It's Not Too Late to Attend the 2008 Irrigation Show

It’s not too late to take advantage of the networking and education opportunities at the 2008 Irrigation Show. The Irrigation Association’s “can’t miss” event for irrigation professionals begins this week at the Anaheim Convention Center in California.

In addition to valuable networking connections and the latest product innovations, the event offers targeted sessions to upgrade your skills and keep track of the latest advances.

Upgrade Skills — and Earn a Free Exhibit Pass

The Irrigation Show includes a full slate of education and training classes for irrigation professionals.

Designed to improve on-the-job productivity and net profitability, sessions at the show teach practical skills and knowledge that can be implemented immediately, at the office and in the field. Participants also can prepare for specialized certification designations while earning CEUs.

With options for those new to the industry and experienced professionals, each class features:

• Real-world applications and irrigation case studies.
• Current techniques, field-tested information and best practices.
• Instructors with industry expertise and excellent presentation skills.

Education class registrants receive a free “Exhibits Only” badge good for all three days of the exposition (a $50 value). Classes are offered for a per-course fee, starting at $135 for IA members ($155 for nonmembers).

Full- and half-day sessions run from Thursday, Oct. 30 to Sunday, Nov. 2. Register onsite at the show or online at www.irrigationshow.org.

Classes for landscape professionals include:

• Advanced Irrigation Design for Water Conservation
• Bidding & Estimating
• The Business of Irrigation Contracting
• Designing Landscape & Golf Systems with Reclaimed/Recycled Water
• Drip Design in the Landscape
• Electrical Troubleshooting
• Filed Hydraulics
• Irrigation Contractor
• Irrigation System Installation & Maintenance
• Landscape Drainage Design
• Landscape Irrigation Auditor
• Landscape Irrigation Design
• Managing an Irrigation Service Company
• Predicting & Estimating Landscape Water Use
• Principles of Irrigation: Landscape
• Smart Technologies for Irrigation Management
• Sprinkler System Scheduling
• Understanding Pumps

Visit www.irrigation.org/edu for class details and prerequisites; class schedules and fees are available at www.irrigationshow.org.

Keep Track of the Latest Advances

The Innovations in Irrigation Conference at the show - which runs Sunday Nov. 2 to Tues., Nov. 4 - includes more than 50 short (20-minute) sessions on the latest research, initiatives and advancements in irrigation system design, installation, and management.

Sessions are free with full registration ($240 for IA members; $260 nonmembers).

Featured turf/landscape topics include:

• Sustainable Solutions for a Changing Environment
• Secondary Water Systems for Landscape Irrigation
• Maximizing Irrigation Distribution Uniformity with Catch-Can Performance Data
• Turfgrass Crop Coefficients in the United States

In addition, three, free Smart Business Sessions will discuss ways you can promote and grow your business:

• “SIM”ple Ideas for Your Business offers smart ideas to use Smart Irrigation Month to educate customers about water-use efficiency and increase demand for your company's products and services. Topics will include an initiative overview, success stories and promotional resources.

• Becoming a partner in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s WaterSense program can benefit your firm’s bottom line. Smart Water Means WaterSense will explain how to put the power of this national campaign to work to win customers.

• Industry firms and water purveyors are working together to promote landscape water-use efficiency through the application of state-of-the-art irrigation technologies. Learn how IA’s Smart Water Applications Technologies (SWAT) initiative can benefit your firm at a briefing on protocol development and adoption, market support, funding and what's ahead for 2009.

See the Latest Innovations on the Show Floor

The Irrigation Show is best known for bringing the latest technology, products and solutions together in one place. The trade show portion of the event will run from Sunday, Nov. 2 through Tuesday, Nov. 4.

An Expo Only registration is just $50 and includes:

• Three-day pass to more than 320 exhibitors from the United States and abroad.
• The New Product Contest, which showcases the most innovative products and services introduced to the market in the past year.
• Access to the IA Solutions Center, bookstore and Smart Irrigation Month Idea Gallery.
• A networking reception exclusively for contractor attendees.

Whether you come for just the show or stay for the education opportunities, maximize your return on your time and cost investment by sharing ideas, experience and advice with other attendees. Irrigation is still a relationship business — and the Irrigation Show is all about expanding your professional connections. Meet, mingle and exchange ideas with current and potential business partners, suppliers and peers from around the country.

The 2008 Irrigation Show will run from Oct. 30 to Nov. 4 at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, CA. For more information or to register, visit www.irrigationshow.org or call the Irrigation Association at 703/536-7080.