 |
 |
|
Innovative superintendents
Eleven superintendents will present their innovative ideas in Orlando.
 |
| Photo courtesy of David Robinson |
Editor’s note: The 2005 GCSAA Education Conference and Golf Industry Show in Orlando will again feature the Innovative Superintendent Sessions on Thursday and Friday, Feb. 10 and 11. An Innovative Superintendent Breakfast, presented in partnership with BASF Corp., will precede each session. BASF will also present each of the speakers with an Innovative Superintendent award. This article profiles the presenters at the Innovative Superintendent Sessions.
Patrick H. Sisk, CGCS
Patrick Sisk will present “Intricacies of Bunker Restoration” at the Innovative Superintendent Session on Friday. He decided to present on this topic after spending the past three seasons restoring bunkers and reading many articles and online threads about the process. This information will be beneficial to anyone wanting to restore bunkers to their original design, yet wanting to incorporate modern drainage and erosion control techniques.
Sisk is currently the CGCS at the Milwaukee Country Club in River Hills, Wis. He began his career in the industry in 1983, working as summer grounds staff. He worked his way up the ladder as a student intern and assistant superintendent before reaching his first superintendent position in 1993. Prior to joining Milwaukee CC four years ago, Sisk was superintendent at the Country Club of Fairfield (Conn.). Sisk attended the University of Massachusetts, Stockbridge School of Agriculture and has been a member of GCSAA for 15 years. In his spare time, he enjoys playing golf, running, biking, reading and coaching little league.
Steven Neuliep, CGCS
Almost everyone who has ever dealt with a construction project knows that they rarely are completed exactly how they were originally planned, especially when it comes to the timing and cost. Steven Neuliep, CGCS, will present “How to Adapt and Still Deliver a Quality Construction Project,” in the second Innovative Superintendent Session. Neuliep says his presentation “deals with the need to be creative, flexible and patient when attempting to get much-needed projects beyond the planning stage and into the implementation stage.” He will share another vital component to project management: the need for post-project follow-ups to avoid potential pitfalls in getting future projects approved.
Neuliep’s career began when he was in the sixth grade, caddying at the local country club in South Bend, Ind. He continued working at golf courses throughout school, working full-time at a golf course while attending Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind., where he earned a degree in agronomy. Neuliep is currently the superintendent at the Country Club of Asheville (N.C.). He is a 15-year member of GCSAA and has served on GCSAA communications and education committees, as well as the Carolina GCSA board of directors. His hobbies include bicycling, hiking, traveling and scuba diving.
Joel McKnight, CGCS
“My presentation, ‘Decreasing Pest Control Operations,’ is about taking a holistic approach to managing quality turfgrass areas and the mindset involved from nutrient management to selecting the proper pest control products,” says Joel McKnight, CGCS.
After going over historic records on pest control applications, he noticed a trend. He and his crew were able to reduce their pest control applications by 70-75 percent over the past four growing seasons. He believes this process is worth passing on to superintendents, who can decide if this program would work at their facilities or at least enhance or complement their existing programs. “By reducing pest control applications, they gain benefits like: reduced costs, less chance for resistance and great public relations,” says McKnight.
McKnight has been a superintendent for 11 years, although he began working in the industry almost 20 years ago. After graduating from Texas A&M University, his first job was as superintendent at Woodcreek Resort in Wimberly, Texas. Since that time, he has held various positions at every type of facility throughout the southern United States. He currently runs a consulting business, Naturally Green Turf Services. He has been a member of GCSAA since 1986. McKnight enjoys reading, golfing and fishing in his spare time.
James Harris, CGCS
Jim Harris is the golf course manager at Cottonwoods Golf Course at Grand Casinos in Tunica Resorts, Miss. He will present “We DO NOT Have To Do It According to Traditions.” Harris believes that the game of golf and its players have changed, and that the way the business of golf is handled must also change in order to remain competitive. Harris will dispel some of the old traditions that have driven many golf facilities. He will share his insights on a new term called “value engineering.”
“A golf course with a business driver dictates that everyone is not equal. Those that spend the most money get the most privileges, whether it is a country club or a daily fee,” says Harris.
Harris has been a superintendent for 30 years and has been certified since 1985. He attended Tennessee Tech University and was among the first students there to receive a degree in turf. “I fancy myself an amateur writer, and I like boating and fishing,” says Harris.
Donald Roth
Donald Roth, assistant superintendent at Crystal Downs Country Club in Frankfort, Mich., will share how becoming a great leader within a golf facility will provide superintendents the opportunity to inject more influence and aid in the major decision-making processes. According to Roth, “Only with the development of your leadership potential can you become a true professional in the field of turfgrass management.”
Through his presentation, “Develop Your Leadership Skills for Career Advancement,” attendees will learn that whether they are dealing with employees, committee members or direct supervisors, all situations are opportunities to demonstrate their leadership skills and influence the decisions that directly affect them. “If superintendents are willing to take an honest look at their operation, they will see that many areas could be improved,” says Roth.
Following high school, Roth took a job as a crew member at Crystal Downs CC. He enjoyed the work so much that he decided to pursue a career in turf management and attended Michigan State University. He continued to work summers at Crystal Downs while attending college. Upon graduation, with a degree in agronomy under his belt, the assistant superintendent position opened up at Crystal Downs, and Roth was selected for the job. He enjoys golfing, bird hunting, woodworking and spending time with his wife, Patty, and his son Owen. Roth is a six-year member of GCSAA.
Dean A. Krob, CGCS
Dean Krob, CGCS at Riverside Country Club in Bozeman, Mont., will present, “Keeping the Green and Tools of the Trade.” In his 26 years as a superintendent, Krob has come up with some innovative equipment options, as well as a program called 7-11 in which he and his staff complete seven different operations to the greens by 11 a.m.
Krob has worked on a golf course since the age of 14. He began his career working at the Austin (Minn.) Country Club. Upon graduation from Michigan State University’s turfgrass management program, Krob went on to accept a position at Hend-Co Hills Country Club in Biggsville, Ill. Krob worked at a number of courses in Illinois before deciding to move to Montana. He began his career in Montana at Briarwood Golf Club in Billings before taking the superintendent position at Riverside CC 12 years ago. When not on the course working or golfing, he enjoys flying radio-controlled airplanes, RV trips and camping, skiing and woodworking.
Kevin Ross, CGCS
Superintendents are always finding ways of fine-tuning their processes, whether it’s mowing or dealing with diseases, pests, mother nature, etc. Superintendents discover better ways of doing things through trial and error, plot testing, their own revelations or by receiving solid information through other superintendents or educators. Kevin Ross, CGCS, will share some of the innovative practices used at the Country Club of the Rockies in Edwardsville, Colo., where he is the director of golf course management. His presentation, “Greens Thatch Management: Are Your Really Doing What You Think You Are?” will be part of the first Innovative Superintendent Session. “We resurfaced our greens at Country Club of the Rockies with A-4 bentgrass in 1997. Being one of the first few with A-4, I have been very active in evaluating thatch removal and management,” adds Ross. He hopes attendees will be able to calculate the amount of thatch removed based on the tine size, tine wear and methods used after hearing his presentation.
Ross, a graduate of Penn State University and a 26-year member of GCSAA, began his career as a superintendent in Maine before taking the position at CC of the Rockies 10 years ago. His hobbies are road and mountain biking.
Charlie Fultz
How many times have you heard that communication is key? Charlie Fultz, superintendent at The Shenvalee Golf Resort in New Port, Va., will share some techniques that have improved communication at the different clubs where he has worked. He will present “How to Keep Those Above and Around You Informed and Educated” in the second of the two innovative sessions. Fultz says, “My focus is to give examples of ways to foster these relationships and improve overall dialogue between the governing factions of one’s course.” He hopes that his fellow superintendents will take away examples and ideas of how to make their daily interactions with people above and around them better, as well as make their positions as supervisor even more important to their respective courses.
Fultz began working on the crew at The Shenvalee Golf Resort during his senior year of high school. After graduating from Longwood College in 1992 with a bachelor’s degree in English, he worked at several different courses in Virginia. He started out as a crew member, then as an assistant for a couple of years before landing a superintendent’s position at the Country Club of Culpepper. He returned to his hometown in 2003 to be the superintendent at Shenvalee. In his spare time he referees high school basketball games, is on the board for Little League Baseball and likes to bowl (duck pin, not 10 pin). He also enjoys reading, working in the yard and volunteering at his son’s preschool. Most important, however, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Rachel, and his two sons, Lukas and Jakob.
Robert Collins, CGCS
Have you ever heard the saying that a picture is worth a thousand words? Robert Collins will put this saying to the test in his presentation, “1,000 Words: Get the Picture?” Collins will step outside the realm of writing and focus on visual media. Collins says, “Though verbal skills are truly vital for effective communication, you just can’t beat pictures to tell your story.” His presentation will not focus on the technical aspects of photography, but more on the importance of having your camera with you at all times to capture something that words just couldn’t describe. He will also share some ideas on organizing digital photos as well as other ways to use them. “Capture pictures of your staff doing things right,” says Collins.
Collins began his career on the golf course caddying as a kid. He worked as a maintenance crew member at Columbia Country Club in Chevy Chase, Md., before finishing college. He received an associate’s degree from the Stockbridge School of Agriculture at the University of Massachusetts in 1987. Collins has been the superintendent at Cripple Creek Golf and Country Club in Dagsboro, Del., for 16 years. He is a 19-year member of GCSAA and has been certified since 1996. He is currently the chair of the GCSAA government advocacy and compliance task group and winner of the 2003 Leo Feser Award. When not on the course, Collins says that he enjoys kayaking, fishing and walking. He is also an avid reader.
David Robinson
“Partial Green Renovation: It Can Be Successful and Painless” will be presented by David Robinson of Marriott Golf. Often, a green may not match the rest of the course or may have playability or maintenance issues. Robinson’s presentation will cover some strategies to successfully plan a partial greens renovation. While he was the superintendent at The Rookery at Marco in Naples, Fla., Robinson renovated two-thirds of the No.14 green. When it was originally constructed, the design didn’t match the others, and maintenance was almost impossible. The owners decided that it must change. “We successfully renovated portions of this green, resulting in a much better playing surface in approximately three weeks,” says Robinson. He adds, “After attending this session, attendees will learn how to evaluate their greens, sell the idea to their decision-makers, devise a plan of action and successfully implement a partial greens renovation at their club.”
Robinson, an associate director of grounds operations with Marriot Golf in Orlando, has been a superintendent for six years. After Robinson decided on a career in the turf management industry, he pursued a golf course operations degree from Lake City (Fla.) Community College, also receiving a certificate in turfgrass equipment management. While attending Lake City, he interned at the Longboat Key (Fla.) Club and at the Atlanta Athletic Club in Duluth, Ga. He began his career with Marriott in 2002 and joined Marriott Golf in October. He is a nine-year member of GCSAA and served as the president of the Lake City Community College GCSAA student chapter. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his family, golfing, flying/aviation and running.
Kevin Pattison
Kevin Pattison is the superintendent at Fairmont Banff Springs in Banff, Alberta, Canada. The course is located in the beautiful Banff National Park. The workforce in that area was not always stable. Most workers were transient, just looking to experience life in the area. The turnover rate was more than 150 percent several years ago — until Pattison created a program to turn things around and maintain a steadier workforce. Pattison will present “Recruit — Retrain — Retain,” in which he will share some successful techniques he used in selecting and retaining employees. “This was a terrible situation as consistency was poor, work site accidents and property damage were rampant. Something had to be done,” says Pattison.
He started out in the industry 21 years ago in Calgary before working in the United States for a while. He worked for many individuals in different areas of the country, which helped mold him into the superintendent he is today. He says, “My travels have exposed me to an incredible learning curve, for which I am eternally grateful.” He is a 20-year member of GCSAA and a graduate of the Stockbridge School of Agriculture at the University of Massachusetts. When not on the course or trying to keep up with his three kids, Pattison enjoys adventure racing, rock climbing, dirt bikes, firearms and paintball.
RELATED articles
IMGE archive
AD archive
RECENT issues
 |
 |
November |
October 2004 |