Jun 12, 2015
Face to Face with the Future By Tim Hodson

Next month at Cultivate’15 in Columbus, Ohio, you will have a chance to come face to face with the future of the horticulture industry.

On Monday, July 13, I will be hosting a Mix ‘n Mingle session where you will have an opportunity to meet many of the members of the Class of 2015 of GPN’s 40 Under 40.

It is an informal session that is open to all attendees and will take place in Terrace Ballroom Foyer 4 & 5 in the Greater Columbus Convention Center from 11 a.m. until 12 noon.

If you want to learn more about who these individuals are and why they do what they do, then you should definitely join us for this session.

The Mix ‘n Mingle session is your chance to look into the future and see where we are headed.

For more information on attending cultivate, please visit www.cultivate15.org.

Tim

Whole Foods to Add Chain of Smaller, Less Expensive Stores

Last week, Whole Foods announced the name of its new chain of smaller stores would be “365 by Whole Foods Market.” The new grocery chain’s name is based on the company’s 365 Everyday Value house brand. The chain of smaller-sized stores with lower prices is scheduled to debut in 2016. Initially there will be between five and 10 stores in the United States.

Wal-Mart Names New Chairman

Earlier this month at its annual shareholder meeting, Wal-Mart named Greg Penner as its next chairman. Penner will succeed current chairman, Rob Walton, who has been chair for 23 years. Walton said in a statement that Penner “brings an ideal blend of finance, technology and international business expertise as well as a deep knowledge and love of Wal-Mart “- to this role.” Penner is the grandson-in-law of Wal-Mart’s founder, Sam Walton.

Lowe’s Looks for Competitive Advantages

As Lowe’s continues to battle the Home Depot for market share, the No. 2 home improvement retailer is continually looking for ways to differentiate itself. In a recent interview Lowe’s CEO Robert Niblock said the company needs to “continually change to meet customer’s expectations, change to adapt to new technology” because the world is changing at a rapid pace. Niblock said the company is focusing on integrating technology channels so the customer’s in-store shopping experience is similar to the retailer’s on-line presence.