We are increasingly aware that every aspect of life seems to be moving at break-neck speed - both personally and professionally. Dealing with rapid and ever accelerating change has become an integral component of our business lives. And anticipating change must be incorporated into how we plan for the future. Certainly dealing with the challenges change imposes makes AGILITY a skill we must master. Failure to do so will inevitably result in our facing significant difficulties in our businesses.

All of us in the Green industry are certainly not immune from the implications of change and its intrusion into our lives. We must anticipate it, we must be willing to continually self-assess our position relative to it, and most importantly we must deal with a broad array of forces over which we exercise little to no direct control. We are expected to be prognosticators, weatherpersons, and commodity futures soothsayers doing so while at the same time dealing with the realities of day-to-day operations. Yes, we are all facing significant challenges.

Addressing the challenges we face will necessitate our being - AGILE. If you have any doubts or see all this hyperbole please consider the following.

In the recent past we've witnessed a spate of mergers, acquisitions and bankruptcies impacting our industry. Recent events confirm this observation as we've seen an iconic turf and ornamental concern enter into an outside equity partnership resulting in steps taken to close a number of its service centers.

In the acquisition arena an off-shore concern has purchased Pick Seed West, Pick Seed Canada and Seed Research of Oregon further consolidating the US grass seed market. We read in the trades about the potential of divestiture by a major player in the agricultural products and services industry as it places a large component of its business "under strategic review with all options, including divesture, being considered".

If all those events aren't enough we all face well-intentioned legislative initiatives and governmental regulations goaled to protect Mother Earth. We face more stringent pesticide application regulations and in short order we'll all need to be nutrient management certified and have our nutrient plans written and approved. While we applaud all these efforts to protect the environment the changes they entail will certainly require - and here's that word again - our demonstrating AGILITY in all of our business dealings.

So what does all this talk about change and AGILITY have to do with Landscape Supply? Well, first of all, please know that change impacts us just as it does you. We are certainly not immune from the challenges imposed by regulation, by products coming off patent, and the confusion caused by the grid-lock characterizing all flowing out of Washington, D.C.

Despite all these challenges and with all humble pride Landscape Supply continues to operate in accordance with a set of core values that positions our customers as our #1concern. We strongly believe remaining steadfastly committed to our core values is and will continue to be the key ingredient for our success.

One of our Core Values has emerged as central to how we conduct our day-to-day business. That component of our core is education. Education is important internally for self-assessment and individual development, as well as a company-wide dedication to educating the industry.

2014 will include our delivering a number of training programs directed at bringing agronomic and business intelligence to those who commit each day to serving their customers and working for the benefit of Mother Earth.

So with renewed focus on core values, on the realization that the only person who can fire us is our customer, with proud expression of our obsession for those we serve; we now enjoy working level of financial stability.

Certainly misfortune caused by circumstances beyond our control may befall us. However, one thing is sure...any misfortune we encounter won't be the result of not working hard or as the result of not maintaining the spotlight on our core values.

I encourage all to renew their vows to the customer, to our industry and to this earth upon which we all depend. As you do the seeds of success will find fertile ground. When mixed with a dose of AGILITY you will come to truly enjoy the challenges change inevitably brings your way.