Association News

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Bayer Superintendent Grant Program Winners Announced

For the fifth consecutive year, Bayer Environmental Science and The Environmental Institute for Golf are sending five golf course superintendents to the 2008 Golf Course Superintendents Association of America Education Conference and Golf Industry Show, taking place January 28 to February 2 in Orlando, Fla.

The purpose of this grant is to assist golf course superintendents with their professional development through participation in the annual event.

The winners are Eric Morrison, Groton, Conn.; William Irving, Kearney, Neb.; Steven Fisher, Camillus, N.Y.; Tom Forsythe, Thunder Bay, Ont.; and Christopher Moyer, Findlay, Ohio.

ASLA Calls for Awards Program Entries

The American Society of Landscape Architects released the call for entries for its 2008 professional and student awards program. The awards honor the best in landscape architecture from around the globe and will be presented in October at the ASLA Annual Meeting and Expo in Philadelphia, Pa.

The professional awards entry deadline is February 1, and submissions must be received by February 15. Student entry forms are due May 9, and submissions must be received by May 23.

The professional awards jury convening in March will include Warren T. Byrd, Mary Ellen Cowan, Robert A. Ivy, Niall Kirkwood, Steve Martino, Elizabeth D. Miller, Dennis Pieprz, W. Gary Smith and Kongjian Yu.

The student awards jury convening in June will include F. Christopher Dimond, Cheryl Barton, Abhijeet Chavan, Barbara Faga, Walter Hood, Jane Kolleeny, Kevin Robert Perry, Kristen Richards and Kevin M. Shanley.

Categories in the program are general design, residential design, analysis & planning, research, communications and The Landmark Award. The student awards program also features a student collaboration category and Student Community Service Awards.

The 2008 call for entries is available online at http://www.asla.org/awards/2008/rules_entries/

ANLA to Launch Masters Program

The American Nursery & Landscape Association’s landscape division will launch its Masters in Landscape Business Management Program February 7 and 8 in Louisville, Ky. The program is an intense course for owners and general managers of small-to-medium-sized landscape design/build firms designed to improve profitability and increase competitive standing. The program will be taught by Marcus vandeVliet, president of MV Consulting, who has more than 20 years of experience developing and implementing operational systems for landscape firms.

CAIA Named IA Partner of the Year

The California Agricultural Irrigation Association has been named Irrigation Association 2007 Partner of the Year.

The award recognizes a great partnership that strengthens both organizations. The CAIA regularly brings irrigation education to California growers and has strong relationships with the state government and California’s federal lawmakers.

Zwilling Joins Board of Directors

The Mid-Atlantic chapter of the International Erosion Control Association recently welcomed Steve Zwilling as its newest member of the board of directors.

Zwilling, a market development manager for Profile Products LLC, has been involved with IECA since 1993. The Mooresville, N.C., resident was added as a member at-large since North Carolina did not need a specific state representative at the time.

His role will include educating people in the region about the IECA in an effort to drive membership and grow the chapter. He will also work with the 15-member board to serve as an educational steward on job sites.

Zwilling, who joined Profile Products in 2000, is also a past board member of the Erosion Control Technology Council and has been a volunteer instructor at several industry events. He was also a prior owner/partner of the Conwed Fibers Corp.

Carolinas Superintendents Show Continues to Grow

Support for the Carolinas Golf Course Superintendents Association’s annual conference and trade show continues to grow, with revenues topping $600,000 for the first time. A record total of 222 exhibiting companies occupied a record 428 booths at the 2007 show in Myrtle Beach, S.C. Demand for education also hit a new high with a total of 1,278 seats sold across three full-day and 23 half-day seminars.

Mitchell Wilkerson, director of golf and grounds at Moss Creek Plantation in Bluffton, S.C., was elected Carolinas GCSA president at the annual business meeting. Paul Jett, from Pinehurst No. 2 in Pinehurst, N.C., is vice president.

Dyrck Fanning, from The Bayonet at Puppy Creek in Lumberton, N.C., won the Carolinas GCSA golf championship. David Bowbliss, from National Golf Club in Pinehurst, N.C., won a weeklong golf trip for two to Scotland in the 27-Hole Challenge.

Patton Receives 2007 Musser Award

The Musser International Turfgrass Foundation has selected Dr. Aaron J. Patton of the University of Arkansas as the recipient of the 2007 Musser Award of Excellence. The award, which carries a stipend of $20,000, was presented earlier this year at the Golf Industry Show in Anaheim, Calif.

Patton is an assistant professor and extension turfgrass specialist in Arkansas’ Department of Horticulture. He earned his doctoral and master’s degrees from Purdue University after completing his undergraduate studies at Iowa State University.

Patton was selected based on his excellence in turfgrass science, as well as his work in the field and the classroom.

NTF Updates Web Site

The National Turfgrass Federation has updated its Web site, www.turfresearch.org, to recognize the support of the following organizations and companies over the past year: United States Golf Association, The Irrigation Association, Turfgrass Producers International, Professional Landcare Network, Dow Agrosciences, Project Evergreen, Hunter Industries, The Scotts Co., Metro Atlanta Landscape and Turf Association, Minnesota Turf and Grounds Foundation, Kentucky Turfgrass Council, Sports Turf Managers Association and National Turfgrass Evaluation Program.

Other enhancements made to the site include a United States map highlighting the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service turfgrass research and a more complete description of NTF and its governance. The U.S. map highlights research by state and research category, and offers links to more information on ARS turfgrass research projects, their purpose and progress.

The Edwin Budding Award

The International Golf Course Equipment Managers Association (IGCEMA) has developed The Edwin Budding Award for those who have made significant contributions to the golf course equipment industry. The award will be awarded to someone in the industry who meets the criteria as set forth by the association and the award committee.

Those who wish to nominate someone for this award should describe in great detail why the individual should receive this award and what measurable attributes set this individual apart from their colleagues. Nominations should be sent to nominations@igcema.org. The deadline for nominations will be December 1, and the winner will be presented the award at the Golf Industry Show on an annual basis.

For more information, contact Stephen Tucker at 877-839-8362 or Stephen.tucker@igcema.org , or visit www.igcema.org online.

Carlson Earns National Environmental Award

The Golf Course Superintendents Association of America board of directors has selected Jeff Carlson, GCSAA certified golf course superintendent at Vineyard Golf Club in Massachusetts, to receive its 2008 President’s Award for Environmental Stewardship.

Carlson oversees an all-organic turf care regimen at Vineyard Golf Club. He is a 22-year GCSAA Class-a member and has established himself as an environmental leader through his work on the golf course, in the community and on behalf of the industry. He spent 30 years working on Cape Cod at Brewster Golf Course, later known as Ocean Edge. In 1998, he left Cape Cod at Brewster to work with Architect Michael Hurdzan in building the environmentally acclaimed Widow’s Walk in Scituate, Mass., which earned him a GCSAA Environmental Steward Award in 1998. Carlson was a member of the original group of participants who crafted the Environmental Principles for Golf in 1996.

Toro Co. Extends Support of NGCOA

The Toro Co. has extended its sponsorship and support of the National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA) and will continue as the association’s “Preferred Supplier of Irrigation and Turf Equipment” through at least 2012.

Toro has been a preferred supplier of the NGCOA for the past five years and a longtime member and supporter of the association, which represents golf course owners and operators worldwide.

The two organizations will develop an integrated marketing program, including print and online media, events and promotions, to communicate management practices that promote a more stable and profitable business for members. In addition, the partnership will continue to strengthen the industry via the collaborative application of resources at major national and regional events, including the involvement of Toro’s channel partners with NGCOA chapters.

GCSAA Scholarships

The Golf Course Superintendents Association of America has awarded scholarship money to 16 college students as part of the GCSAA Scholars Program administered by GCSAA’s philanthropic organization, The Environmental Institute for Golf.

First-place winner David Golembeski, New Milford, Conn., received a $6,000 scholarship as well as the Mendenhall Award. The second-place winner, William Overly, Louisburg, Kan., received a $5,000 scholarship and the MacCurrach Award. Both will also receive an all-expense-paid trip to the GCSAA Education Conference and Golf Industry Show in Orlando, Fla.

Shane Brockhoff, Carole Townsend, Chris Parsons, Ian Gallagher, Meghyn Stalcup, Gregory Caldwell, Christopher Skvir, Tyler Wenger, Jonathan Chase Webb and Nathaniel Watkin were awarded stipends ranging from $1,250 to $2,500.

Merit Winners Richard Gillispie and Jon Cancel won $500. Luis M. Casado and Roque Buendia-Perez were awarded $2,000 Ambassador Scholarships.

ASLA Inducts 2008 Officers

The American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) inducted Perry Howard as the 60th president of the 18,000-member society during the 2007 Annual Meeting and Expo in San Francisco, Calif.

Since 1989, Howard has served as program coordinator for the landscape architecture department at North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University. Previously, he was a vice president at EDSA in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Howard received his BLA from Louisiana State University and his MLA from the Harvard University Graduate School of Design. He has a long history of service with ASLA, holding positions in the Florida and North Carolina chapters.

Howard’s successor in 2009 will be President-Elect Angela Dye of Phoenix, Ariz. Founder of A Dye Design, Inc., she has more than 25 years of experience in landscape architecture. Previously ASLA’s vice president of government affairs, Dye has also served in positions in the Arizona chapter.

ASLA also installed three new vice presidents for two-year terms: Tom Tavella, Terry Clements and Jonathan Mueller. Continuing service on the executive committee are Todd Wichman, Gary Scott and Susan Hatchell.

Recipients of IA Award Named

Two leaders in micro-irrigation have been named recipients of the Irrigation Association Industry Achievement Award. Established in 1966, the award recognizes individuals who have contributed to the advancement of the irrigation industry.

Fred Hamisch, a founding member of the Irrigation Dealers Association of California, invests time and resources in projects like the Agricultural Technology Applications Center in Tulare, Calif., and has served on numerous Irrigation Association committees. He is also president of Hydratec, which he bought in 1988.

The second recipient is Gershon Eckstein of Drip Irrigation Systems Ltd. of San Diego, Calif., who is credited with changing the drip irrigation market with the invention of an integrated dripper.

Ariens Attains GCSAA Silver Partner Status

Ariens Co. has pledged its support of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America and its members by committing to participate in the association’s Partner Recognition Program. Ariens will invest resources at the program’s “Silver” level.

Established in 1933 in Brillion, Wis., Ariens manufactures outdoor power equipment for both consumer and commercial use.

GCSAA’s Partner Recognition Program provides year-round exposure based on a prescribed level of investment. GCSAA industry partners can choose among Platinum, Gold and Silver levels as a means to achieve marketing objectives.

Project EverGreen Announces Third-Quarter Contributions

Den Gardner, executive director of Project EverGreen, released a list of those who have provided financial support for the organization’s educational activities during the period ending September 30, 2007. They include Andy Hull, the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, Grasshopper Lawns, Inc., The Professional Landcare Network, The International Society of Aboriculture, John Deere Landscapes/LESCO, Nufarm Americas, Inc., Trugreen, Paul Stolzfus and Teresa Yocca.

Some programs Project EverGreen has been involved with include Yard Enthusiasts of America, GreenCare For Troops, the Landscaped Areas Award and Because Green Matters Scholarships.

Project EverGreen is a national non-profit organization representing green industry service providers, associations, suppliers/distributors, media companies, organizations and individuals.

Companies Attain GCSAA Silver Partner Status

SePRO Corp., Aquatrols and Cleary Chemical Corp. have pledged their support of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America and its members by committing to participate in the association’s Partner Recognition Program at the “Silver” level.

SePRO’s key business segments include the aquatics industry, the greenhouse/nursery market and the professional turf/landscape management market.

Aquatrols is a specialty chemical company engaged in the discovery, development and commercialization of formulation technologies that provide water, energy, labor and other resource savings for the turf, ornamental, agricultural and snowmaking industries.

New Jersey-based Cleary has supplied the fine turf and ornamental industries with plant protection products for 73 years.

Complete GCM History Available Online

Members of the GCSAA now have access to the entire archive of Golf Course Management Magazine and its predecessor publications through an agreement with GCSAA and Michigan State University’s Turfgrass Information Center (TIC). Through this online digitized archive, which can be accessed on the GCSAA Web site at www.gcsaa.org/GCM/Archive.aspx , members can browse year-by-year or search by term to retrieve PDF files dating back to 1933.

In the past, GCSAA readers could search the GCM archive on the GCSAA Web site, which only went back to 1996, or subscribers to the TIC’s Turfgrass Information File could search for GCM articles from the past, but would only see which issue the article appeared in, and then would have to physically find the article themselves.

As part of the ongoing project of GCSAA and MSU Libraries, as new GCMs are produced, materials will be scanned and made available one month following the date of publication.

PLANET’s Green Industry Conference a Success

The Professional Landcare Network held its annual Green Industry Conference in Louisville, Ky., in conjunction with the GIE+EXPO. Jim Martin, president of PLANET, reported that membership is up 4.3 percent and that PLANET certification programs have grown. PLANET and its legacy associations have issued about 5,550 certification designations and the number of testing candidates has increased by 66 percent.

Martin also stated that in 2007, PLANET event participation numbers were up, with significant increases in attendance at Renewal & Remembrance at Arlington National and Historic Congressional cemeteries as well as PLANET’s Student Career Days. He also noted how pleased PLANET was with attendance at the first ever GIE+EXPO.