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INDUSTRY NEWS |
The Toro Co. is holding its seventh annual Toro Super Bowl Sports Turf Training Program, inviting a turfgrass student to Tampa Bay, Fla., next month to help prep the field for the Super Bowl. The selected student will work alongside the grounds crew at the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, getting a first-hand experience in athletic turf maintenance, logo painting, field prep for media day and halftime preparation and clean-up. The grounds crew is supervised by NFL Super Bowl field director Ed Mangan, also the field director at the Turner Field in Atlanta, home of the Atlanta Braves, and a consultant to the NFL. Toro equipment has been used in preparing the Super Bowl since 1967, the company says.
Sylvia Wright and Doug Hensel were named winners of a contest co-sponsored by Project EverGreen, Hines Horticulture and Today’s Garden Center magazine. The “Turning America from Eco-Weak to Eco-Chic” contest was created to educate and remind customers about the ecological benefits of green spaces by making an in-store display and promotional materials with ways for customers to become eco-chic. Wright, with The Wright Scoop, and Hensel, president of the Green Big Greenhouse, built a display at GBG’s store in Midlothian, Va. Their efforts included a column for their hometown Web site, www.richmond.com, conducting seminars at the GBG, promoting the effort through newsletters, in-store signage and literature, and local PR efforts announcing the program. The two won the grand prize of $1,000.
The Entomological Society of America has announced Daniel A. Potter, Ph.D., professor of entomology at the University of Kentucky, as its new Fellow. Selection as an ESA Fellow recognizes outstanding contributions in research, teaching, extension or administration. Potter, a distinguished Bobby C. Pass professor, has published more than 160 refereed papers, 21 book chapters, two annual reviews, dozens of trade journal articles and a widely used textbook on turf entomology. His former graduate students include a winner of the ESA Leadership Award in Applied Entomology, President’s Prize recipients, three winners of ESA’s J.H. Comstock Award, eight university faculty members and more. Potter is also the associate editor for Environmental Entomology and subject editor for Applied Turfgrass Science. He is among 10 total Fellows named; the nine others are in non-turf-related fields.
The Eastern Shore Association of Golf Course Superintendents has donated $10,000 to the Maryland Turfgrass Council. The funds will go toward the University of Maryland’s Turfgrass Research Center, which is coordinated by Peter Dernoeden, Ph.D. To date, the ESAGCS has given more than $50,000 to the University of Maryland for turfgrass research, ultimately benefitting the Mid-Atlantic region and industry. The group also recently gave $10,000 to the Believe in Tomorrow Children’s Foundation during its annual Beach Bash. Over the past 10 years, ESAGCS has donated more than $70,000 in cash and services to the foundation, which supports kids who are facing life-threatening health issues, as well as their families.
The Golf Course Builders Association of America has announced a six-year extension of its agreement as a Golf Industry Show participating partner. The extension will last through 2014. GCBAA is one of several nonprofit organizations working together to present the Golf Industry Show, including GCSAA, National Golf Course Owners Association and the Club Managers Association of America, as well as participating partners the American Society of Golf Course Architects and the National Golf Foundation.
VCT Corp., which provides custom communications and media programs to private club and golf industries, is expanding its relationship with ClubCorp USA. According to the agreement, VCT will provide fully managed e-communications services for ClubCorp, which owns and operates more than 150 golf courses, clubs and resorts worldwide. The new initiative is built to inspire relationship marketing and member retention and increase revenue, the company says. VCT will also implement digital publishing solutions that will allow ClubCorp to explore new low-cost online revenue campaigns.
DuPont Professional Products’ Acelepryn insecticide is officially registered in California after an expedited review and approval process. The California Department of Pesticide Registrations initiated its review of Acelepryn prior to the EPA’s registration of the product, according to DuPont. Acelepryn is designed to control all white grub species and other pests, such as the black turfgrass ataenius and the black cutworm.
The Andersons Inc., Maumee, Ohio, along with other Ohio companies, was recommended for a $5 million grant to accelerate the commercialization of existing and developmental granule technology in various agricultural applications. The grant, recommended by the Ohio Third Frontier Commission through the Ohio Engineering and Physical Science Research Commercialization Program, is awaiting approval by the State Controlling Board. The advanced granules are said to effectively contain, transport and deliver fertilizer and pesticides and other biologically active ingredients to specific areas in industries such as turf, nursery, fruits, vegetables, floriculture and row crops. Collaborating companies include Syngenta, Ohio BioProducts Innovation Center, National Lime & Stone Co., PSB Co. and the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service.
Outdoor equipment industry brands Husqvarna, Dixon, BlueBird and Yazoo/Kees will now be housed under a newly formed organization called Husqvarna Professional Products Inc. The integration will create operational opportunities for Husqvarna to create value to customers through improved customer support and service, it says. Dave Zerfoss, who says the transformation effectively combines the company’s turf care, forest and garden divisions into one integrated entity, will lead the new organization as president. The new company will operate separate dealer and distributor sales staffs for individual brands, but with an integrated leadership approach. In the new organization, Denis Bedard will serve as national sales manager for Dixon and Yazoo/Kees, Jody Kerr will be the national rental sales manager for BlueBird and Husqvarna, and Tony Marchese will be the vice president of sales for Husqvarna Professional Products Inc.
John F. Anderson is the first recipient of the Michael S. Hindahl Environmental Award of Excellence, given by the Oregon GCSA. Anderson, a Class A member of GCSAA for 27 years, has worked at such notable clubs as Portland Golf Club, The Oregon Golf Club, Coeur d’Alene Resort and Pronghorn Golf Club. David Phipps, Class A superintendent at Stone Creek Golf Club, is one of many who benefitted from Anderson’s mentorship. The award is named after the late Michael S. Hindahl, a friend of the golf course management industry in Oregon. The Oregon GCSA also named Dean Stanovich of Columbia Edgewater Country Club and Michael Cortner of Portland Golf Club as winners of its Assistant Superintendent of the Year Award. Stanovich began his employment in the field in 1978 at Columbia Edgewater and has worked more than 22 LPGA events as an assistant at the course. Cortner has worked at Portland GC for 20 years, including 14 years as the assistant superintendent. He participated in three Fred Meyer Challenges and a USGA Senior Amateur.
Nearly 150 golfers participated in the 9th Annual Charity Golf tournament held by Target Specialty Products, a wholesale distributor of specialty agricultural chemicals, fertilizers and application equipment. This year’s event raised more than $57,000 for the American Cancer Society and honored the memory of Charlie Hromada of Terminix International, who died from cancer earlier this year. The tournament also celebrated the lives of cancer survivors Jill Brierley, wife of Casey Brierley, Target Specialty Products’ vice president and regional manager; and Reed Yenny, CGCS, superintendent at Hillcrest Country Club, Los Angeles. Since the event began in 2000, Target’s charity golf event has raised more than $345,000 for the American Cancer Society. Syngenta, Bell Laboratories Inc. and Paragon are platinum partners for the event.
People news
Cleary Chemical recently promoted Bill Cunningham to director of marketing. He started at the company in 2005 as a sales coordinator. In the new role, Cunningham will direct outside marketing efforts, oversee Cleary’s Web site and organize all educational seminars, webinars and promotional events. The company also announces Pedro Perdoma as its director of research and regulatory affairs. Perdoma will be responsible for product research and federal regulatory affairs concerning the turf and ornamental industry. He previously worked as the agricultural agent for Rutgers University Cooperative Extension.
Larry Pakkala, CGCS, is the newest member of the sales staff at Plant Food Co. Inc. With more than 30 years of experience in managing championship golf and country clubs, Pakkala also served as the president of the Metropolitan GCSA and is a founding president of the Tri-State Turf Research Foundation. Pakkala will promote the company’s liquid and biological products to the golf market.
Ron Towsend, an incoming freshman turfgrass science student at Ohio State University, is the winner of the 2008 The Toro Co./Jack Nicklaus Turfgrass Legacy Endowed Scholarship. Criteria include being a freshman majoring in turfgrass science at the school and having a family member or relative working in the turfgrass industry. Towsend and 20 other turfgrass students, faculty and staff were hosted at Muirfield Village Golf Club this fall by Jack Nicklaus; Michael Hoffman, chairman and CEO of The Toro Co.; Paul Latshaw, CGCS, director of golf at Muirfield Village; Jake Gargasz, Muirfield Village superintendent; Jon Scott, Class A GCSAA member and vice president of agronomic design for Nicklaus Design; and Judson Tharin, manager of the Toro Giving Program and community relations.
Dow AgroSciences announces several changes to its turf and ornamental division. Kerry Avirett has been named national account manager, while Ryan Messner and Brian Dockery have joined the group as sales representatives. As nursery specialist, Raymond Miller will provide training and technical support to nursery and greenhouse customers.
Kurt Nieminen is the new horticulture inside sales and marketing assistant for BioSafe Systems LLC. He will support customer relationships, new distribution channels and product sales to garden centers, landscapers and distributors. The company also announces Frank Pennington as its Southeastern technical sales representative. His sales territory includes Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Kentucky.
Bayer Environmental Science has hired two new sales representatives for the golf market. Adam Wright, CGCS, will target southwest Florida. He previously was the director of golf course operations for Laurel Oak Country Club in Sarasota, Fla. Brian Giblin will cover New England. Giblin, who formerly worked in sales at TurfLinks Inc., spent 17 years as a GCSAA-certified superintendent at public and private courses and is a past president of the Rhode Island GCSA.
Golf briefs
Seaview Resort & Spa in Galloway, N.J., announces the official grand opening of its John Jacobs/Shelby Futch Golf Academy, a golf instruction facility. The academy was brought to the Marriott facility to enhance the golf instruction experience on the property and complement Seaview’s 36 holes of championship golf. John Kajfasz is the director of instruction for the academy, which will offer private golf instruction, short game clinics, full swing clinics, junior golf programs and more.
Butterfield Country Club, Oakbrook, Ill., has engaged golf course architect Steve Smyers in a project to prevent future flooding and restore a classic design. Plagued by constant sogginess and bunkers with no drainage, the course sits near Ginger Creek, which has experienced erosion problems. Smyers and colleagues have worked with DuPage County officials to improve the Ginger Creek watershed. The issue also calls for the team to dig two more detention ponds, to bring the total to five ponds covering 3.4 acres, doubling the water storage on the property. Wetlands plantings also will create an effective ecological system. The $6 million project also entails Smyers working to restore the philosophy of Butterfield CC’s original architect, William Langford. Smyers will restore 27 holes in Langford’s unique style while reconfiguring the problematic Ginger Creek to avoid flooding and erosion issues.
Schmidt-Curley Golf Design’s first Canadian venture is a new course at Revelstoke Mountain Resort in British Columbia. The group partnered with Nick Faldo to design the course, the firm’s eighth joint effort with Faldo. Located on the edge of the Selkirk Range, Revelstoke Mountain Resort will include an 18-hole course situated at the base of Mount Mackenzie along the shores of the Columbia River. The course will be built working with relatively sandy soil and terrain that’s less rocky than a typical mountain course and is intended to transform the resort into a year-round recreational destination.
The Tetherow Golf Club in Bend, Ore., opened for member play and limited outside play earlier this year. The David McLay Kidd-designed course plays to a par 72 and stretches from 5,044 yards from the red tees to 7,298 yards from the “Kidd tees.” Tetherow GC includes some of Kidd’s signature design details, such as links-style play, wispy grasses, ragged bunkers and plenty of knobs and knolls. The routing offers panoramic views of the Cascade peaks, which include Three Sisters and Broken Top, plus rugged high desert terrain. The facility also includes a members’ clubhouse, the Tetherow Golf Academy, sports and recreation center, restaurant and open space for outdoor pursuits. Christopher Condon is the GCSAA Superintendent Member at Tetherow GC.
Lohmann Golf Designs Inc. broke ground in August on a comprehensive renovation of Westmoor Country Club in Brookfield, Wis. All 18 greens will be converted to A1 bentgrass, while the layout’s design features will be unified under a single style inspired by William Langford. In 1957, Langford completely redesigned five holes along the interstate that, according to Westmoor’s Class A superintendent Jerry Kershasky, are the best holes on the course. Designers worked to evoke the Langford style through redesigned holes and also imparted the firm’s own practical objectives and creative flourishes.
Trivers Associations has been selected to execute a multimillion dollar renovation of Westborough Country Club, a private club in Oakland, Mo., a suburb of St. Louis. Key features of the renovation plan include a new pool building, a fitness center, expanded outdoor dining, an expanded kitchen and a new gathering room. Improvements were expected to occur in phases starting in fall 2008 and be completed by early spring 2009.
The new Hale Irwin course at The Coves at Round Mountain will be named Round Mountain Golf Club, says its developer, The Archer Group. Located 30 minutes south of Blowing Rock, N.C., in Collettsville in the Blue Ridge Mountains, the course will be classic in nature and will use the natural terrain of the Coves property to influence strategy and shot planning. Construction began this fall and completion is tentatively scheduled for 2011. Round Mountain will be phased in to keep the majority of the existing course available for play during construction. In addition to Irwin’s involvement, Rick Robbins will serve as the lead golf architect for the project.