AmericanHort & HRI
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.
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.
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Outcomes
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
“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.”
Cole Mangum
Bell Nursery, MD · Past AmericanHort Board Chair
Who Can Enroll
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
For Individuals
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.
Leigh Geschwill
F&B Farms
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
For 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
Preference is given to candidates with at least five years leadership experience and 7 years relevant industry work experience.
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 leadership 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
Hear From Graduates
Investment In Yourself, Your Business, And The Industry
Jon Reelhorn
Belmont Nursery, CA
Curriculum
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.
More Curriculum DetailsAssessing Business Strategy
Leadership & People Management
Numbers & Advocacy – Driving Success
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.
At a Glance
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
10-12 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
Schedule
Key Dates
*Subject to change
01 · Session One
September 14–15, 2027
In-person
Kickoff & Strategy
October · Webinar
Individual & group work
02 · Session Two
November 9–10, 2027
In-person
Leadership & People Management
December · Webinar
Individual & group work
03 · Session Three
January 25–26, 2028
In-person
Numbers & Advocacy
February · Webinar
Individual & group work
March – May
Individual & group work
04 · Session Four
June 6–7, 2028
In-person
Value Chain & Negotiations
July · Cultivate
July 15–16, 2028
In-Person – Cultivate
LEAD Project Presentations & Class Graduation
Request More Information
Thank you for your interest in the HRI Leadership Academy. To download the informational brochure, please complete this form and a link to access the brochure will be emailed to you.
Download the program brochure for complete program details