Fred Whyte-STIHL(left)         &nbs p; P. Allen Smith (right)

I don’t know if you have anyone that you look up to in your industry, but meeting P. Allen Smith had be the highlight of the 2008 GIE+EXPO for me. For those of you that live under a rock and don’t know about him, here is a little bio on P. Allen.

P. Allen Smith is an award-winning garden designer and host of the public television program, P. Allen Smith's Garden Home and the syndicated 30-minute show P. Allen Smith Gardens. He has emerged as America's most recognized and respected garden design expert, providing ideas and inspiration through multiple media venues.

As a fourth generation nurseryman who owned and operated his own garden center, Smith gained years of practical experience guiding the gardening public before he launched a career in television. After studying garden history and design at the University of Manchester in England through an International Rotary Scholarship and becoming a Certified Fellow of the Royal Horticultural Society, he returned to this country with the mission of inspiring Americans to embrace the joy of creating beautiful gardens.

I had an absolutely incredible interview with him and it was pretty funny to have the tables turned when he did a totally impromptu interview on me. He asked some good questions and I have to tell you it was pretty weird being on the other side of the mic. It was also funny to hear him dub himself "Plant Geek."

P. Allen has an amazing website that is full of valuable information. He can tell you everything from how to take care of your garden to what his latest recipe is. I’m sure that we will stay in touch with him and keep you informed on what all he has going on. If you want to learn more about P. Allen, to find out about his books or his TV shows, visit: www.pallensmith.com 

Well, following the same line of meeting someone you look up to. Right before I met P. Allen Smith I had a one on one chat with Fred Whyte, President of STIHL Incorporated. I wanted to make sure to tell Mr. Whyte about my journeys this year covering all the events. I also wanted him to know how much the people that use his products every day really appreciate not only the quality of the products, but the incredible support that comes with owning a STIHL product.

Mr. Whyte had thanked me for the kind words and was off to his next meeting. You know it may have only been 5 minutes, but I felt honored to have spoken with such an amazing man. I’m really excited to try out my new handheld blower the next time I mow my yard. If you want to find out more about STIHL or to find a dealer in your area, visit: www.stihlusa.com 

If you want to see The Best of GIE+EXPO 2008, it will be on www.lgwvpro.com later this week.

Tell us who you look up to. It doesn’t have to be anyone in your industry, but someone you really admire. You never know, you may just get the chance to meet that person someday.