Goose, I Think it's Time We Buzzed the Tower
Jody Shilan
Saturday night I had the honor and distinct pleasure of providing 3 scholarships on behalf of the New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association (NJLCA). These scholarships were made possible by the Turfgrass Association and Cook College @ Rutgers University. These outstanding 'green industry students' were being awarded for their academic excellence and leadership skills.
It was a wonderful evening filled with the who's who of several trade organizations, dedicated college faculty, industry professionals and many well deserving students
As I waited my turn to present our scholarships, I began to realize that every student at the banquet was there to receive some type of award, special recognition or scholarship. This room was full of the best students the NJ Green Industry had to offer, a veritable landscape “Top Gun”.
As I began to reminisce about one of my all time favorite movies, Top Gun, (not for the acting but for the notable quotes), I swear I heard Tom Skerrit (Viper) say 'if you're wondering who the best of the best is, well every year their names are added to this plaque.' So I began to look around the room and wonder who was the best of the best.
It didn't take long for me to figure this out. The Maverick and Iceman of the NJ Turfgrass Industry were at the table right next to me. No it wasn't Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer; their names were William Reardon and Gregory Bohus. Two impressive young men who were not only the recipients of the NJLCA scholarship but at least a half dozen other awards. Clearly, the best of the best.
In hindsight I should have realized this much sooner. Reason being, that I met both William and Gregory while I was judging the “grading and drainage” module at our Certified Landscape Technicians Exam (CLT). They were there volunteering their time to help working industry professionals improve their knowledge and skills. Pretty impressive.
So here is this week's Trade Secret. When you find yourself thinking about how to improve your business and where to find great employees, instead of shelling out hundreds or thousands of dollars for classified ads through your local papers and internet searches, contact your local high schools, colleges and universities where you can actually get acquainted with your leaders of tomorrow.
You never know where you'll find the next Mav, Goose, Ice or Slider but if you're looking for the best of the best you need look no further than your local schools. And while you're at it, if you have 'help wanted' money available try investing it in a scholarship program instead of an advertisement. The returns will pay you back tenfold and the students will be very appreciative.
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