November/December 2022 - 12

DUETS
moms, but you're also benefiting in another
way. Your moms are role models in our industry,
not just in your private lives. They've impacted
your careers and Molly, to your point, they've
allowed you to see yourselves here.
Pam: Peter, I think there has been
generational progress. My mother was one
of the only female sales reps on Long Island,
a very tough market with a heavy male
persona. Mom set a great example of not being
intimidated by men. My mom had to fight for
respect. I don't necessarily have to fight for
it to the extent she did. I can leverage the
baseline she has already set.
People respect my mom because she knows
our products and how they provide solutions
to customer problems. She always set good
examples of professionalism when dealing
with all types of people. She also illustrated
the personal rules we needed to follow to be
successful at work, like getting enough sleep,
eating well, dressing professionally, etc. I
have the benefit of having a strong mentor
that helped shape my career, especially
when it came to working in male-dominated
environments.
Peter: Pam, I've sat on committees
and boards with Lela and Bridget; their
professionalism cruises in gender-less rare
air. And yes, our moms taught the importance
of eating well and going to bed early. I hope
dads are demanding clean plates, completed
homework and " lights out " too.
Molly: My dad has always done a good job of
modeling behaviors for us - both at home and
professionally. Both of my parents have also
set us up so we could learn by doing. When I
rejoined the family business, my dad allowed
me to lead initiatives and use him as an expert
reference. We could enable more women in
horticulture if men voluntarily played a support
or coaching role.
Pam: I was very fortunate in the exposure I
received from my parents. During summer, Lela
and Eddy would bring us to trade shows; we
were the proverbial " trade show " kids running
around grabbing candy and knickknacks. But
it gave me a chance to see my mom in action.
She was able to mentor me. It was a real
" bring your daughter to work " thing. I could
see how she handled different situations. I
understood how my parents fashioned the
company philosophy around being 100%
customer-centric.
Peter: What does our industry need to do to
achieve equality and inclusivity? My wife and
I have raised a daughter, and four of our five
grandchildren are girls. I need to keep getting
better to shape a world where they can achieve
their dreams.
Molly: One thing I've noticed in horticulture
is events advertised with little to no diversity,
gender or otherwise. A recent executive
conference promoted a group of experts that
was all men and men older than me. I think
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the horticulture industry needs to start setting
targets for diversity at events, conferences
and in publications. I was part of GPN's 40
Under 40 this year - one of 18 women (go to
gpnmag.com/40-under-40-awards). Eighteen
of 40 is approaching equality, but I don't
see this happening on conference programs,
advisory boards, etc.
Cultivate has started a Women in
Horticulture luncheon, which has been wildly
successful. This past year, the speaker was a
motivational speaker from outside the industry.
There are many women in this industry with
outstanding accomplishments who also have
meaningful messages. For example, Bridget
Behe and Lela Kelly joined you in this column
recently; it seems like another opportunity
lost when women like them are not in these
speaking slots.
We need to keep going and do more. Design
conference programs to ensure there is one
woman speaking at each time slot. Have
networking sessions specifically for women.
Create opportunities for junior women to work
with a professional, motivational speaker to
create content.
Peter: That's an excellent point, Molly, to
have at least one woman speaking in each
conference time slot. Once that becomes
routine, equality in a 50-50 speaker split
will follow. Once that becomes routine, our
daughter's daughters will only know inclusivity.
Pam: Until then, I think a woman needs to
have thick skin. You can't take offense to every
slight. My mom taught me to be confident. You
only get that confidence by working hard and
learning the business.
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Molly: I'm at the point on my path where I
would like to focus more on what to do and
what to change than focusing only on the
problems. However, we can't move forward
with women alone, and getting allies and
advocates from men in the horticulture industry
is important.
You, Peter, are doing this with your work right
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here and now. Men in leadership positions have
to continue to find opportunities to create a
more diverse and inclusive industry. You can
insist any event you participate in has diversity
targets, suggest women for speaking roles and
nominate women for industry recognition. And,
yes, practice the simple habit of speaking less
and listening more.
Peter: Thank you both for sharing your
experiences and expectations. Given the
roles our moms play in our careers, I'm going
to lobby for a GPN 40 Under 40 spin off -
Matriarch Mentors.
http://www.gpnmag.com/40-under-40-awards http://www.uline.com http://www.ag2tc.com http://www.GPNMAG.COM
November/December 2022

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