industry: Armada™ and Forbid™.  Armada, in particular, was designed and priced with the lawn care operator in mind. A cost-effective fungicide, Armada provides both preventative and curative disease control for up to 30 days.

We also provide added value to your business by funding Green Industry organizations, such as Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment (RISE) and Project Evergreen. In the first pages of this special supplement, you’ll read articles explaining the work these organizations perform and why it is so vital for protecting our industry’s interests on pesticides. One message is clear: local involvement by lawn care professionals is integral for success.

Lastly, the Backed by Bayer initiative is anchored by our vision for the future. We realize that our success in the lawn and landscape market is directly tied to making you successful. Our goal – helping Green Industry members meet the challenges confronting them – extends beyond chemical products. It’s about providing the support and resources you need to run a profitable business.

The 2005 Lawn & Landscape Leadership Award winners profiled in this issue are raising the bar for their companies and their fellow industry professionals. All of us at Bayer congratulate each of you on a job well done.

Best wishes for a successful year,

Dan Carrothers,
Vice President, Chipco Professional Products
Bayer Environmental Science