Jun 1, 2017

Mark Your Calendar By Tim Hodson

If you haven’t heard already, the 2017 Big Grower Executive Summit will take place this October near Boston, Massachusetts.

The Four Points by Sheraton in Wakefield, just north of Boston, will host the event Oct. 1-3.

The theme for this year’s Summit is “What’s Next?”

This year marks the 10^th anniversary of GPN’s Big Grower Executive Summit. The goal of the Summit is to provide growers with exclusive insight into the changing dynamics of today’s marketplace.

During the two-and-a-half-day event, attendees will be able to take advantage of educational and networking opportunities as well as an informative tour of Pleasant View Gardens and lēf farms in Loudon, New Hampshire.

At the Big Grower Executive Summit, you will have the opportunity to interact with other growers and industry leaders in candid discussions on critical topics and gain new insights from respected experts in different walks of business.

It is your chance to gain new perspectives and solutions to the business challenges our industry faces and find out what’s next and where we are headed.

To learn more about the program, click here.

So be sure to circle Oct. 1-3, on your calendar if you want to learn What’s Next!

— Tim

Wal-Mart Expands Military Pay Program

Right before Memorial Day, Wal-Mart announced it was expanding its military leave of absence policy, offering differential pay to all eligible military associates taking on assignments lasting more than three days — including basic training. Now, if an associate’s military salary is less than what they were making at their job at Walmart, the company will pay them the difference while they are on a military leave of absence. In 2016, Walmart associates took more than 4,400 military leaves of absence.

Home Depot Continues to Grow

The Home Depot recently announced that its first quarter sales were up 5 percent outpacing most other brick-and-mortar retailers. Analysts say the increase can be attributed to the company’s dynamic growth strategy and bodes well for the future. Among the drivers of this growth are: the retailer continues to partner with suppliers that bring exclusive and innovative products to its stores; the company is focusing on new support services to for its expanding Pro sales division; and its integrated retail strategy that connects in-store and online sales is helping make its stores more efficient and profitable.

Lowe’s Begins Converting Rona Stores

Lowe’s has started rebranding two Rona Home & Garden stores to the Lowe’s brand. In 2016, the number two home improvement retailer acquired 500 Rona stores in Canada. Earlier this week, the company announced its store in Langford, British Columbia, would begin a 16-week “physical transformation” process including construction, departmental sequencing of new racking and re-merchandising, branding and IT conversion. Earlier this year, Lowe’ began converting a store in Edmonton.