Joe is President of Focal Point Communications in Cincinnati Ohio. Focal Point is a second-generation advertising and marketing company, serving primarily small and medium sized service businesses with their marketing and communications needs.

Joe is a graduate from the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music, and lives in Cincinnati with his wife and two children.

Former Business Unit Manager for the Pest Control Solutions (PCS) group for BASF, Dan Carrothers has responsibility for managing the overall pest control business including termite and general insect. Prior to this, Carrothers was the chief operating officer (COO) for DATACORE Marketing LLC, with responsibility for managing all day-to-day operations as well as all operations employees; supporting quality control, client services, and business development; and overseeing the processes for hiring, training, and retaining employees as a member of the senior management team.

Prior to his role at BASF and DATACORE, Carrothers led the Green business for Bayer Environmental Science in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. Carrothers has also worked in various roles with both Monsanto Canada Inc. in Winnipeg as well as Esso Petroleum Canada in Winnipeg, Toronto, and Edmonton. Carrothers is married to wife Kim and they have two children; Lindsay and Ryan.

Michael Maravich is vice president of the US Specialty Business at Sipcam Agro USA, Inc., a company proud to play an important role in the production, distribution, and marketing of plant protection products in the agricultural, turf, ornamental industries, as well as in the material preservation industry. Headquartered in Durham, North Carolina, Sipcam Agro USA, Inc. is owned by the Sipcam Oxon Group, an Italian company recognized worldwide for formulation and manufacturing expertise.

Prior to his role at Sipcam Agro USA, Maravich had various strategic roles in sales, marketing and product development for LESCO/John Deere, Arysta Lifescience and Primera, Inc. Along with Maravich’s support of Project Evergreen, he also dedicates his time to the RISE organization as a contributor to the Communications Committee. Maravich earned his degree from The Ohio State University and resides in sunny La Quinta, California.

With over 30 years’ experience, Scott Bills, CSFM expertly designs, builds, renovates and maintains natural and synthetic athletic fields. Since April 2008 when he founded Sports Field Solutions, LLC, Bills has been evaluating and making recommendations for improvements in safety, playability and appearance to hundreds of sports field managers throughout New Jersey and across the country.

Sean Casey is vice president of sales with Nufarm Turf and Ornamental. A graduate of Purdue University, Casey is actively involved with RISE and NALP. He resides in Greenwood, Ind. with his wife, Ellen and two daughters, Lauren and Rachel.

Furrer is the Chief Executive Officer at United Turf Alliance (UTA), a consortium of U.S. turf and ornamental distributors dedicated to selling a portfolio of post-patent and leading-edge chemical technologies to today’s discriminating turf professional under the ArmorTech® and Optimizer® brand names. Furrer earned degrees in Turfgrass Management from The Ohio State University and Marketing from Franklin University.

Mike Dauer’s career in direct marketing and data management spans 25 years. Focusing primarily on Lawn Care, but including other service industries as well, Dauer has helped companies of all sizes market their businesses and gain new customers to create healthy green space. His active involvement in national associations such as PLANET, PLCAA, NPMA and OLCA lends fresh perspective to his marketing techniques, while keeping him abreast of the latest industry technology and trends.

Since joining Real Green Systems eight years ago, Dauer has toured the U.S. helping thousands of customers market and grow their businesses through the use of direct marketing and data management strategies. dauer and his wife, Tami, have been married for over 31 years and have two adult children. When not working, he enjoys working in his yard, spending time with his family, boating and golfing.

Kevin Laycock has been in the specialty agriculture industry for 13 years. In his current role at FMC Corporation, he leads the marketing team and oversees all marketing activities, including brand management, product launches, strategic planning, and pricing for both the Turf & Ornamental and Pest Control markets. Prior to joining FMC in 2015, Laycock spent over 10 years at Bayer Environmental Science as a National Account Manager in the Turf & Ornamental and Consumer Lawn & Garden businesses giving him experience in both B2B and B2C sales and marketing.

Laycock has volunteered with the Make-A-Wish Foundation and The First Tee, which educates children on core life values through the game of golf. Laycock holds a Bachelor of Science degree from East Carolina University and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He resides in Cherry Hill, NJ and is based out of FMC’s headquarters in Philadelphia, PA. He is married to wife Megan and they have two children, Owen and Quinn.

Doug Obermann currently the Vice President of Sales for Gordon’s Professional Turf & Ornamental Products at PBI-Gordon Corporation. He has been with PBI/Gordon for 29 years and has worked as a product manager; in research and development; as a field sales representative; and key account management. Raised on a farm in SE Missouri, Obermann taught Introduction to Agronomy classes as a teaching assistant at Iowa State University, where he earned his Masters degree in Agronomy. Obermann earned a Bachelor of Science degree with a double major from University of Missouri. He resides in Kansas City, Missouri.

George Roberts is the Director of Public Space for the Quicken Loans Community Investment Fund. In this role, George leads QLCIF’s investments in the  redevelopment and operation of parks, streets, plazas, alleys, bike lanes, libraries, and other civic  infrastructure throughout the city of Detroit.   Prior to joining Quicken Loans, George lived in New York City and worked for the national leader in public space redevelopment, Biederman Redevelopment Ventures. In this role, George led the creation and  redevelopment  of award-winning public spaces across the country including Klyde Warren  Park (Dallas, Texas), LeBauer  Park (Greensboro, North Carolina), and Occidental Square (Seattle, Washington).

George is member of the board of NextGen Detroit at the  Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit, The Well, the Roosevelt Park  Partnership, the Detroit Greenways Coalition, and the Founders Junior Council at the Detroit Institute of  Arts.

George attended the University of Michigan earning a bachelors degree in Urban and Metropolitan Studies and a Graduate Certificate in Real Estate Development from Ross School of Business / Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning.   George is originally from Birmingham, Michigan and lives in downtown  Detroit.

Throughout his time in the marketing research field, Brad Seipel has worn many hats, holding the positions of phone room supervisor, analyst, moderator and account director—giving him a unique understanding of both the researched consumer and the analytic process. He offers clients experience in both quantitative and qualitative research methods spanning various client groups including consumers and business professionals.

Seipel is known for designing marketing research solutions that address clients’ business and information needs and providing actionable results. Seipel is consistently recognized for his commitment to providing superior client service and for creating strong client relationships. He has supported clients in a wide range of industries including: agri-business, animal health, education, life science, consumer goods, tobacco, and financial services.

Takisha Truss is the marketing manager for U.S. Turf & Ornamentals at BASF, the world’s largest chemical company focused on creating chemistry for a sustainable future. Truss rejoined BASF June 2018, bringing her extensive experience creating and implementing strategic, global, integrated marketing plans. Truss earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Georgia and a Master of Business Administration from Wayne State University. She resides in Raleigh, NC.

Vogel has been involved in the “green industry” his whole life. He grew up on a dairy farm just outside Milwaukee Wisconsin and later worked with his father in the family farm supply business. After graduating college with a degree in agronomy, Vogel started the Spring Valley division of the family business to work with the lawn care, landscape and golf course markets.

Spring Valley now ships throughout the U.S. and the world supplying fertilizer and ice melter products. Supporting the industry, Vogel has been on the boards of The Wisconsin Landscape Contractors, Wisconsin Green Industry Federation, Mid-Am Horticultural Trade Show, Project Evergreen and more. Married with three grown children, Vogel enjoys his four grandchildren, snowboarding, biking and flying his plane.

Alan White is currently the Climate Adaptation Chairman for the Canadian Nursery and Landscape Association and owner of Turf Systems Inc. based in Burlington, Ontario. With over 28 years of business experience White truly believes in maintaining and preserving green spaces for all to enjoy. This belief has kept him busy, both in his business operating Turf Systems Inc. and representing the Canadian Landscape Industry.

His efforts have included helping develop the IPM Accreditation Program in Canada as an active member on the IPM Council of Canada’s board of Directors, and In 2004 was elected to the Provincial Board of Landscape Ontario and in 2012 moved to represent Ontario on the Canadian Nursery and Landscape Associations Board of Directors. White embraces many of the challenges facing the green industry today and views them as opportunities for the future. His passion for Project EverGreen has no borders. White feels together we can make a difference globally in ensuring green spaces remain part of our environment, our future and our urban health.

Ashley Williams is a veteran marketing and sales executive in agriculture with both basic manufacturer and agency experience. She has 10 years of experience with legacy Syngenta companies, both on the seeds and crop protection side, including serving as communications manager, product manager, database marketing manager and the first woman district sales manager globally.

Williams has been with legacy Technekes, (now TKXS since its merger with XSInc), for 15 years heading up Client Services and Business Development. TKXS is a B2B technology and data-driven solutions company that provides data collection, data science, technology and data-enabled marketing, and incentive solutions in the agriculture, manufacturing and health care businesses.

Williams’ interest in lawn and landscape expands beyond her TKXS work life into her personal life. She and her husband, David, are avid advocates of The Tyler David Williams Memorial Scholarship in honor of her son Tyler through the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro. Since 2012, seven college scholarships have been awarded to Guilford County High School students who exuded Tyler’s laws of life.