February and March hold two of my favorite events of the year, with the GCSAA Conference and Tradeshow (CTS) and the Chapter Leaders/Executives Symposium, respectively. While CTS offers a week full of education, networking and celebrating our great industry, the symposium offers more of an intimate atmosphere where chapter leaders come together to share ideas and leave with concepts to improve their home chapter. I’m highlighting the symposium this week as chapter leaders from around the country will converge on Lawrence, Kan., next week — and fly into the world’s newest airport terminal, I may add.

33. Chapter Leaders Symposium

Hosted in the spring at GCSAA Headquarters in Lawrence, Kan., each year, the symposium provides leadership training, development and support to chapters. It also highlights the programs and services available to chapters through GCSAA and provides an opportunity for chapter leaders and executives to network with their peers from around the country.

Participants

I mentioned the more intimate feel of the program, as the event is limited to 25 chapters. Each participating chapter is asked to send two representatives. Recommended attendees are the chapter vice president or secretary/treasurer (a leader who will become chapter president in the next one to three years), along with the executive staff or volunteer administrator if there is no paid staff. An essential component of the symposium is to provide an opportunity for the paid and volunteer leader to become a stronger team for their chapter.

Learning objectives

• Learn how to be a highly successful team leader for your facility and your chapter
• Understand how to provide a more meaningful chapter experience, through the engagement of members and volunteer involvement
• Develop a foundation to achieve chapter goals
• Learn the critical components successful chapters share and how to make sure these are in place in your chapter
• Build a professional network of peers who share best practices and innovative ideas

As always, if you’ve missed a previous post, please check them out below.

1. GCSAA Association Health Program
2. GCSAA Foundation
3. Awards Anyone?
4. Conference and Tradeshow
5. Melrose Leadership Academy
6. Melrose Equipment Experience
7. Thank a Superintendent Day
8. Golf Course Environmental Profile
9. First Green
10. Affiliated Chapters
11. Disaster Relief Fund
12. Planning for Retirement
13. Career Resources
14. Compensation and Benefits
15. FFA
16. Priority Issues Agenda
17. Action Alerts
18. Grassroots Ambassadors
19. Advocacy Teams
20. Webinars
21. Assistant Superintendent Certificate Series
22. Equipment Manager Classification
23. Equipment Manager Certificate Program
24. Certified Turf Equipment Manager (CTEM)
25. Modernized CGCS Program
26. GCSAA Golf Championships
27. There’s an app for that: GCSAA and Conference and Trade Show apps
28. Collegiate Turf Bowl
29. Envu Superintendent Grant Program
30. GCSAA Scholarships
31. GCSAA Scholars Competition
32. GCSAA Virtual Education Event