Association News

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GCSAA Announces Pesticide Use Survey

The Golf Course Superintendents Association of America has announced that, beginning in January 2008, it will conduct a national survey of golf courses focusing on pesticide use.

The survey is part of the Golf Course Environmental Profile project, which is designed to collect information that will allow superintendents and personnel to become better managers, help them operate more efficiently and lead to GCSAA developing more valuable programs and services. Such information will include details about playing surfaces, natural resources, environmental stewardship efforts and maintenance practices on the golf course.

To date, three phases of the survey have been executed, concentrating on the physical profile of a golf facility; water use and conservation; and fertilizer use. The pesticide use survey will close in March. Input will be sought on product use and integrated pest management programs. Funding for the first four phases has come from The Environmental Institute for Golf, thanks in part to a grant from The Toro Foundation.

Zwilling Joins Board of Directors

Steve Zwilling has joined the board of directors of the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the International Erosion Control Association (IECA).

Zwilling, a market development manager for Profile Products LLC, has been involved in the IECA chapter since 1993. A resident of Mooresville, N.C., he was added as a member-at-large since he does not live in a state that needed a specific state representative at the time.

Zwilling’s 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 is also a past board member of the Erosion Control Technology Council and has been a volunteer instructor at several industry events.

Fick Appointed to Executive Board

The Atlantic Seed Association recently appointed Dan Fick to its executive board. He is the northeast regional sales manager for Profile Products LLC.

Fick will serve as an associate board member, focused on recruiting new members and representing the board at the organization’s annual national conference. He has been involved in the turf industry for more than 25 years, the last two of which have been with Profile.

Ed Rahe

NAEDA Hires Publications Sales Manager

Ed Rahe has been hired by the North American Equipment Dealers Association as sales manager for the association’s publications. Rahe will also work in areas related to workforce development to help attract skilled workers to the industry. He graduated from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism.

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.

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.

Jeff Carlson

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 nonprofit organization representing green industry service providers, associations, suppliers/distributors, media companies, organizations and individuals.