Pre-Conference Workshops: Wed., Nov. 12

Includes Trade Show Entrance for Thurs., Fri. & Sat. Nov. 13-15 plus FREE KEYNOTE Session.

Gold Card Savings

Includes Trade Show Entrance for all three days and KEYNOTE Session.

If you are considering purchasing four (4) or more TCI EXPO Individual Seminars, you can save by selecting a GOLD CARD. The GOLD CARD includes any/all seminars offered on Thurs., Fri. & Sat. and entrance to the EXPO for all three days.

(The GOLD CARD does NOT include the Wednesday Pre-Conference Workshops.)

PRICING:
Early Registrations:                              $245
After October 10, 2008:                        $295

If your company purchases four (4) GOLD CARDs you get one FREE. In order to qualify, you must order all Gold Cards at the same time.

TCI EXPO Individual Seminars

Includes Trade Show Entrance for all three days and KEYNOTE Session.

See GOLD CARD Savings if you sign up for four (4) or more Seminars.

Early Reg..........$80 ea.    After 10/10........$100 ea.

All of the individual seminars are listed below with their scheduled time slots.

TCI EXPO Trade Show Only Passes

Includes Trade Show Entrance for all three days and KEYNOTE Session.

Select this option if you do not wish to purchase any Pre-conference Workshops or Educational Seminars.

Early Reg. ............$15                     After 10/10...........$25

If your company purchases four (4) Trade Show Only Passes you get one FREE. In order to qualify, you must order all Trade Show Only Passes at the same time.

Spanish Track Only

Includes entrance to all three Spanish seminars on Friday, November 14.

Early Reg........$125     After 10/10........$145

The "TCIA Business Boot Camp" is one day of intense business training for small tree care company owners and managers who are serious about improving their business profitability. We will cover managing human resources for small businesses, writing and implementing company policies (including a safety program), labor pricing, cash flow and monthly budgeting, service proposals and specification writing.
These are not one-size-fits-all solutions. There will be ample time to discuss how to customize and implement best business practices for your company. All of the materials and suggestions provided meet the TCIA Accreditation standard for those preparing their company for Accreditation – and those who want to run a more profitable business.  

Because of their close involvement with line employees, supervisors are perhaps the most influential level of management. They not only serve as on-the-job trainers, they establish and reinforce the organization’s safety guidelines. Because effective supervisors also play the role of “safety coach,” they must recognize safe and at-risk behaviors, be able to diagnose why the behavior is occurring, help remove barriers and inhibitors to safe behavior, and motivate employees to work safely in the future. This workshop will help participants understand what it means to be a “safety leader” and enhance the skills to excel in that role.

1pm - 5pm

The backlash of widespread invasive insect infestations is not limited to massive disruptions in ecosystem function and other environmental concerns. Tree care professionals face a severely jeopardized future income potential, and their customers face a potential loss in property value. But, there are steps we can take to fight these invasive pests while managing community tree health.
Become a skilled first detector trainer in the detection, management and rehabilitation of regulated pest damage. Learn to identify four Northeastern invasive insect pests – Asian Longhorned Beetle, Sirex wood wasp, Emerald ash borer, and Hemlock woolly adelgid – and how to alleviate the damage done to trees. This workshop provides the take home educational tools an arborist needs to train their crews in front line detection and communicate with their customers.

7:30am to 8:30am

Have you thought about TCIA Accreditation? Here’s an informative look at the standard, step-by-step, to help you understand how it can be implemented at your company – and why it will help your company. Your questions will be answered and practical solutions explored.

To be safe and productive, a tree care professional must understand behavioral safety factors. Acquiring a clear picture of your own behavior can help you and your organization plan and implement corrective interventions to improve safety performance. What you learn from this session may make you change the way you see, think and act.

Drs. Gary Watson and Tom Smiley will jointly present the highlights from 2008’s Landscape Below Ground III conference at the Morton Arboretum. Learn about the latest root and soil management advances that arborists can apply in the field, including planting procedures that best benefit root growth and tree survival, improved mulching techniques for the rooting environment, tree preservation during construction, and new developments in growing trees near buildings and concrete. This session is a must for those interested in getting to the root of most tree problems.

FREE KEYNOTE PRESENTATION: Transforming Your Culture
Dr. Sherry Perdue, Safety Performance Solutions

A true transformation in safety requires more than simply ensuring a safe work environment. Your organization must truly value safety and everyone in the organization must feel responsible for others’ safety as well as their own. The culture will also encourage individuals to act on that feeling of responsibility by taking action every day to prevent injury to others. We’ll review how safety leaders can engage the entire organization, transform their safety culture, and bring everyone on board for the journey.

CTSP Open Forum
Moderated by Peter Gerstenberger, Senior Advisor for Safety, Standards and Compliance, Tree Care Industry Association, Inc.

All CTSPs will be invited to attend the first CTSP Open Forum at TCI EXPO. Look for details in the coming months.

7:30am - 8:30am

"How can I be No. 1 on Google?" - Growing & Defending your Business Using the Web
Brian Kraff, CEO of Market Hardware, Inc.

“How do I get on Google?” is the No. 1 question Web consultants hear. What makes a professional Web site, what are the pitfalls to avoid (hint: flashier is not better), and how can you make sure potential customers in your area find your site. You don’t have to spend a fortune on Internet marketing to present your company on the Web and ensure your site is included in search engines.

A Review of 2008 Accidents: What You Don't Know Can Kill You
Dr. John Ball, South Dakota State University

Accidents are an unfortunate part of arboriculture, but the types and categories of accidents, both fatal and non-fatal, change from year to year as we adapt new equipment and techniques.  This session will cover the most common types of accidents from 2008 (and they do differ from past years) as well as how to avoid them.

Soil Life and Carbon: Answers to Global Warming in the "Root Cellar" of Trees
Dr. Mike Amaranthus, President, Mycorrhizal Applications Inc.

Global warming can cause many problems for trees and landscapes: extreme and unpredictable weather, coastal flooding, regional droughts, species extinctions, ecosystem disruptions and reduced pollination of important plant species. Arborists appreciate that growing trees offers a great opportunity to draw carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere, sequester carbon and decrease fossil fuel use. Carbon sequestration rates vary by tree and depend on a number of factors. By using mycorrhiza fungal inoculants, quality compost and native mulch additions in planting and maintaining trees,   arborists not only directly add carbon to the soil, they also encourage increased root and mycorrhizal activity – another important carbon sink. 

8:45am - 10:00am

Automatic Referrals 
Jeffrey Scott, Green Industry Marketing Consultant

In order to enjoy growth, productivity and profits, you need your clients to be “actively” and “automatically” referring you. Discover the basics of building a company that generates Automatic Referrals. You’ll learn how to pop the question, integrate marketing in referral generation, avoid deal-breaking-obstacles to referrals, increase your chances of gaining new referrals, and other best practices.

The Three Keys to Safety Improvement
Gil Niedenthal, Director and Corporate Safety Officer, Asplundh Tree Expert Co.

This talk will illustrate how simple (but consistent) things we do can really make a difference in preventing injuries. You will walk away with three important tools you can apply immediately at the crew and management level in order to make an effective improvement in worker safety.

Managing the Top 20 Landscape Insects and Mites
Dr. David Shetlar, Assoc. Professor of Urban Landscape Entomology, Ohio State University

The Bug Doc won't cover simple to control pests like aphids and leaf-feeding caterpillars! Scales, leafminers, borers, spider mites, rust mites and other difficult-to-manage pests will be discussed with suggestions for getting maximum control with the newer insecticides and miticides. Alternatives to pesticides will also be discussed.

10:00 - 11:00am

11:30 - 12:30pm

1:30 - 2:30pm

Seminarios en Espanol

Working together
Work crews are often made up of workers with diverse backgrounds.  We’ll review the different situations that may come up when Anglos and Latinos (and many times Latinos from different countries) are working together, and how to approach them while getting the job done safely and efficiently.
Trabajando juntos
El trabajo se debe hacer por. ¿Qué hacer para que este equipo trabaje en conjunto.? Diferentes maneras de enfrentar situaciones en nuestra industria, que incluye Anglo y Latinos y muchas veces  Latinos de países diferentes, mientras trabajamos por la misma causa, completar el trabajo seguro y eficiente.

Customer service
The job isn’t necessarily done when we finish pruning and come down out of the tree. You need to know how to respond correctly to your customers’ questions. We will discuss customer communications, common customer questions, and priorities.
Servicio al cliente
¿Cómo responder con la respuesta correcta? El trabajo no esta   terminado después que podamos el árbol y que nos bajamos del árbol o árboles. Incluye: comunicación con el cliente, preguntas comunes del cliente, y prioridades.

The value of safe and quality work
Customers pay for more than just a nice pruning job. What defines “a nice job”? Are we missing something? This session will provide tips to help your crew perform at it’s best.
El valor del trabajo seguro y de calidad
Los clientes pagan más que por un trabajo bueno de poda. ¿Qué es un trabajo bueno? ¿Estamos olvidando algo? Claves para ayudar a nuestro grupo.

3:00 - 4:15pm

Fertilizing Your SIX Branches of Business
Renée Walkup, SalesPEAK

Why wait for the business to come to you? Without a targeted plan for growing sales with new and existing accounts, clients are lost and revenues suffer. By focusing on developing your six branches of business, your business will flourish. We’ll examine each of the six branches with practical, hands-on examples and show how mastering them are key to your business’ success.

How Well Do We Evaluate Trees for Decay?
Ed Hayes, Safetrees, LLC

Recognize the signs and symptoms of tree decay and how to evaluate failure potential for both the client and for personal safety. Field guidelines for evaluating tree decay above and below ground are easy to learn and use. We’ll discuss the many variables that play a role in decision making.

4:30 - 5:30pm

Greening the Green Industry: Assessing Environmental Responsibility Options for Tree Care Companies
Greg Ina, General Manager, The Davey Institute, The Davey Tree Expert Co.

As professionals, our work is called “green,” because our work results in healthier trees and landscapes. But are we really “green” companies? We’ll assess environmentally responsible management practices for tree care companies. Elements unique to the tree care industry will be outlined, covering topics ranging from baseline assessments and efficiency to environmental risks and transparency. You’ll leave better equipped to evaluate if/how these practices make business sense for their operations.

CONCURRENT SESSIONS
1. SAFETY
Tree Risk Assessment: The Quest for Standardization
Don Zimar, Zimar & Associates

Review of the history of Risk Assessment as it relates to the new ANSI A300 Tree Risk Assessment standard being drafted by the A300 Committee. This overview of the new standard includes why it is necessary, when it will become effective; how it should be used; opportunities the new standard may present; and more. Managing inherent bias and mitigating company liability associated with risk assessment will also be discussed.

2. SAFETY
Working Smarter Not Harder – Preventing Soft Tissue Injuries
David Anderson, Western Div. Safety and Training Coord., Bartlett Tree Experts

Field arborists are subjected to great physical stress, often leading to chronic injuries that can ultimately be career ending.  Application of basic ergonomic principles to specific tree care tasks will help arborists reduce chronic injuries and be more productive.  This presentation will look at the costs of chronic injuries, why they occur and how arborists can use ergonomic principles to prevent them.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15   n      SEMINARS

7:30 - 9:00am

Understanding and Preventing Lawsuits
Randall Stamen, The Law Offices of Randall S. Stamen

Based on the author’s experience as an attorney and certified arborist, a look at lawsuits concerning trees, arborists, public entities, and property owners. A review of cases, including those involving unauthorized pruning or tree removal, tree poisoning, arboriculture malpractice, and more. Learn how each lawsuit could have been prevented.

Who is Your Safety Leader?
Danny Raines, Raines Utility Safety Solutions, LLC

Soil Decompaction and Amendment Treatment for Urban Trees
Dr. Christina Wells, Ph.D., Assoc. Professor of Horticulture, Clemson University

Soil compaction reduces tree growth and shortens tree life spans in urban environments. The effects of a soil decompaction and amendment (SDA) process and its individual components (mulch, fertilizer and air spade tillage) are being tested at four urban sites. At each site, 50 red maples are growing on compacted and/or nutrient poor soils. We’ll take a look at the study and the results.

9:15 - 10:45am

Got Visibility? Using PR to Build Your Green Business
Christine Esposito, President, Terracom Public Relations

Building the visibility of your green business helps keep you top of mind with customers and prospects, but it takes foresight, strategy and know-how. Join a seasoned veteran of green public relations to learn practical steps for reaching your audiences through publicity, strategic networking, speaking engagements and more. This interactive session will include case studies, basic tools, and do’s and don’ts. 

Crane Safety
Norm Hall, Trainer, The Care of Trees

An exciting session on crane use and safety begins with an overview of ANSI Z133 crane use section, followed by set-up procedures and accepted methods for hoisting a climber. Different cutting techniques on spars will be discussed, including notches on spar sections for chokers or slings. Rigging large tree sections with synthetic webbed slings and proper hitches will be reviewed, as well as designated landing areas for wood.

Wind Load Analysis: Assessing the Safety Reserve in Trees
Ed Hayes, Safetrees, LLC

We will discuss a new field method for wind load analysis, recently developed by researchers in the Czech Republic. Based on easily-measured attributes such as tree height, trunk height, crown width and more, this method estimates safety reserves by incorporating crown area, load center, bearing capacity, and species material strength. Arborists can try this method to gain new insights into failure potential. A simplified approach  will also add value to performing tree risk assessments.