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October 28-30, 2010
Green Industry & Equipment EXPO (GIE + EXPO)
Kentucky Exposition Center
Louisville, KY
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October 29, 2010
TOCA Breakfast
Kentucky Exposition Center, Room TBD
Louisville, KY
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February 9, 2011
GCSAA Breakfast Reception
Golf Industry Show
Orlando, FL
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May 3-6, 2011
22nd Annual TOCA Meeting
Location TBD
A number of members have asked about how to get on Bo Sacks’, speaker from TOCA meeting, email list for his e-newsletters. Please click on the following link: http://bosacks.homestead.com/pmg1.html.
Vana Ankeny, The Toro Company
Jeff Plaster, Turf Magazine
Kyle Rubeling, IMRE
Welcome!
Mikael Pehkonen from the University of Guelph near Toronto, Ontario, Canada, is this year’s TOCA Publishers’ Scholarship winner. Mikael is majoring in turfgrass management and anticipates graduation in April 2011. He is the first TOCA scholarship winner from outside the U.S.
Chairman of the volunteer committee, Cindy Code and TOCA members, Steve Trusty and Felicia Gillham said Mikael was “excited and a bit shocked by the selection.”
Mikael is interning this summer in Thunder Bay. He already does a blog and is interested in becoming a student member of TOCA.
One of his references, Owen Roberts, from the University of Guelph says, “As part of the turf communication skills course, the class was required to host a symposium related to the turf industry. Mikael played a major role in the success of the event as the head organizer of the speaker committee.”
Mikael noted that his dream to work in the turfgrass field takes him back to his youth, working to perfect the grass in his parents’ backyard. Working toward his degree in turfgrass management has him excited about his future.
“Over the past few years, I have discovered that success in an education and career environment not only depends on one’s skills and knowledge, but also, and perhaps more importantly, one’s ability to communicate clearly and work positive and efficiently with other people. Currently, I am hoping to take both my passion for turf and strengths in communications to a professional level,” explains Mikael.
Mikael receives a $2,500 scholarship. The program is supported by Total Landscape Care, M2Media360, GIE Media, Inc., Golf Course Management and Turnstile Publishing.
Philadelphia, Pa.—April 22, 2010 –Debbie Clayton and Stacey Himes announced the formation of ClaytonHimes PR, a full-service public relations firm based in Philadelphia, Pa. The partnership will provide PR counsel for FMC Professional Solutions Group.
Clayton has more than 25 years of experience in the turf, agricultural and pest control industries. Himes has 15 years of experience handling accounts in a diverse array of industries, including manufacturing, pest control, healthcare, real estate, retail and hospitality.
The partnership becomes effective on May 1, 2010. For more information, visit www.claytonhimes.com.
Debbie Clayton, 215-720-4624
Debbie@claytonhimes.com
OR
Stacey Himes, 215-990-0916
Stacey@claytonhimes.com
This year’s Environmental Communicator of the Year is Chris Gray of Marvel Golf Club in Kentucky. Gray is also a columnist for Golfdom magazine. Gray is the fourth TOCA member to win this award in the dozen years the program has been in place. Gray, in attendance to receive his award, was provided a $500 stipend. Previous winners of the award include Mark Welterlen, Grounds Maintenance Magazine; Bill Love, W.R. Love Golf Architecture; Tom Doppel, Atwood Lawncare, Inc.; Doug Fender, Turf Producers International; Allen James, RISE; Ron Dodson, Audubon International; Jeff Gullickson, Spokane Country Club, Spokane, Wash.; Kevin Trotta, Grounds Manager & Turfgrass IPM Specialist, North Rockland Central School District, Cornwall, N.Y.; Helen Stone, publisher of Southwest Trees & Turf and President of Stone Peak Services, a consortium of the allied golf associations of Colorado, which created a study on the economic and environmental impact of golf in Colorado, and Drs. Larry Stowell and Wendy Gelernter, PACE Turf.
In the midst of our 21st year, TOCA is creating a new strategic plan to carry the organization into the start of its third decade in the green industry. The strategic plan is divided into four sections. Special thanks to the following section chairs for their input thus far in this effort:
Membership – Ed Hiscock and Chris Higgins
Corporate Sponsorships – Tom Mentzer
Professional Development – Mark Founds
Communication and Branding – Roger Stanley
This group is overseen by the Strategic Planning Committee, led by board members Jason Schmaderer, Ed Hiscock, Jared Bodnar, Debbie Clayton and Cindy Code.
The strategic plan is the next step in our professional development. The first draft of the plan and a summary document is circulating amongst the board at this time. If you are interested in serving on one of the committees as the plan is executed in the years ahead, please contact the TOCA office. We encourage you to provide your input to TOCA staff and become a part of this new effort. |
