PLANET unveils a new name

PLANET – formed in 2005 by a merger of the American Landscape Contractors Association and the Professional Lawn Care Association of America – announced Thursday night at the opening of its Green Industry Great Escape event that later this year it will change its name to the National Association of Landscape Professionals. 

 

As part of the announcement, the association also unveiled a new logo.

 

“The brand allows us to raise the visibility of the industry,” said PLANET Executive Director Sabeena Hickman in an interview prior to the announcement. “We will continue to promote – and not only promote – but advocate for the industry. … I think we’re going to see a lot more traction with the new brand. The media and consumers are going to know we are the National Association of Landscape Professionals because the name’s very clear and concise. I think it will definitely benefit the industry.” 

 

According to research that PLANET conducted as part of the rebranding study, 90 percent of members had to explain just what PLANET (an acronym that stands for Professional Landcare Network) meant when they mentioned the group to customers or colleagues.

 

Scott Jamieson, PLANET president-elect and vice president of Bartlett Tree Experts in Northbrook, Ill., was involved in the rebranding effort, and said not only did members need to explain the association’s name, but the group’s public relations team said it was a hurdle as well. 

 

The decision to change the association’s name spurred more discussion about PLANET’s strategic plan and long-term goals. Hickman said PLANET will now focus on three core areas: advocacy, professionalism and education. 

 

“We realized rather quickly that PLANET was trying to be all things to all people,” she said. “We wanted to focus on things that mattered most to our members.”

 

Jim McCutcheon, PLANET president and CEO of HighGrove Partners in Austell, Ga., agreed. 

 

“As opposed to us just being this big organization that just flows along in different directions and gets pulled by different folks and does different things, for the first time, we’ve got all of us pulling the same direction and heading in the same direction.” 

 

Hickman says the association plans on “enhancing” many of its signature programs like Student Career Days, Renewal and Remembrance and the Green Industry Conference, as well as member benefits like peer groups and the advisory Trailblazers on Call program, but would not go into detail, citing the need to update the group’s board of directors and membership first. 

 

She also said PLANET is developing a company accreditation for members similar to what the Tree Care Industry Association and National Pest Management Association offer their members, and is exploring online training options. 

 

Jason Cupp, a former PLANET president, was on the board of ALCA when it merged with PLCAA to form PLANET. 

 

“At the time a new brand was essential for the success of our legacy organizations to form a new entity and direction and culture of the association,” Cupp said in advance of the announcement. “I’m excited about the process the PLANET board of directors has gone through for the rebranding and renaming effort, and feel it’s in the best interest of the association to open the door wide open to market the organization and its members to the end uses in the massive green industry.”