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OSU Extension

College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences

CFAES
March 6, 2017 - 11:28am -- crook.46@osu.edu

The Tri-State GIC has been offered annually for 80+ years to horticulture professionals working in Greater Cincinnati.  This year’s GIC broke an all-time record with 582 participants.  The previous record was set last year with 558 participants.

The Tri-State GIC was held on February 2, 2017, at the Sharonville Convention Center in Hamilton County.  The day-long training program for Green Industry professionals had 7 teaching tracks involving 22 speakers making 29 teaching presentations.  The GIC's Trade Show also connected 26 exhibitors to local professionals.

GIC Trade Show

Success of the 2017 Tri-State GIC was demonstrated by the program evaluation. Here are a few highlights based on a rating scale of 1 – 5 [1 = strongly disagree; 5 = strongly agree].

  • 4.54:  the average rating response for, “The 2017 Tri-State GIC ranks at the top of educational programs that I have attended.”
  • 4.60:  The average rating response for, “New knowledge gained from the Tri-State GIC will be useful to my job, business, organization, or personal interest.”  This connects with Job Skills and Careers in our Impact Areas for OSU Extension.
  • 4.34:  The average rating response for, “I will change some pest management practices based on new knowledge gained from the Tri-State GIC” which connects to Environmental Quality in our Impact Areas.
  • 4.12:  The average rating response for, “I gained new knowledge from the Tri-State GIC Trade Show.
  • 4.60:  The average rating response for “I will recommend to others that they attend the 2018 Tri-State GIC.”

Participants in the Tri-State GIC earned a range of professional credits critical to maintaining thriving Green Industry businesses.  These included 190 International Society of Arboriculture CEUs awarded to Certified Arborists; 7 participants earned Association of Professional Landscape Designers CEUs; and 200 participants earned 611 Ohio pesticide applicator recertification credits.  Participants also earned pesticide applicator recertification credits for Kentucky and Indiana.

The GIC was a Tri-State collaborative educational effort.  Planners, facilitators, and presenters included faculty and staff from the Ohio State University Extension, Purdue Extension, the Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service, Cincinnati State Technical and Community College, the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden, and Spring Grove Cemetery and Arboretum.