Despite a mid-week snow storm that kept some registered attendees away due to travel issues and snow management duties, ProGreen EXPO 2019 saw growth in attendance all-around. The keynote session featuring pilot and reporter Amelia Earhart saw the largest audience since the keynote program was introduced four years ago. More than 800 ProGreen attendees came to hear her presentation, “Learning to love the turbulence,” featuring advice for navigating the bumps we face in business and in life and how to reach our full potential.  

Throughout the week, educational sessions were well-attended. Sessions that have returned annually, such as woody plant identification, continued to be popular with attendance of over 500. Safety courses including ATV safety and chainsaw safety saw standing-room-only crowds. 

Those crowds also enjoyed the exhibit hall, checking in with supplier companies to learn about the latest equipment, technology, and services. The hall also hosted the return of the potting challenge, a fun competition that let green industry professionals from all disciplines demonstrate their design skills. New offerings like the arborist corner with climbing demonstrations and the sneak peek for new attendees showed great potential and are sure to return in 2020. 

Networking opportunities were plentiful, as always. The trade show floor as well as events like the VIP breakfast and the women in the green industry happy hour provided professionals many chances to meet and talk with peers and establish relationships that are sure to benefit them throughout the year.  

The next ProGreen EXPO is slated for February 5-7, 2020. Attendees should note that sessions will be held Wednesday through Friday (no Tuesday sessions), while the EXPO will be held Thursday and Friday for the whole day on both days (no Wednesday expo).