ANLA Launches Masters in Landscape Business Management Program

The American Nursery & Landscape Association’s (ANLA) landscape division will launch its Masters in Landscape Business Management Program Feb. 7 – 8, 2008 in Louisville, Ky. 

The program is an intense course for owners and general managers of small-to-medium-sized landscape design/build firms designed to improve profitability and increase competitive standing.  This “mini-MBA” is built to ensure that attendees walk away with real world tools, knowledge, systems and ideas that will immediately improve their businesses.  The program will be taught by Marcus vandeVliet, president of MV consulting, who brings more than 20 years of developing and implementing operational systems for small-to-large landscape firms.

According to vandeVliet, “There has long been the need for a program to help small-to-medium-sized companies gain a better understanding of business management.  Many owners can directly control their companies when they are small, but as they grow a more structured process for understanding financial and operational performance is required.”

The program, according to vandeVliet, was designed to address what he perceives to be the major challenges facing landscape firms over the next 10 years. 

“To not only survive but to succeed, landscape companies will need to be proficient in many different areas,” says vandeVliet.  “They will be challenged to hire upper and middle management who have the necessary experience and fit into their existing culture. Owners and managers will need to recognize and adapt to the continually changing marketplace. Changing laws and regulations will also present more of a challenge in the future.”

To equip owners and top managers to thrive and succeed amidst these challenges, the Masters in Landscape Business Management program has been built around the following topics:

• Financial Management and Budgeting
• Project Management:  From the initial phone call to project completion
• Sales and Estimating Systems
• Operational and Information Management
• Leadership, management and human resource topics

The program will include five semesters each consisting of two to three days, held over the course of two years in different U.S. locations.  The five semesters will include two field trips and targets a national audience to encourage valuable networking and sharing opportunities.  For more information or to register online visit:  www.anlaevents.org/mlbm.