People News

Toro names training program winners

Three GCSAA members have been selected to learn first-hand what it takes to prepare for some of the most prestigious golf tournaments in the world.

As winners of the Toro Championship Tournament Training Program, two individuals will attend the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines Golf Course in La Jolla, Calif., and one will attend the PGA Championship at Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfield Hills, Mich. to assist the golf course maintenance staff for the respective events.
           
Kevin Breuker, assistant superintendent at Traverse City Golf and Country Club in Traverse City, Mich., and Shane Griffith, student at the University of Wisconsin in Madison will join superintendent Mark Woodward, CGCS, and his crew at Torrey Pines Golf Course.

Ryan DeMay, assistant golf course superintendent at Kinsale Golf and Fitness Club in Powell, Ohio, will join superintendent Steven Cook, CGCS, MG, and his staff at Oakland Hills Country Club.

Individuals were selected from many assistant superintendent and student entries based on past work experience and an essay about their future career goals. "The Toro Championship Tournament Training Program brings the experience and knowledge of major tournament preparation to GCSAA members," said Bob VandenBoom, senior golf marketing manager at Toro. "The experience is designed to expose superintendents at the beginning of their careers to a variety of cultural practices and management techniques that make major tournaments a success."

ASGCA elects four associate members

The American Society of Golf Course Architects welcomed four new Associate Members to its ranks at its 62nd annual meeting.

The election of Jim Cervone, Bob Gibbons, Jae Lee and Jerry Lemons brings ASGCA membership to 181.

Cervone is president of James Cervone Golf Course Design of Level Green, Pa. His courses include Birdsfoot Golf Club, Freeport, Pa.; Oak Creek Golf Club, Upper Marlboro, Md.; and Eagle Ridge Golf Club, Lakewood, N.J.

Gibbons is president of Robert Gibbons Design of Wilmington, N.C. His designs include Yashima Country Club, Totiaj-ken, Japan; The National II, Parkville, Mo.; and The conservatory at Hammock Beach, Palm Coast, Fla.

Lee is a design associate with Global Golf Design in Sacramento, Calif. and has designed golf courses worldwide, including Eden Valley Country Club, South Korea; Centennial Golf Course, Oak Ridge, Tenn.; and Arrowhead Golf Course, Cadiz., Ky.

Lemons is president of Golf Links Inc. of Old Hickory, Tenn. His courses include Collins River Golf Course, McMinnville, Tenn.; Deer Lakes Golf Club, Salem, Ky.; and Riverside Golf Course, Farm Lakes Course, Old Hickory, Tenn.

Candidates for associate membership in ASGCA complete a multi-phase application process that includes peer review of four completed courses, discussions with project owners and a personal interview to assess the candidate’s professional capabilities. The process typically takes two years to complete.

Dow announces changes to T&O team

Dow AgroSciences announces several changes to its turf and ornamental business division.

Raymond Miller has been named the specialist for the nursery and greenhouse markets. Ryan Messner and Brian Dockery have joined the group as sales representatives, providing support to distributors and customers in the lawn care, nursery and golf industries. Kerry Avirett has been named national account manager.

Miller will provide training and technical support to nursery and greenhouse customers and work closely with sales representatives and account managers to promote the full portfolio of products. He most recently served as a turf and ornamental sales specialist for western Florida.

Avirett will be national account manager with responsibilities for end users, distributors and formulators in both the turf and ornamental, and pest management markets. He assumes these responsibilities from Mark Neterer, who has been named district sales manager for the Midwest pest management and turf and ornamental sales region.

Messner has rejoined Dow as a sales representative serving lawn care, nursery and golf customers in western Florida, replacing Miller.

Dockery is the sales representative for Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana, replacing Avirett.

Agrium selects manager of customer service

Adrian Mezenberg has been named manager of customer service at Agrium Advanced Technologies' Brantford, Ontario, Canada office. 

His role will include leading and managing customer service, logistics and transportation to move products to customers globally, with an overall vision to exceed customer expectations, provide the best service in the industry and make it easy for people to do business with the company.

Mezenberg previously worked for biotech startup Axela Inc., where he was responsible for leading customer and operations support worldwide.