Denver, Colo., December 8-10
The 2009 conference and trade show will be held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel Denver International Airport in Denver, Colo. There is on-site lodging, free parking, no downtown traffic, free airport shuttle and plenty of fast-food restaurants within walking distance.
For full show information, visit www.rmrta.org/conference.
Schedule at a Glance Tuesday, December 8 Wednesday, December 9 Thursday, December 10 |
Workshop Programs
Educational workshops are offered on Tuesday, December 8. Come learn from respected members of the turfgrass industry on a variety of topics.
Space is limited to the first 60 registrants of each workshop.
Morning Workshops 8 a.m. – 12 p.m.
- Playground Safety-Tony Jaramillo, Playground Safety Solutions LLC
- Learning the Finer Points of Microsoft Excel-Owen Herman, Metro State College Denver
- Irrigation Water Quality-Dave Kopec, Ph.D., University of Arizona, and Clark Throssell, Ph.D., GCSAA (full-day workshop at the conference site)
- Smart Controllers-Chris Wright, Ewing Irrigation
- Turf and Weedy Grass ID-Tony Koski, Ph.D., and Sarah Wilhelm, Colorado State University (CEC credit)
- In the Shop at Dick’s Sport Park-Gary Coulson, Toro Co., Graham Foot, John Deere, Steve Unrein, Linweld Distributors, and Fidel Baca and Kristy Marsh, Jacobsen (full-day workshop at Dick’s Sport Park)
Afternoon Workshops 1 – 5 p.m.
- How to Build a Mound and Stencil Painting-Mark Razum, Colorado Rockies, and Jason DePaepe, University of Colorado Boulder
- Aquatic Toxicology: The Impacts of Pollutants on Aquatic Environments-Ruth Sofield, Ph.D., Western Washington University
- Irrigation Water Quality-Dave Kopec, Ph.D., University of Arizona, and Clark Throssell, Ph.D., GCSAA (full-day workshop at the conference site)
- Irrigation Design, Irrigation Auditing and Efficient Power Usage in Pump Stations-Brian Keighin, Irrigation Technologies, and Andrew Staples, ASLA, Golf Resource Group (two-hour workshop)
- Insects & Diseases of Trees and Ornamentals-Mary Small and Curtis Utley, Jefferson County Extension (CEC credit)
- In the Shop at Dick’s Sport Park-Gary Coulson, Toro Co., Graham Foot, John Deere, Steve Unrein, Linweld Distributors, and Fidel Baca and Kristy Marsh, Jacobsen (full-day workshop at Dick’s Sport Park)
Landscape Technology Track Program
Designed for those in the lawn care and landscape profession.
Wednesday, December 9
11 a.m. – 12 p.m. Wastewater Effluent Reuse: Rules, Regs and Safety Practices-Wayne Ramey, Ramey Environmental Compliance, Inc.
2 – 3 p.m. Plant Select and Best of Annual and Some Perennials from 2009 Trials at CSU-James Klett, Ph.D., Colorado State University
3 – 4 p.m.Maintenance at Southlands Mall-Shad Parrish and Randy Morrow, ValleyCrest Development
Thursday, December 10
8 – 9 a.m. Using Fine Fescues-Leah Brilman, Ph.D., Seed Research of Oregon
9 – 10 a.m. Organic Turf Management-Tony Koski, Ph.D., Colorado State University
11 a.m. – 12 p.m. Turf Wars: Can There be Peace Between Lawn and Flower Beds?-Panayoti Kelaidis, Denver Botanic Gardens
Irrigation/Environmental Track Program
Targeted to help anyone with questions about irrigation or irrigation systems.
Wednesday, December 9
11 a.m. – 12 p.m. EPA WaterSense-Tony Koski, Ph.D., Colorado State University
1 – 2 p.m. Environmental Fate and Transport of Pollutants-Ruth Sofield, Ph.D., Western Washington University
2 – 3 p.m. Solar & Alternative Energy Sources for Irrigation Systems-Fritz Law, John Deere Green Tech
Thursday, December 10
8 – 9 a.m. Aquatic Plants for Esthetics & Biological Water Quality and How to Deal with Problematic Wildlife-Joe McBurney, Fox Hollow at Lakewood
9 – 10 a.m. Irrigation System Hydraulics and Design-Jodi Cubbage, CIC, CID, J&S Reclamation & Irrigation
10 – 11 a.m. Water Conservation to Build Your Customer Base and Generate Revenue-Emily Coll, Castle Pines Metro District, and Rich Schultz, Town or Castle Rock
11 a.m. – 12 p.m. What’s New in Sports Turf Irrigation: What Can it Do For You?-Dave Cooper, CLIA, CPS Distributors, Inc.
Service Track Program
For equipment managers or anyone who maintains equipment.
Wednesday, December 9
11 a.m. – 12 p.m. Management of Hazardous Materials-Doug Hall, City of Westminster
2 – 3 p.m. Value of the Asset-Derek Meinders, Agricredit Acceptance LLC
3 – 4 p.m. Preventative Maintenance-Fidel Baca and Kristy Marsh, Jacobsen
Thursday, December 10
8 – 9 a.m. Keeping Your Equipment Tournament Ready-David Robinson, Cherry Hills Country Club
9 – 10 a.m. Reel Theory-Graham Foot, John Deere and Co.
10 – 11 a.m. Hydraulic Theory-Gary Coulsen, Toro Co.
Conference and Trade Show Highlights
Opening Session
This year, the Opening Session, including awards, scholarships, CSU research update and our special keynote speaker, Tim Gard, will run from 8 to 10 a.m. on Wednesday, December 9. This allows you plenty of time to visit the exhibit hall prior to and after the Opening Session before the conference sessions begin.
Exciting Keynote
We are excited to welcome Tim Gard, CSP, CPAE, as our keynote speaker, with special thanks to Syngenta Professional Products for their sponsorship. Gard teaches audiences to look at life with humor and through the lens of what he calls Comic Vision. He is an accomplished author, keynote speaker, coach and consultant. Having received his CPAE in 2006, he was inducted into the Speaker Hall of Fame and is now at the top of his industry.
Award Presentations
RMRTA will present the Distinguished Service award, the Turfgrass Professional of the Year award and recognize the Colorado Turfgrass Foundation Scholarship recipients at the Opening Session on Wednesday.
Trade Show
Once again, admission is free for those attending only the trade show, however the two complimentary meals (Wednesday lunch and Thursday morning coffee and pastries) are provided only for paid conference attendees. The trade show will be open on Wednesday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., and again on Thursday from 7 a.m. to 12 p.m. On Wednesday and Thursday, you can enter through the Trade Center entrance on the east side of the Preconvention entrance on the west side of the complex.
Each attendee has a chance to win one of several prizes just by visiting the booths at the trade. Pick up your Trade Show Game Board upon arrival, follow the instructions on the game board and be eligible to win.
De-Turfing Reception
The ever-popular De-Turfing Reception is being expanded this year and will be on Wednesday from 4 – 8 p.m. in the trade show hall. Join your colleagues for food, drinks and fun while bidding on great items donated by exhibitors and a variety of area organizations. If you would like to donate an item to the silent auction, call the RMRTA office at 303-770-2220, or fill in the silent auction section on your registration form. All proceeds from the silent auction and raffle benefit the Colorado Turfgrass Foundation for continued turf research.
Pesticide Applicators – CEC Track Program
The Continuing Education Credits (CEC) Track is designed to provide continuing education credits, applicable to maintaining certification and licenses. This CEC track is designed for pesticide applicators. Other CEC/CEU classes are scheduled throughout the conference.
Wednesday, December 9
11 a.m. – 12 p.m.: Insect Pests of Turf (Whitney Cranshaw, Ph.D., Colorado State University)
1 – 2 p.m.: Laws & Regs (Cara Meyers, Colorado Department of Agriculture)
2 – 3 p.m.: Emerging Disease Problems in the Intermountain Region (Ned Tisserat, Ph.D., Colorado State University)
3 – 4 p.m.: General Environmental Protection (Barbara Barron, U.S. EPA, Region 8)
Thursday, December 10
8 – 9 a.m.: Applicator Safety (Sandra McDonald, Colorado State University, CEPEP)
9 – 10 a.m.: Environmental Protection (Sandra McDonald, Colorado State University, CEPEP)
10 – 11 a.m.: Public Safety (Sandra McDonald, Colorado State University, CEPEP)
11 – 11:30 a.m.: Use of Pesticides (Sandra McDonald, Colorado State University, CEPEP)
11:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.: Pesticides and Their Families (Sandra McDonald, Colorado State University, CEPEP)
