Industry News

Jacobsen hosts future turf managers in Charlotte

Jacobsen hosted 14 college students from top turf colleges around the country at its annual Future Turf Managers Seminar. The session was the 31st in the program’s history, and the first at the Jacobsen University training center in the company’s new headquarters in Charlotte, N.C.

More than 600 turf students have participated in the Future Turf Managers Seminar since its inception. After a brief hiatus as Jacobsen constructed its new educational training facility, the program is back in full force.

“We started this program in the 1970s to give promising young minds in the industry a glimpse of life as a turf professional,” said Ralph Nicotera, who has been involved in the Future Turf Managers program for nearly 30 years and currently serves as Jacobsen vice president of sales. “Jacobsen has always invested in education and this program has helped hundreds of turf students get a jump start on their careers.”

The program provides participants with an opportunity to learn and interact with turf professionals in an educational environment under the guidance of industry leaders, an experience impossible to duplicate in the classroom.

“We want to give turf students a practical view of the profession, while offering support to the brightest new turf managers in the business,” said Dan Wilkinson, Jacobsen president. “An opportunity to go behind the scenes at some of the premier facilities in the world isn’t something that most other programs can offer, but it’s something Jacobsen feels is a valuable experience that will help these young professionals and the industry.”

The attendees toured Jacobsen’s manufacturing facility and got a chance to use and test some of the company’s latest equipment at Tega Cay Golf Club on the first day of the three-day event. On the second day, the group traveled to Augusta, Ga., for a tour of Sage Valley Country Club, the E-Z-GO facility and a tour of Augusta National’s maintenance facility.

Jacobsen brought in several high-profile superintendents on the third day to speak to the group about budgeting, fleet management and share knowledge gained from years of experience in the turf industry.

For more information about the Future Turf Managers Seminar and Jacobsen,
visit http://www.jacobsen.com/.

Sign up for Take Your Daughter to the Course

Is your facility registered to host Take Your Daughter to the Course Week? Check with your facility owner or management team, and if it's not, lead them to the Play Golf America Web site to register for the event, July 9-15.

Take Your Daughter to the Course Week, part of the Play Golf America initiative, is designed to introduce junior girls to the game and encourage family interaction on the course. Last year, more than 1,240 courses and 74,000 individuals participated, making it one of the industry's most successful player development efforts. Learn more about the event, what you can do at your course and the GCSAA resources available to assist you with information and activities.

Congressional Water Caucus established

Congress has established a Water Caucus to promote a dialogue about water issues and provide timely, scientific information about water resources and water use.

“The Irrigation Association applauds the leadership and commitment of the Water Caucus co-chairs,” said Deborah Hamlin, executive director of the Irrigation Association. “Water supply, distribution and quality issues are complex. The education and information sharing that a caucus can provide are critical to the creation of sound water policy.”

Rep. John Linder, R-Ga.; Rep. Jim Costa, D-Calif.; Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Mich.; Rep. Grace Napolitano, D-Calif., and Rep. George Radanovich, R-Calif. — all longtime advocates of sound water policy — signed on as co-chairs for the caucus and at least 18 other lawmakers expressed an interest in joining.

“Twelve Principles of Water Policy” identified by the co-chairs include securing sufficient water supply for urban and rural areas, considering all available technologies for increasing water supply efficiently while safeguarding the environment, and implementing strategies to improve efficiencies.

“This new caucus has the potential to be a strong voice on water issues in the halls of Congress,” Costa said in announcing formation of the caucus. “With droughts currently plaguing much of the country, and with long periods of nationwide drought on the horizon, we need to work together today to come up with solutions for tomorrow.”

Congress has more than 200 caucuses on topics from addiction to zero capital gains, but until now there was no central forum for water. Several federal agencies have a role in water policy and Congress frequently enacts legislation related to water.

Linder, who has been a longtime advocate of a comprehensive water strategy, was instrumental in establishing a framework for the caucus. For the "Twelve Principles of Water Policy," go to www.irrigation.org/gov/watercaucus.htm.

Foley to hold Web conference on environmental issues

Foley's Golf & Resort Industry Team, which includes attorneys from across the country with specific experience in the golf and resort industry, is holding a web conference on environmental issues in golf.

The conference, "Difficult Conditions: Environmental Issues Facing the Golf Industry," was developed in response to a recent survey of golf industry executives who identified environmental issues as among their top concerns, driven by the increased federal and state scrutiny of the golf industry's impact on the environment.

Foley attorneys Thomas K. Maurer, S. Wayne Rosenbaum and Julie S. Solmer will discuss the most pressing concerns facing the golf industry and strategies to meet these challenges.

Topics include:

• Environmental best management practices for golf courses
• Water use and stormwater management
• Pesticide management and residual pesticide contamination issues

The conference is complimentary, but pre-registration is required. Upon registration, users will be sent a confirmation e-mail with conference call and program login information. For more information contact Jackie Polson.

Deere's Breningmeyer issues statement on Lesco acquisition

Gregg Breningmeyer, director of marketing & sales for John Deere Golf & Turf One Source has issued a statement regarding the company's acquisition of Lesco and what that acquisition will mean to the golf course industry.

John Deere formally completed its acquisition of Lesco after receiving regulatory and shareholder approval in May 2007. Breningmeyer said that while John Deere Landscapes will officially house the former Lesco business, John Deere Golf & Turf One Source is looking forward to employing Lesco’s competencies in the golf and turf industry as well. The agronomic expertise provided by the merger will allow Deere to continue building a seamless, comprehensive product and service offering for its customers.

Breningmeyer said, "To make the most of this merger, we went back to our customers for additional feedback and to understand what they believed was missing in current industry-wide offerings. Armed with this research, we are making adjustments within the One Source program to meet our customers’ wants and needs."

Changes that will take effect in the new fiscal year beginning November 1, 2007 include:

• Lesco agronomic products, as well as some current One Source partner products, will be available through the One Source program
• John Deere One Source distributors will carry both equipment and irrigation heads and controllers and provide finance options for those products as well
• Former Lesco employees will complement that offering as the agronomic arm of One Source – with a focus on seed, fertilizer and chemicals
• Stores on Wheels will continue to provide exclusive golf offerings 
• In addition to Stores on Wheels, customers will also be able to purchase golf and turf agronomic products through John Deere Landscapes gold branches (formerly Lesco service centers)
• Lesco’s headquarters operations and activities will be moved to the John Deere Landscapes headquarters in Alpharetta, Ga., but the company plans to keep an office in Cleveland, Ohio

During this transition and well into the future, we will employ customer feedback to make the One Source offering the best possible choice for golf course superintendents, owners, builders and management companies," Breningmeyer said.  "We look forward to providing our customers with the products, service and relationships they desire – all backed by the 170-year history and expertise of John Deere."