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Release Date: November 2011
Press Inquiries:
Anita Gambill
757-486-9151
(INDIANAPOLIS) — In October, 53,358 FFA students, sponsors and advisors gathered in
Indianapolis, Ind., to proudly represent their schools and
states in competitions designed to test their knowledge and skills during the 84th
annual National FFA Convention. For the ninth year, STIHL was a proud sponsor of the Nursery
and Landscape Career Development Event (CDE).
“Through the STIHL
sponsorship, we hope to educate the future leaders of the industry on viable
career options that promote environmental responsibility and sustainability,” said
Roger Phelps, promotional communications manager for STIHL Inc. “The FFA
students show so much drive and passion for their education, and STIHL is proud
to continue to invest in their future.
The National
FFA Nursery Landscape CDE is a competitive activity in which FFA members
test their knowledge and skills in nursery practices and landscaping.
Contestants must complete a general knowledge exam that tests horticultural
principles including plant anatomy, production, marketing, turf, landscape
design and maintenance. Each participant must also complete practicums
involving a landscape drawing, landscape estimating, plant propagation or
potting, identification of plants, disorders and equipment, and verbal sales
skills. Each team competed on local and state levels to earn the privilege of
representing their state at the National FFA convention.
This year as part of the national CDE
competition, students were tested on their verbal sales skills and evaluated
based on real-life customer service issues. Phelps, who helped administer the
test, used a recent STIHL recall as the case study. The choice raised some
eyebrows from participants, surprised that the company would share this
information.
“Responsible companies do not hide from issues, and we felt
it was essential to show the students how it is not only possible but essential
to turn a perceived negative into a positive,” said Phelps. “The students were
able to experience first hand what good customer service can do in retaining
and growing customer satisfaction and loyalty. It is something our STIHL
dealers do every day, and the exercise generated an incredible response from
the students as well as their coaches.”
As part of the
sponsorship, STIHL Inc. will send the top two teams from North
Carolina and Kansas to compete in
the Professional Landcare Network
(PLANET) Student Career Days (SCD) March 22-25, 2012 in Manhattan, Kan.
This
three-day event, sponsored by STIHL, brings together over 900 college students
and business leaders from across the country for a career fair and competition
across a wide range of industry disciplines.
Winners of the FFA
Nursery and Landscaping Career Development Event are:
Top Placing Teams
North
Carolina
Kansas
Georgia
Virginia
Texas
Ohio
Washington
Minnesota
Florida
Missouri
Next year’s event will take place in Indianapolis, October 24-27, 2012.
For more information on STIHL, visit http://www.stihlusa.com/.
About STIHL Inc.
STIHL
Inc. manufactures the number one selling brand of gasoline-powered handheld
outdoor power equipment in America for homeowners and professional
landscapers*, as well as the number one selling brand of chain saws in the
world. STIHL products are sold through servicing power equipment retailers from
coast to coast – not mass merchants. STIHL products sold through U.S. STIHL
dealers are for distribution in the United States only. For more
information or for the name of a local STIHL retailer, call toll free 1-800-GO
STIHL (1-800-467-8445) or visit the dealer locator on the STIHL website at http://www.stihlusa.com/.
*"Number one selling brand" is based on syndicated Irwin
Broh Research (commercial landscapers) as well as independent consumer research
of 2009-2011 U.S. sales and market share data for the gasoline-powered handheld
outdoor power equipment category combined sales to consumers and commercial
landscapers.
STIHL is pleased to support the work of Independent We Stand, the Tree
Research and Education Endowment Fund (TREE Fund), International Society of Arboriculture (ISA), the Tree Care Industry Association (TCIA), National FFA, Professional Landcare Network (PLANET), the American Tree Farm System (ATFS), and the National
Association of State Park Directors.
About the FFA
The National FFA
Organization is dedicated to making a positive difference in the lives of
students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through
agricultural education. Founded in 1928, the FFA organization represents a
large diversity of over 300 careers in the food, fiber and natural resources
industry. More than 7,000 FFA chapters are currently in existence; their
programs are managed on a local, state and national level.
For additional information, please visit http://www.ffa.org/.
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