HRI Leadership Academy

Leadership On All Levels

The HRI Leadership Academy guides participants through a concentrated curriculum designed to develop the skills the green industry needs to perform better, grow faster, and prepare for the future.
Get The Brochure

 Applications now closed for the Class of 2026 and will reopen Fall 2025 for Class of 2027 applications.

HRI Leadership Academy

Leadership On All Levels

The HRI Leadership Academy guides participants through a concentrated curriculum designed to develop the skills the future green industry will need to perform better, grow faster, and prepare for the future.
Download Brochure Download Brochure
HRI Leadership Academy

Leadership On All Levels

Download Brochure Download Brochure

The HRI Leadership Academy guides participants through a concentrated curriculum designed to develop the skills the future green industry will need to perform better, grow faster, and prepare for the future.

Get The Brochure

Brought To You By

a colorful logo for american horticulture on a white background
a logo for the horticultural research institute

AmericanHort and the Horticultural Research Institute (HRI) are committed to helping green industry businesses perform better, grow faster, and prepare for the future. A healthy and robust industry is one with connected leaders that have a positive impact on their businesses, their industry, and their communities.

Partnering together, AmericanHort and HRI have created the HRI Leadership Academy, an advanced program designed for rapid leadership development and real-world results. Strong leaders and strong ongoing leadership development are mission critical for green industry businesses.

Managed through HRI and generously supported by AmericanHort, the HRI Leadership Academy addresses the industry’s need for a leadership development program that serves both current and future leaders through training, coaching, and access to a growing network of industry leaders.

HRI Leadership Academy Program Graduates Will Gain

Ability to view their business and its opportunities and challenges holistically

Improved leadership and people management skills and an ability to motivate others

Ability to effectively manage complex issues and challenges with confidence

Ability to transform vision into action

Continued growth through participation in a broader industry network of leaders

A Concentrated Curriculum For Leadership Growth

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Cole Mangum

Bell Nursery, MD
AmericanHort Board Chair
 

“I had the opportunity to participate in a very similar program through my company. As someone with years of industry experience, this proved an incredible learning experience. I further honed my business analysis and negotiation skills and I put these learnings into practice on the job immediately, helping me be more effective in my work.”


a man wearing glasses and a suit is smiling for the camera
Cole Mangum
Bell Nursery, MD
AmericanHort Board Chair

Who Should Enroll

Leadership is an action, not a position. The HRI Leadership Academy is a program that prepares you for leadership challenges ahead, no matter what your role. We develop leaders on all levels, from top-achieving leaders to top-performing talent.

Matt Foertmeyer
Foertmeyer & Sons Greenhouse

Benefits For Individual

Professionals consistently rate personal growth and accomplishment as top motivators. The HRI Leadership Academy provides participants the opportunity to grow personally and professionally, through leadership and business skills training, engagement with a green industry network, and completion of a real-world culminating LEAD Project.

Participants will:

DEVELOP
essential tools to enhance business management, leadership skills and strengths 

ACQUIRE
strong communication skills, critical thinking skills, and people management skills

UNDERSTAND
articulate, and confront different perspectives on issues or challenges

RESPOND
more proactively to challenges that affect your business and the industry

LEARN
to convert a vision into action through effective and appropriate planning, communication and motivation

STRENGTHEN
effectiveness in organizing and utilizing teams

DEMONSTRATE
ability to deal effectively, competently, and confidently with complicated issues and challenges that affect the business and the industry

BUILD
and participate in a broad industry leadership network

Benefits For Individual

Professionals consistently rate personal growth and accomplishment as top motivators. The HRI Leadership Academy provides participants the opportunity to grow personally and professionally, through leadership and business skills training, engagement with a green industry network, and completion of a real-world capstone project.

Participants will:

DEVELOP essential tools to enhance business management, leadership skills and strengths 

UNDERSTAND articulate, and confront different perspectives on issues or challenges

ACQUIRE strong communication skills, critical thinking skills, and people management skills

RESPOND more proactively to challenges that affect your business and the industry

LEARN to convert a vision into action through effective and appropriate planning, communication and motivation

DEMONSTRATE ability to deal effectively, competently, and confidently with complicated issues and challenges that affect the business and the industry

STRENGTHEN effectiveness in organizing and utilizing teams

BUILD and participate in a broad industry leadership network

Leigh Geschwill
F&B Farms

Benefits For Business

Green industry businesses understand that effective leadership development requires a sustained commitment to leadership training to keep top leaders performing at high levels and to encourage new leaders to grow their skills.

The HRI Leadership Academy provides businesses opportunity to:

RETAIN top talent

RECOGNIZE and build leaders for the business and the overall industry

DEVELOP talent to keep companies on the cutting edge of change and growth

IDENTIFY and train potential successors

ARM talent with tools to become better leaders, coaches, and decision makers

DELIVER a hands-on learning environment where leaders explore real challenges for green industry businesses

Benefits For Business

Green industry businesses understand that effective leadership development requires a sustained commitment to leadership training to keep top leaders performing at high levels and to encourage new leaders to grow their skills.

The HRI Leadership Academy provides businesses opportunity to:

RETAIN top talent

RECOGNIZE and build leaders for the business and the overall industry

DEVELOP talent to keep companies on the cutting edge of change and growth

IDENTIFY and train potential successors

ARM talent with tools to become better leaders, coaches, and decision makers

DELIVER a hands-on learning environment where leaders explore real challenges for green industry businesses

Leadership On All Levels

Senior
Leaders

Enhance leadership skills to prepare for the future growth of your company

Hone strategies to guide your business and influence the industry

Refine your management skills and refresh leadership strategies

Engage with leaders on a national level

Experienced
Professionals

Assess and build upon professional skills to prepare for increased leadership responsibilities within your company and your industry

Expand your understanding of regional and national industry trends and challenges

Increase your business expertise beyond your current role to include finance, leadership, strategy, communication and more

Acquire leaderships skills to help you drive and manage change in your organization

Top-Performing Talent at All Levels

Develop your ability to lead

Increase your understanding of foundational business principles

Develop your ability to collaborate and lead cross-functional teams

Accelerate your path to a leadership role in your business, the industry, and your community

Preference is given to candidates with at least five years leadership experience and 7 years relevant industry work experience.

Owners & Senior Leaders

Enhance leadership skills to prepare for the future growth of your company

Improve business acumen to help you both guide your company strategy and influence industry strategy

Refine your management skills and refresh leadership strategies

Engage with leaders on a national level to position you as an industry and community leader

Experienced Professionals

Assess and build upon professional skills to prepare for increased leadership responsibilities within your company and your industry

Expand your understanding of regional and national industry trends and challenges

Increase your business expertise beyond your current role to include finance, leadership, strategy, communication and more

Acquire leaderships skills to help you drive and manage change in your organization

Top-Performing Talent At All Levels

Develop your ability to lead

Increase your business acumen and learn business operations

Develop your ability to collaborate and lead cross-functional teams

Accelerate your path to a leadership role in your business, the industry, and your community

Investment In Yourself, Your Business, And The Industry

a man in a red shirt is smiling for the camera .

Jon Reelhorn

Belmont Nursery, CA
AmericanHort Vice Chairman
a man in a red shirt is smiling for the camera .
Jon Reelhorn
Belmont Nursery, CA
AmericanHort Vice Chairman

Program Curriculum

The HRI Leadership Academy is a one-year program consisting of four in-person training sessions (two days each), each with six to eight weeks in between. The HRI Leadership Academy offers training in the following fundamental business management and leadership concepts:

two green gears are connected to each other on a white background .

Assessing Business Strategy

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Leadership & People Management

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Numbers & Advocacy – Driving Success

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Managing the Value Chain

The program follows a
LEARN > REINFORCE > APPLY curriculum

Participants will LEARN new skills in class, REINFORCE their learnings in between sessions, and APPLY the concepts in a culminating LEAD Project.

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How It Works

Program Length

12 Months

Time Commitment

4 in-person, 2-day classes

10 hours/month preparation

Culminating LEAD Project

*subject to change

Class Size

12-15 Students

Format

Hybrid program

In-person and online components

Delivery Style

Led by business and leadership coaches and green industry subject matter experts

Costs

There are no application fees and tuition is covered by AmericanHort

Key Dates

Application Deadline

Check back soon to get upcoming Class of 2026 dates

Application Closed

 Applications now closed for the Class of 2026 and will reopen Fall 2025 for Class of 2027 applications.

Review Process

February 7, 2025: Phase One Application Deadline

February 26, 2025: Phase Two Application Deadline

March: Reviews

April: Finalist Interviews

01

Session One

In-person - September

Kickoff & Strategy

October

Webinar

Individual & group work

02

Session Two

In-person - November

Leadership & People Management

December

Webinar

Individual & group work

03

Session Three

In-person - January

Numbers & Advocacy

February

Webinar

Individual & group work

March - May

Individual & group work

04

Session Four

In-person - June

Value Chain & Negotiations

July

In-Person - Cultivate

LEAD Project Presentations & Class Graduation

Download the program brochure for complete program details

Get The Brochure

*Subject to change

Request More Information

Thank you for your interest in the HRI Leadership Academy. To download the informational brochure, please completed this form and a link to access the brochure will be emailed to you.

Have Questions?

Contact HRI or AmericanHort at HRI@AmericanHort.org or
call us at 614-487-1117

Application Closed

 Applications now closed for the Class of 2026 and will reopen Fall 2025 for Class of 2027 applications.