EARTH SHAPING NEWS Published Quarterly by the Golf Course Builders Association of America
SPRING EDITION
Orlando, Florida - GCBAA Celebrated a Busy Week as a new Show Partner | Photo credits of images on this page: GCSAA
Inside Issue the
6
President’s Perspective
7
Executive Director Notes
13 Human Resources 15 Allied Updates 19 Movers & Shapers 23 New Members 23 GCBAA Meetings Calendar
GCBAA Winter MEETING
The Golf Course Builders Association of America members had a busy week at the 2020 Golf Industry Show in Orlando, Florida. With over 12,000 Golf Course Builders, Superintendents, Owners, and Architects passing through 500 exhibitors spanning 450,000 gross square feet, learning about the latest and greatest products to support our game. Probably the most impressive number is 6,187 seminar seats were filled during a record-setting 37,000 hours of education. Back to back with the PGA Merchandise Show, GCBAA members converged into the Orange County Convention Center to set up for the week. One of the two entryways to the show floor was the popular "Inside the Shop" show floor feature. Inside the Shop is a replica maintenance shop designed to help superintendents make attainable improvements to their own shop, regardless of budgetary or space constraints. For 2020 the Shop featured educational opportunities, networking, contests, and handson demonstrations that equipped golf course maintenance teams with tips, tricks, and new ideas on how to enhance existing shop practices. This area was over 9,000 square feet and included the maintenance shop and storage yard showcasing creative, innovative, and affordable solutions for superintendents and their teams to apply to their everyday roles and responsibilities. The GCBAA Booth once again used our space continue on pg. 2
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to provide networking and entertainment to our members and guests. Attendees of the show could relax in our lounge area or buy one of the nearly 500 Harley Davidson Raffle Tickets sold during the traditional Chuck Cloud Memorial Raffle. The lucky winner, GCBAA Builder Member Ty Downing with Earth Sculptures Inc. in California, will be forever grateful that his mother, Jody Downing, put his name on the batch of tickets they purchased. We cannot thank our members and others who support this raffle and raise funds for our GCBAA Foundation and Sticks for Kids. GCBAA Outgoing President Pat Karnick, John McDonald, II, Judd Duininck, Ellen Davis, and Executive Director joined leaders from the American Society of Golf Course Architects and the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America to toast the new partnership and wish one another well as we all were kicking off our week and celebrating with our fellow members. The GCBAA Board Dinner is a time-honored tradition and a way to thank outgoing and welcome incoming board members. This year the event was held at the historic Bay Hill Golf Course Club House, and included members of the Board of Directors and their spouses along with guests from the Board of Governors, Foundation Board Members, Past Presidents, and past Perry Dye and Don Rossi Award Recipients; along with our 2020 honoree Marsh Benson and his wife, Becky. The marathon of activities began on Tuesday morning with final touches being placed on the GCBAA Booth and Inside the Shop. GCBAA Board Members, along with the Board of Governors, meet to discuss association business and recertification
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while several members hosted educational seminars. • "How to Prepare for a Golf Course Renovation" cohosted by Certified Builders Jason Sloan (Frontier Golf) and Darryl Bartlett (NMP Golf Construction); • "Trenching, Compaction, and Safety - How to Protect your Assets Above and Below Ground" Eric Gonzalez (ADS/Hancor), Garrett Drury (Wacker Neuson), Dr. Michael Hurdzan (ASGCA) • "Navigating Turf Grass Selection for Renovation and New Construction" - Stacy Bonos, Ph.D. (Rutgers University), Chad Goetz (Nicklaus Design), John Holmes (Atlas Turf International), Paul Raymer, Ph.D. (The University of Georgia), Chas Schmid, Ph.D. (Mountain View Seed) For the General Membership Meeting, newly seated GCBAA President Judd Duininck welcomed members as well as introduced the new Executive Leadership. Chris Caccavale, with Caterpillar, Inc. remains the board Secretary with Tom Works, Landscapes Unlimited, LLC, as Treasurer. Jon Truttmann, Hunter Industries, takes over reigns from outgoing and longtime serving board member Ellen Davis as Vice President and John McDonald, II with McDonald & Sons is President-Elect. Pat Karnick, who has served as the association's President for the past two years, remains on the board as Immediate Past President. Tommy Sasser, Chairman of the Board of Governors, updated the membership on adjustments being considered to the Certification Program that keeps the program current with the ever-changing golf construction market. An exciting segment of the program is the expanded GCBAA Partnership Program, where yearly totals are shared. Caterpillar presented over $32,000 raised for the organization
as well as a check presented from Sunbelt Rentals for $21,000 and with Travelers Haven and Hotel Engine still in its infancy stages, GCBAA Executive Director Justin Apel shared that a formal presentation will be done at the upcoming Summer Meeting, but already the program with the support of those utilizing has shown the rebate incentive to be north of $60,000. GCBAA President Tom Shapland introduced fellow Foundation Board Members, as well as gave an update on the successes of the launched LPGA/USGA Girls Golf partnership, where 1,000 sets of junior clubs were distributed to over 200 programs. The Foundation graciously accepted another $10,000 contribution from the Wadsworth Golf Charities Foundation. After the State of the Association presentation by Justin, the group moved into the ballroom of Rosen Centre to celebrate the annual Opening Reception and Don Rossi Awards Presentation. After Tom Shapland introduced the 2020 recipient, Marsh Benson graciously accepted the award and thanked the over 500 guests. Attendees were able to support the GCBAA Foundation and ASGCA Foundation by participating in a Silent Auction and were able to network throughout the evening. The two-day trade show attracted thousands of attendees, with 6,000 qualified buyers reported. The remainder of the week played host for other allied industry and exhibitor events. GCBAA President Judd Duininck spent time with SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio hosts Katrek & Maginnes "On Tap" discussing how he became involved in the golf industry, the association, and the future of the industry.
GCBAA Earth Shaping News | Spring Edition 3
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GCBAA Earth Shaping News | Spring Edition 5
PRESIDENT’S PERSPECTIVE
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Judd Duininck
GCBAA PRESIDENT
BOARD MEMBERS Chris Caccavale Caterpillar Inc. (Secretary) Kevin Grieder Sunbelt Rentals, Inc. Chris Hill Course Crafters LLC Greg Hufner Total Turf Services Pat Karnick Wadsworth Golf Construction Company (Past President) Matt Lohmann Wadsworth Golf Construction Company John McDonald II McDonald & Sons, Inc. (President Elect) Jon O’Donnell Heritage Links Manny Pina Ewing Irrigation Rick Shriver HARCO Fittings Jason Sloan Frontier Golf Bob Sylvester The Toro Company Jon Truttmann Hunter Industries (Vice President) Rick Williams LASCO Fittings, Inc. Tom Works Landscapes Unlimited, LLC (Treasurer)
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hat a whirlwind of events we have had since we were together in Orlando; how life can change so rapidly. As suppliers and contactors, we all have had to make some decisions in a short timeframe. The COVID-19 pandemic is another challenge that each one of us will need to lead our organizations through. I’ve had the pleasure to hold the reigns as GCBAA President for a few months and am excited to be leading such a great association. Looking ahead over the next two years of my presidency, we will continue to grow our membership, as well as membership benefits and opportunities. Of course, the industry will continue to throw challenges our way, but from a builder perspective, the industry has been the best we’ve seen in a while beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. As an association, we will work through the challenges while continuing our support of each other through the “Buy From Within” program and serving as a presenting partner of the Golf Industry Show with GCSAA and ASGCA. I’m honored and humbled at the opportunity to help GCBAA make tremendous strides and move forward in the industry that we all love so much! At the Winter Meeting in Orlando, we welcomed in many new board members; Kevin Grieder, Sunbelt Rentals, Inc.; Chris Hill, Course Crafters LLC; Matt Lohmann, Wadsworth Golf Construction Company; Rick Shriver, HARCO Fittings; and Jason Sloan, Frontier Golf. It is exciting to have so many new faces willing to join the leadership team of the organization. The first order of business at our annual board meeting was to elect board leadership. Your executive team is; John McDonald II, McDonald & Sons (President Elect); Jon Truttmann, Hunter Industries (Vice President); Tom Works, Landscapes Unlimited LLC (Treasurer); Chris Caccavale, Caterpillar Inc. (Secretary); Pat Karnick, Wadsworth Golf Construction Company (Immediate Past President).
Returning GCBAA Board Members are Greg Hufner, Total Turf Services; Jon O’Donnell, Heritage Links; Manny Pina, Ewing Irrigation; Bob Sylvester, The Toro Company; and Rick Williamson, LASCO Fittings Inc. I want to share a special “Thank you!” to outgoing members; Ellen Davis has been a champion for the GCBAA and has served on the executive board and board of directors for many years. We also need to include Ronnie Adkins, Aspen Corporation; Mike Perez, VM Golf Services; and Blake Thomas, Regency Wire. Thank you all for your service to the GCBAA Board of Directors; your dedication, talent and leadership has helped us continue to grow and advance the GCBAA membership. We look forward to their continued leadership and dedication as they serve on various committees and volunteer their time for the association. We are in the early phases of my presidency and I have enjoyed my time already working with GCBAA staff. Justin, Mychelle and I meet weekly to openly discuss upcoming events, headlines (both negative and positive), and offer clarity to each other, while sharing and celebrating the positives of both our personal and business lives. We are establishing goals to remain on task, focused and continuing to keep what is best for our members at the forefront of our conversations. Lastly, I cannot thank our membership enough for all their support, on so many levels, at the Winter Meeting/Golf Industry Show. In this issue of EarthShaping News, you will be able to further distinguish how amazing our membership is! Please keep safety number one as we continue through these challenging times. Sincerely,
Judd Duininck
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR NOTES
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e are thrilled to know you read our newsletter! Many of you have noticed the gap between issues and have called our office to ask when the next issue is coming out! Sorry, that is on me for the delay. There are firm deadlines, and we have tried to balance the cutoff for timely and newsworthy articles with a hard stop for content. This is another reason I know I could never be a copy editor; that along with my spelling and grammar. We have realized we have several communication tools at our disposal, so moving forward, we are going to adjust the Earthshaping News to be a publication that covers events and programs that do not have as firm of a "line in the sand" when it comes to content. We know many of our followers subscribe to social channels to get updates in nearly realtime. We will use those communication tools to push essential and timely information and continue to use this publication as a membership communication tool, but realize content may become old news by the time it is shared through social media and eventually published into the newsletter. The beginning of the year started with tremendous optimism and looked to be one of the best years in the golf construction industry in some time. Who would have thought a global pandemic was on tap to change our world! Fortunately, when something like this happens that affects us all, people come together to help one another and do some great things! We are trying to be a clearinghouse of information for our membership.
We cannot thank those of you who have taken the time to respond to our surveys or contacted us with your stories. We are trying to keep a hand on the pulse of what is happening to the crews and employees that can work. Watch for a series of questionnaires in the upcoming weeks, and we hope you can take time to respond and help us better understand what kinds of programs and support your organization can provide. We also want to remind you that your fellow members are there for you and want to support you. If there is something you are struggling with and need help, please contact our office, and perhaps we can assist you with finding a solution. Stay safe, stay healthy, and let us remain optimistic that whatever our lives will look like post-pandemic, we continue to be a resource and support group to one another. Additional Note: We were able to include Paul Foley's obituary into this issue, and I wanted to add a note as well. Paul took a chance on me with GCBAA over a decade ago. I distinctly remember the interviews and the process of coming into this family. He let me put the typewriter in storage and supported every idea on how to help manage the organization, inside and out of our office walls. He taught me how you cannot always please everyone all of the time. Without a doubt, he was a mentor. He would be disappointed that I'm behind on the newsletter publication but would be the first one to support stopping the press to make sure we have the right content.
STAY SAFE, STAY HEALTHY, AND LET US REMAIN OPTIMISTIC
Justin Apel
EARTH SHAPING NEWS
ŠGOLF COURSE BUILDERS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA
6040 S. 58th St., Suite D Lincoln, NE 68516 TEL (402) 476-4444 FAX (402) 476-4489
information@gcbaa.org www.gcbaa.org
JUSTIN APEL
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
justin_apel@gcbaa.org
MYCHELLE THOMPSON
PROGRAM & PLANNING MANAGER
mychelle_thompson@gcbaa.org
LUNDMARK ADVERTISING & DESIGN DESIGN & LAYOUT
www.lundmarkadv.com
Information in this publication may be reproduced for nonprofit education purposes. Please include source credit if reproducing. Contact the Executive Director if material is used for any other purpose to obtain written permission. News releases via email or fax are welcomed and encouraged.
Justin Apel
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
CHARTER MEMBERS
ACC Golf Construction ADS/Hancor, Inc. Aspen Corporation Boyd Irrigation, Inc. Bryant Taylor Gordon Golf Caterpillar, Inc. Clarke Construction Group Duininck Golf Dye Designs International Eagle Golf and Landscapes Products Ewing Irrigation Fleetwood Services LLC Forward Group Glase Golf, Inc. Greenscapes Six HARCO Fittings Hartman Companies, Inc. Henderson & Company, Inc. Heritage Links Hunter Industries ISCO Industries Jacklin Golf Landirr, Inc. Landscapes Unlimited, LLC LASCO Fittings Inc. Leemco Inc. MacCurrach Golf McDonald & Sons, Inc. MCI Flowtronex Medalist Golf Mid-America Golf & Landscape, Inc. Mountain View Seeds NMP Golf Construction Corp. Profile Products LLC QGS Development, Inc. Rain Bird Corporation - Golf Division Ryangolf Corporation Shapemasters, Inc. Southeastern Golf SportZmix - Waupaca Sand & Solutions Sunbelt Rentals Tee-2-Green The Cart Path Company The Toro Company United Golf, LLC VM Golf Services Wadsworth Golf Construction Company West Coast Turf XGD Systems, LLC DBA TDI Golf
Archived issues available at www.gcbaa.org. GCBAA Earth Shaping News | Spring Edition 7
GCBAA FOUNDATION UPDATE
S
Tom Shapland
GCBAA FOUNDATION PRESIDENT
BOARD MEMBERS Mark Arrimour Total Turf Services Ellen Davis SportZmix Solutions John Holmes Atlas Turf International Limited Jimmy Kirchdorfer ISCO Industries Bill Kubly Landscapes Unlimited, LLC Rick Lohman The Toro Company Allan MacCurrach III MacCurrach Golf Jon Truttmann (Board Liaison) Hunter Industries Doug York Ewing Irrigation
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trange Times! The Foundation is thriving while many of you are suffering, either directly or through a business contraction due to the ongoing pestilence. More important than anything else, I hope for a rapid return to industry wide good health – both physical and economic. The financial success of the Foundation is due primarily to the growth of our corporate sponsorship program. Many years ago, Steve Shoemaker and Horizon Golf paved the way by being the first to offer an incentive rebate program to support Sticks for Kids. But Caterpillar’s incentive program initiated in 2016 brought us to an entirely new level. Today, with Cat and the generous additional incentive programs of Sunbelt Rentals, Travelers Haven, and Hotel Engine to our support group, the Golf Course Builders Foundation’s financial future is exceptionally bright. This is not meant to understate the individual support of the individual membership that has been essential throughout the years. The most recent Chuck Cloud Memorial Raffle is a prime example. When the success of the raffle was in jeopardy due to low ticket sales, many members answered Justin’s last-minute appeal and stepped up to make this a very profitable venture for the Foundation. The Foundation Board’s main responsibility is to make certain that the funds are spent in a responsible and effective manner. Over the next few months, the Foundation Board and our staff
will continue working with our LPGA Foundation partners, surveying the programs we supported with our new distribution of youth clubs and, hopefully, work with them in expanding the Girls Golf Programs as rapidly as is responsible. We will also continue to monitor, service and hopefully expand our own stand-alone Sticks for Kids programs. If you have a potential site, please let Justin know. The Golf Industry Show was great fun and I hope all who came enjoyed it as much as I did. I had the privilege of introducing Marsh Benson as the winner of this year’s Don Rossi Award and explain why he was such a deserving honoree. It was especially gratifying to me as he is an old friend with whom I had worked on several occasions over the past forty (yes forty!) years. Ty Downing of Earth Sculptures (photo below) won the Harley, so we all have someone new to envy or, perhaps thank. The Harley is lot of motorcycle for the older crowd. We may find a more sedate prize for the raffle next year. If you have suggestions, let Justin or Mychelle know. Finally, we are thrilled to welcome Ellen Davis to our Foundation Board of Directors. She has been indefatigable in her support of Foundation fundraising. We are thrilled to have her active on our board. See you in Asheville.
Tom Shapland
AUCTION RESULTS
HARLEY RAFFLE TICKET $100 WINNERS – Thank you to the participants that elected to donate their winnings back to the Foundation. The GCBAA Foundation appreciates your kindness! NAME
CASEY JONES
CHARLIE PARKER
COMPANY
FUSION
ACE GOLF NETTING
CHAS SCHMID
MOUNTAIN VIEW SEEDS
CHRIS DAIGLE*
WINTERBERRY TURF
DANIELLE SCARDINO*
WEST COAST TURF
DAVID TAYLOR*
BRYANT TAYLOR GORDON
EDDIE CLARK
THE TORO COMPANY
EDWARD PASKINS
BARBADE GOLF
GABRIEL LOPEZ
IPS INC
GREG SOLOMON
BRIDGE BUILDERS
JEFF FALK
HUNTER INDUSTRIES
JODY DOWNING
EARTH SCULPTURES
JOE LOVATO
FORMOST CONSTRUCTION
JOHN HOLMES
ATLAS TURF
JOHN JACKE
TEE OFF STAFFING
JORGE HUERTA
HERITAGE LINKS
KP CLOUD*
FORMOST CONSTRUCTION
KUN LI
FORWARD MANAGEMENT GROUP
LARRY HERMAN
FORMOST CONSTRUCTION GROUP
JEFF KOOR
JOHN HYER
JOHN MARMAN KEN GENTILE
MARGIE CLOUD
ALL ABOUT IRRIGATION
GOLF CREATIONS WEST COAST TURF EXECUTIVE TURF
FORMOST CONSTRUCTION
MARIO POIRIER*
NMP GOLF
MICHAEL JARVIS
BTG IRRIGATION
PAT KARNICK
WADSWORTH GOLF
RAFAEL BARAJAS
GCSAA
RANDAL PICHAN
EAGLE GOLF CONSTRUCTION
RICHARD COLYER
GOLF AGRONOMICS
RICK BENSON
BENSON GOLF
RICK BOYLAN
MID-AMERICA GOLF
RICK LOHMAN
THE TORO COMPANY
RICK SHRIVER
HARCO FITTINGS
SAM GARDNER
ISLEWORTH CC
SCOTT VEAZEY
SOUTHEASTERN GOLF
STEVE SMITH
SMITH TURF
TODD ARMSTRONG
SMITH TURF
TOM SHAPLAND
SHAPLAND GOLF
TRAVIS CHIVERS
CAPILLARY CONCRETE
TIM CURNOW
WILLIE SLINGERLAND
HUNTER INDUSTRIES
WATERTRONICS
*INDICATES MULTIPLE TICKET WINNERS SILENT AUCTION RESULTS ARNOLD & JACK SMOKING
TIGER WOODS & MICHAEL JORDAN
ESD WASTE 2 WATER GLASE GOLF
ALAN PIERCE JEFF GLASE
MASTERS MAP
WATERTRONICS
WILLIE SLINGERLAND
TIGER WOODS 2019 MASTERS
FLORIDA COAST EQUIPMENT
TODD BACHMAN
FIRST MASTERS
CONTECH ENGINEERED SOLUTIONS
BRUCE LELAND
CAT COOLER WITH CAT HATS
GOLF PRESERVATIONS INC.
JARED BREWER GCBAA Earth Shaping News | Spring Edition 9
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Sticks for Kids SHOWCASED TO GOLF COURSE GENERAL MANAGERS
G
CBAA Foundation staff Mychelle Thompson and Justin Apel represented the Sticks for Kids Program at the February 18, 2020 Partner Fair. This event brings in over 50 Golf Course General Managers who work with the Landscapes Golf Management division tied with GCBAA Charter and Certified Builder Member Landscapes Unlimited, LLC. During the Vendor Fair, the staff was able to share success stories of the programs launched in past years, whether original Sticks for Kids Programs, those tied with the National Recreation and Parks Association, and most recently, those supporting LPGA/USGA Girls Golf Programs. The Sticks for Kids Program has a grant application that can be submitted for consideration for programming. Applications can be found on the gcbaafoundation.org website.
GCBAA MEMBERS REPRESENTED AT
2020 ConExpo Las Vegas
S
everal members of the Golf Course Builders Association of America attended and exhibited at the 2020 ConExpo; North America's Largest Construction Trade Show. The event is held every three years with Las Vegas as the host city to handle the massive event that brings people from all over the globe. March 10-14, 2,300 exhibitors representing asphalt, aggregates, concrete, earthmoving, hauling, lifting, trucking, underground construction, and more are spread across 2.7 million square feet of indoor and outdoor interactive exhibits. The next show is scheduled for March 14-18, 2023. For more information visit conexpoconagg.com
National Golf Day POSTPONED
N
ational Golf Day scheduled for Wednesday, May 6 was postponed in response to recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control that organizers cancel or postpone in-person
activities. Due to the rapidly evolving nature of decisions by public health agencies, federal and state governments, a decision on whether to reschedule NGD will be made at a later date. We will continue to closely
monitor the impacts of the coronavirus and will be in contact with a decision on NGD 2020 as circumstances evolve in the coming days and weeks.
GCBAA Earth Shaping News | Spring Edition 11
DEVELOPERS GUIDE
Attributes OF TOP BUILDERS BY HENRY DELOZIER
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GLOBAL GOLF ADVISORS
hat are the attributes of top builders? In a word, passion. The top builders are people who love golf and employ people who love golf. The best products begin constructed are shaped and built by people who understand the game of golf and take pains to make each hole beautiful, playable and intriguing,” says Ron Whitten, the architecture editor at Golf Digest. Whitten continued, “I've met many a construction superintendent and shaper over the years that have all the tools to be architects themselves but lack the opportunities. That they remain in the construction end of the business is a blessing.” Tommy Sasser, past GCBAA president, who is now consulting as Recreational Community Consultants, says, “What defines a “top builder”? One that has: (a) professional management and senior staff; (b) financial and technical resources to perform the work; and (c) a history of being professional and able to complete similar work that they perform. A ‘top builder’ is not defined as one who can take on any project. A “top builder” is one that has the above abilities performing the work that they do. This means “top builders’ can be small renovation contractors,
irrigation contractors who do small projects, or companies that can perform up to the largest projects.” John Strawn, now at GGA and formerly CEO at Robert Trent Jones II and Hills & Forrest, observes, “Every top builder is adaptable and creative, and that flexibility derives from experience. They can help clients find the most cost-effective ways to complete their projects. Most architects have preferred builders, but it’s a very competitive market and price is still the most important factor for most clients. Builders are not only competing with other builders, they’re competing with in-house staffs as well, especially on standard renovation work, such as building tees and rebuilding bunkers.” Contractors are essential in building within a budget. Mistakes are better made on paper than in the field. Most developers can't fund a course that takes two years to build. Most projects must stick to realistic deadlines. Such valuable attributes as passion, expertise, and experience are considered by many clients to be “table stakes”. The quality standards of GCBAA have elevated the overall capability and expectations of golf course builders.
Developers and many golf course owners or operators keep a short list of primary attributes that make a builder valuable: • Dependability – Do you do what you promised to do? Are schedules and budgets reliable? Are your financial and schedule projections presented in conformity with corporate standards; do they look professional? • Cost-Efficiency – Can you demonstrate that your company will operate efficiently and manage the project flow effectively? Do you have a history of change orders? • Resource Allocation – Is your company adequately staffed and is the on-site team properly equipped? Is it clear to your customers that the on-site team is well-organized and properly supported to complete the assignment on time and on budget? Technical expertise, experience, and dedication are vitally important attributes. So, too, are the customerfacing values that convert a contract into a valued relationship.
Henry DeLozier is a principal at Global Golf Advisors, the largest international consulting firm that specializes in golf-related businesses. Henry is a friend to GCBAA members and the Chairman of the Board of Directors for Audubon International. Contact Henry at hdelozier@globalgolfadvisors.com.
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HUMAN RESOURCES
EMPLOYEE Rights BY JACK L. SHULTZ AND SARAH J. KNIEP
O’NEILL, HEINRICH, DAMKROGER, BERGMEYER & SHULTZ, P.C., L.L.O. Employers are required to post the notice below at the work site where employment notices are typically posted. The effective date of the Act has been clarified as April 1, (not April 2) 2020. The notice should be posted by the effective date of the act.
Editor’s Note: This article is not intended to provide legal advice to our readers. Rather, this article is intended to alert our readers to new and developing issues and to provide some common sense answers to complex legal questions. Readers are urged to consult their own legal counsel or the authors of this article if the reader wishes to obtain a specific legal opinion regarding how these legal standards may apply to their particular circumstances. The authors of this article, Jack L. Shultz and Sarah J. Kniep can be contacted at (402) 434-3000, or at O’Neill, Heinrich, Damkroger, Bergmeyer & Shultz, P.C., L.L.O., P.O. Box 82028, Lincoln, NE 68501-2028, jshultz@ohdbslaw.com and skniep@ohdbslaw.com.
GCBAA Earth Shaping News | Spring Edition 13
GB014_SummerMeetingBranding_Biltmore_24x30_HR_printersmarks.pdf
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Networking · Family Fun · Education
Used with permission from The Biltmore Company, Asheville, North Carolina.
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ALLIED UPDATES
Renee Powell TO RECEIVE ASGCA DONALD ROSS AWARD
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enee Powell, professional golfer and longtime ambassador for the game around the world, has been chosen as the 2020 recipient of the ASGCA Donald Ross Award. The award, given annually since 1976, is presented to a person who has made a significant contribution to the game of golf and the profession of golf course architecture. It will be presented to Powell in October as part of the 2020 ASGCA Annual Meeting in Cleveland. Powell was the second African-American woman to compete on the Ladies Professional Golf Association tour, the first African-American woman to earn a Class-A PGA of America membership, and in 2015 was one of the first women to be named Honorary Member of the Royal & Ancient Golf Club in St. Andrews, Scotland. The ongoing positive impact Powell is making continues from where it all began for her at Clearview Golf Club in Canton, Ohio. Powell’s father, William, remains the only African-American to design, build, own and operate his own golf course. Seventy years later, Renee and her brother, Larry, continue to operate the club and add to their father’s legacy. The course was added to the National Register of Historic Places by the U.S. Department of Interior in 2001. “Renee and her family have improved the lives of countless people in their hometown and around the world through the game of golf,” ASGCA President Jan Bel Jan said. “She, Larry, and the Clearview Legacy Foundation are carrying on what Bill Powell first set out to do in the 1940s: be a beacon of social justice and economic empowerment.” Larry Powell is in his fifth decade as Clearview’s
PAST DONALD ROSS AWARD RECIPIENTS:
2019: Joe Passov, golf writer 2018: President George Herbert Walker Bush, U.S. President 2017: Alice Dye, ASGCA Fellow, golf course architect 2016: Michael Bamberger, golf writer 2015: Bradley S. Klein, golf writer 2014: Maj. Dan Rooney, founder, Folds of Honor Foundation 2013: Rees Jones, ASGCA, golf course architect 2012: Bill Kubly, golf course builder 2011: James Dodson, golf writer/editor 2010: Tim Finchem, PGA Tour Commissioner 2009: Ron Dodson, sustainable golf advocate 2008: George Peper, golf writer 2007: Dr. Michael Hurdzan, ASGCA, golf course architect 2006: Jim Awtrey, chief executive officer, PGA of America 2005: John Singleton, irrigation pioneer 2004: Thomas Cousins, philanthropist, urban golf developer
superintendent, bringing innovation and sustainability to turfgrass development and care. He keeps grass growing in summer months without an automated irrigation system and keeps it healthier and greener longer by balancing traditional and advanced fertility techniques. In 2016, 20 years after his father, Larry Powell was inducted to the National Black Golf Hall of Fame. After attending college at Ohio University and Ohio State University – where she was captain of the women’s golf team at both schools – Renee played professionally for 13 years in the U.S. and United Kingdom. A USO tour to Vietnam in 1970 started what would become a lifelong role as golf’s global ambassador. Powell has traveled in that capacity to
Australia, Japan, Morocco, Spain and made more than two dozen visits to various countries in Africa. In 2018, a residence hall at the University of St. Andrews was named in her honor. Today, Renee Powell is Clearview’s head professional. She also leads the Clearview Legacy Foundation for Education, Preservation and Turfgrass Research, whose education mission is to, “use golf as a tool to reach youngsters, minorities, seniors, troubled individuals, women military veterans, and those with mental and physical challenges.” The Donald Ross Award is presented by the ASGCA Awards Committee, co-chaired by ASGCA Past Presidents Steve Smyers, ASGCA, and Rees Jones, ASGCA Fellow (the 2013 Donald Ross Award recipient).
2003: Bill Campbell, president, USGA, captain, Royal & Ancient Golf Club 2002: Byron Nelson, professional golfer 2001: Jack Nicklaus, ASGCA, professional golfer, golf course architect 2000: Jaime Ortiz-Patino, owner and president, Valderrama Golf Club 1999: Arnold Palmer, professional golfer 1998: Judy Bell, president, USGA 1997: Gene Sarazen, professional golfer 1996: Ron Whitten, golf writer 1995: Pete Dye, ASGCA, golf course architect 1994: James R. Watson, agronomist 1993: Brent Wadsworth, golf course builder 1992: Paul Fullmer, ASGCA executive secretary 1991: Michael Bonallack, secretary, Royal & Ancient Golf Club 1990: John Zoller, executive director, Northern California Golf Association
1989: Dick Taylor, editor, “Golf World” magazine 1988: Frank Hannigan, executive director, USGA 1987: Charles Price, writer, “Golf World” magazine 1986: Deane Beman, commissioner, PGA Tour 1985: Peter Dobereiner, “London Observer” columnist, author 1984: Dinah Shore, sponsor of women’s golf tournaments 1983: Al Radko, director, USGA Green Section 1982: Geoffrey Cornish, ASGCA, golf course architect, historian 1981: James Rhodes, governor of Ohio 1980: Gerald Micklem, captain, Royal & Ancient 1979: Joe Dey, executive director, USGA 1978: Herb and Joe Graffis, founders, National Golf Foundation 1977: Herbert Warren Wind, “The New Yorker” columnist, author 1976: Robert Trent Jones, ASGCA, ASGCA founding member GCBAA Earth Shaping News | Spring Edition 15
ALLIED UPDATES
CMAA ELECTS 2020 Board of Directors
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lexandria, VA — February 12, 2020 — The Club Management Association of America (CMAA) announces its 2020 Officers and Board of Directors. The CMAA Board of Directors is comprised of 13 professionals who work collaboratively with the National Staff team, National Committees, Members, Partners, and the greater industry to advance the profession of club management. The CMAA Board of Directors is committed to ensuring the existence and growth of a thriving club industry led by CMAAeducated professionals, through the adoption and implementation of the CMAA's recently approved 2020-2025 Strategic Plan. The 2020 CMAA Officers are: • Chairman Mark Bado, MCM, CCE, General Manager, Myers Park Country Club, Charlotte, NC; • Vice Chairman Brian Kroh, CCM, General Manager, John's Island Club, Vero Beach, FL; • Secretary–Treasurer Mitchell Platt, MCM, CCE, General Manager, Cosmos Club, Washington, DC; • Immediate Past Chairman Randy Ruder, CCM, CCE, General Manager, Beach Point Club, Mamaroneck, NY.
Newly elected or re-elected as Directors are: • Eric Dietz, CCM, CCE, PGA, Chief Operating Officer, Mountain Lake, Lake Wales, FL; • Joseph Krenn, CCM, CCE, General Manager/ Chief Operating Officer, Farmington Country Club, Charlottesville, VA; • Joe Mendez, CCM, CCE, General Manager, Riverton Country Club, Cinnaminson, NJ; and • William Shonk, CCM, CCE, General Manager, Princess Anne Country Club, Virginia Beach, VA. Directors continuing to serve on the CMAA Board are: • Janine Budzius, CCM, CCE, General Manager/COO, Philadelphia Country Club, Gladwyne, PA; • Richard LaRocca, CCM, CCE, General Manager/ Chief Operating Officer, Beechmont Country Club, Cleveland, OH; • Michael Seabrook, CCM, CCE, General Manager/ Chief Operating Officer, Belle Meade Country Club, Nashville, TN; • Christina Toups, CCM, CCE, General Manager,
Ridglea Country Club, Fort Worth, TX; and • Michael S. Wheeler, MCM, CCE, General Manager/ Chief Operating Officer, Cherokee Town & Country Club, Atlanta, GA. Voting for officers and directors was conducted online prior to and in-person at CMAA's 2020 World Conference and Club Business Session in Grapevine, TX. The election results were announced at the event's Closing Business Session.
About CMAA: Founded in 1927, the Club Management Association of America (CMAA) is the largest professional association for managers of membership clubs with 6,800 members throughout the US and internationally. Our members contribute to the success of more than 2,500 country, golf, athletic, city, faculty, military, town, and yacht clubs. The objectives of the Association are to promote relationships between club management professionals and other similar professions; to encourage the education and advancement of members; and to provide the resources needed for efficient and successful club operations. Under the covenants of professionalism, education, leadership, and community, CMAA continues to extend its reach as the leader in the club management practice. CMAA is headquartered in Alexandria, VA, with 42 professional chapters and more than 40 student chapters and colonies. Learn more at cmaa.org.
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ALLIED UPDATES
THE Fine Art OF CART PATHS
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he Fine Art of Cart Paths Cart paths can be a highly contentious subject during golf course construction and renovation projects. While most golfers, course officials and architects agree on the need for some formal paths, there are very different views on the extent of paths needed, how wide they should be, where they should be located and what they should be made from. All of these considerations influence construction costs, future maintenance and overall satisfaction with the finished product. The following tips for success will help a golf facility get the best possible results from any investment in cart paths. Keep maintenance in mind. Cart paths serve various purposes. Some are exclusively for golf carts, while others will be shared by golf carts, maintenance equipment and service vehicles. Paths routinely used by maintenance equipment may need to be wider, made from a more durable material, and provide different access points. If a “maintenance loop” can be created that provides efficient hard-surface access to most golf holes, it will allow the maintenance team to travel the course even when conditions would prevent them from driving on the turf – e.g., when the course is wet or when frost is present. That allows the course to be opened quicker once conditions permit play to begin. If the maintenance loop avoids the busiest areas of golfer traffic and provides some shortcuts it will reduce travel time and improve efficiency. There is no perfect material. A great deal of thought, debate and argument has gone into the subject of cart path materials. While there are advocates for every path material imaginable, there will always be tradeoffs. Materials that look more natural, like decomposed granite, can create a desirable aesthetic but may not withstand
heavy traffic or perform well during extremely wet weather. Stable materials like concrete and asphalt may perform better, but they can have an unnatural appearance and may cost more. Before a facility commits to any major path expenditures, it may be worth installing test sections of various materials to see how they perform over a period of time. What may seem like a good idea on paper may not prove to be in practice, so giving golfers and course officials an opportunity to see the options in action can help to prevent costly mistakes and unhappy customers. Simple tricks can make a big difference. Regardless of the path layout or materials selected, here are a few simple tricks that can be utilized in path construction that make a big difference in performance and appearance: • Curving the entry and exit points of paths away from the primary travel direction makes it more likely that people will enter and exit at different points, rather than concentrating traffic all in one area. This can greatly reduce wear and tear on the turf near paths.
• Placing curbs on the play side of the path and tying the turf right to the top of the curb can help hide large sections of cart path from view. Curbs can also help to direct surface water and traffic away from primary playing areas. • Think about how water is going to escape from the paths. Even if paths don’t have a curb, the turf alongside them often acts like a curb, keeping water on the path. If all the water flowing down an extended length of cart path empties out at an entry or exit point, that area is likely to become a muddy mess that needs constant repair. Including drains along a path to capture water and direct it away from heavy traffic areas is a key consideration. Cart paths are a significant investment for any golf facility and careful planning is crucial for getting the most benefit from them. Developing a comprehensive cart path plan is a good first step in any cart path improvement project as this can help to ensure that current and future decisions are consistent with a facility’s long-term goals.
Curbing can help to keep surface water and traffic away from playing areas. It can also be used to hide sections of path from view.
GCBAA Earth Shaping News | Spring Edition 17
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18 GCBAA Earth Shaping News | Spring Edition
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MOVERS & SHAPERS
AssuredPartners ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIP WITH LMC INSURANCE & RISK MANAGEMENT NATIONAL BROKER EXPANDS IN NEW TERRITORY AND ADDS SPECIALTY MARKET
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AKE MARY, FL – February 10, 2020 – AssuredPartners, Inc. is pleased to announce our latest partner, LMC Insurance & Risk Management headquartered in West De Moines, Iowa, to join the national broker team. LMC’s operations consist of 290 dedicated employees who will remain under the operational leadership of LMC President and CEO Greg LaMair. The agency is currently ranked #58 on the Business Insurance Top 100 U.S. Brokers list. “LMC Insurance & Risk Management dates back to a founding in 1865 and partners with individuals, business and industry leaders across the nation to provide property casualty insurance, employee benefits, personal lines, financial services and risk
management services,” stated Greg LaMair. “We have a unique alignment with AssuredPartners with our current product lines and geographic office footprint. We also look forward to rapidly expanding our Agricultural Practice area partnering with other AssuredPartners locations countrywide.” AssuredPartners Western Regions President Randy Larsen stated, LMC’s operations are a great fit for AssuredPartners and truly round out our existing upper Midwest operations with their 11 office locations. In addition, we are excited to partner with their Agri Business Practice area “LMC is one of the largest Agri Business brokers in the United States and AssuredPartners is excited to build the vertical with knowledge and experience LMC is bringing in this
business segment.” “At AssuredPartners, we’re not just in the insurance business, we’re in the business of cementing powerful, lasting relationships. In finding those relationships there are specific qualities and attributes we are in search of when aligning ourselves with a new partner,” stated AssuredPartners President and COO Tom Riley. “We are delighted when we find those in such a great operation like LMC. We are looking forward to building a stronger partnership and working openly and honestly to achieve common goals.” For more information on LMC Insurance & Risk Management, please visit: www.lmcins.com.
ABOUT ASSUREDPARTNERS, INC: Headquartered in Lake Mary, Florida and led by Jim Henderson and Tom Riley, AssuredPartners, Inc. acquires and invests in insurance brokerage businesses (property and casualty, employee benefits, surety and MGU’s) across the United States and in London. From its founding in March of 2011, AssuredPartners has grown to over $1.4 billion in annualized revenue and continues to be one of the fastest growing insurance brokerage firms in the United States with over 170 offices in 30 states and London. For more information, please contact Dean Curtis, CFO, at 407.708.0031 or dean.curtis@assuredpartners.com, or visit www.assuredpartners.com.
WATERTRONICS IS PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE Adam Mock HAS RECENTLY JOINED THE TEAM AS REGIONAL SALES MANAGER.
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dam has over 25 years’ experience working in golf irrigation and has been recognized many times for his outstanding performance including a Rain Bird Top-Flight award, Toro Blue Blazer and Toro Master Sales awards. He will be responsible for Golf Sales in the Arizona, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, and Colorado markets working with Bill Thornton during the territory transition as Bill assumes the role of Business Development and Key Accounts Manager for the Golf Market.
As part of Mach 1’s introduction to the market, courses around the world from Florida to Vietnam planted trial plots for evaluation. Trump National Golf Club Charlotte in North Carolina is the first to install the new ultradwarf for permanent play. Their new Fazio-designed par-three practice facility, Fazio Five, features Mach 1 on all greens. Adam can be reached at 408-313-6420 or adam. mock@watertronics.com.
GCBAA Earth Shaping News | Spring Edition 19
MOVERS & SHAPERS
THE FAMILY IS Still Strong THE BETTER BILLY BUNKER TEAM CAME THROUGH A DISASTER AND WENT STRAIGHT INTO A PANDEMIC. HERE’S WHAT THEY LEARNED AND HOW GCBAA MEMBERS WERE THERE TO HELP.
BY PAT JONES
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o, if you’ve ever idly wondered how your life could be any crazier than it is at the moment, imagine if – right before the pandemic hit – your workplace was vaporized by an F4 tornado. That is exactly what happened to the folks at Better Billy Bunker just weeks before lockdowns, TP hoarding and facemasks came to dominate our lives. Yet, the team at BBB is happy, optimistic and grateful for the support they received from fellow GCBAA members and many others around golf. I checked in with them recently to hear the story straight from Jerry Lemons, Todd Jenkins and Adam Lemons. But first, a little history… I’d be shocked if there’s anyone in the golf course business who hasn’t heard of Better Billy Bunker. It is, of course, the brainchild of Jerry Lemons, a superintendent-turned-builder-turned-architectturned-entrepreneur. Jerry got his start as a newly minted Murray State grad who was hired by his alma mater to oversee construction of the university’s new course. That’s where he met Mike Hurdzan and his plan to be a career superintendent changed. “Mike opened my eyes to the world of construction and golf course architecture,” he says. “I owe a lot to Mike for everything he’s done for me over my career.” As he transitioned to architecture, Lemons made his reputation as a “low-budget renovation king” (his words, not mine) and redesigned Old Hickory, a landmark Nashville course, and a half-dozen others around Tennessee and Kentucky. When the recession hit in 2009 the design business was in tatters and it was an awful time for architects. But plenty of folks still had infrastructure problems they needed to fix. Notably bad, labor-intensive bunkers that were a constant source of golfer complaints. “I’d already been working on trying to improve the bunker construction techniques and so I used the time around the recession to perfect it, patent it and begin thinking about how we could make a business out of it. That’s when I met Billy Fuller again in 2009. I asked him whether this concept with a binder would be a better way to build bunkers than his original Billy Bunker version with fabric and he agreed with me. We did some testing and initial work and launched as Better Billy Bunker in 2010.” And with the launch came Todd, the golf professional from Old Hickory and good friend, and his son Adam. Both headed to GIS in 2010 to help Jerry…and they’ve been a team ever since. How did that launch in 2010 – a horrible time for the golf business – work so well? Jerry: Everyone had postponed renovation work. There were so many supers with bunkers that were maintenance problems because of fabric liners in the past and they were tired of it. At the booth during that first show, we’d ask them if they had fabric liners. They’d say, yes and I’ll never do that again! People were looking for something that worked well for a longer time and was easier to maintain. We had an
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answer and we’d already proven the savings and the ROI. It kind of sold itself. What made it different? Jerry: The original Billy Bunker that Billy Fuller created when he was at Augusta National started with 2 inches of gravel and a very inexpensive fabric liner in between that gravel and the bunker sand…and presto, it worked. Pat O’Brien (of USGA Green Section) wrote an article that pushed it out there and everyone in the industry started calling it the Billy Bunker. Billy thinks over 700 courses did it in the ‘90s and early 2000s. Our big moment for Better Billy Bunker was probably when William Shirley at Peachtree GC decided to run with our new improved version based on Billy’s recommendation. That really got us started. So how many BBB bunkers are out there now? Todd: Since 2010 we have bunkers at right at a thousand golf courses. About three-quarters are 100-percent our system. That’s somewhere in the neighborhood of 50 million square feet. How did you grow it so much so fast? Todd: From where we started in 2010 it’s been word of mouth and it’s still word of mouth today. As you know better than anyone we don’t do a heckuva lot of traditional advertising (laughs). It wasn’t for lack of trying! Jerry: But then Twitter came along and we took full advantage of the fact that we had a couple of young guys who engaged with that stuff. Adam: If your product is good, social media is the best thing in the world. If it’s bad, it’s the worst thing in the world. It’s been a great tool to tell the story about what we do. Okay, flash forward to the first week of March 2020. What happened? Jerry: We had just come off of very successful GIS and Canadian shows. The year looked very promising…it still does actually. But booked jobs were very good and we had tons of courses considering it. When the tornado hit during the night, our office was totally destroyed. We didn’t have four walls and a roof. Everything was gone. The tornado literally went through the middle of it. We immediately figured out that our insurance was adequate to cover the financial stuff. What we lost were desks and paperwork and things that had no real value or couldn’t be replaced. We had no loss of life. Our homes were fine. That’s when we recognized that, hey, all this stuff we can replace. We may not have a place to go yet but we’ll get one. This is my third tornado…as devastating as it was I pretty well knew I needed to stay calm, get organized and not let it get us down too bad. We just needed to slog through it. So you knew early on that you’d be able to get back on your feet pretty quickly from a business standpoint? Adam: One thing we realized looking back is that our customers, if we had not told them, might not have ever known. Our lives are so mobile these days with cellphones and computers that we were actually able to do business like we needed to almost right away. Everybody in the company – the five of us in Nashville – just rolled up sleeves and jumped in and said let’s figure out what we gotta do.
Jerry: So, as we’re assessing the damage I get a phone call from Chris Hill at Course Crafters who was coming into town for a job. I asked him if he knew anyone who had a mini-ex to help us pull a wall off some of our stuff. Chris called some folks including Kevin Grieder from Sunbelt Rentals. Within 24 hours we had a machine on site. Chris brought Hollywood (Bill Willingham) and 4-5 members of his staff over to help load us up everything we could salvage. Thanks to them, we loaded it up and put it into storage. They were Johnny on the spot to help. It was unbelievable. The offers of support you received and the outpouring of love must have been amazing. Todd: The thing you have to remember is people want to help. You need to give them the opportunity to help for their sake as well as yours. If someone comes and offers you a bottle of water and you already have 5 bottles, you still accept it with gratitude. Because they need to feel good about helping you as well. Those of us who know you weren’t surprised by the support you received because you’d done the same for others previously after hurricanes and disasters. Jerry: Several years ago after a big hurricane, rather than writing a check, we decided to do a matching program. If someone can give $10 it’ll have $20 impact. Like I said, we want to give others a chance to help as well. We’ve continued doing that after big storms and wildfires and such. Unfortunately it seems like it’s been an annual thing. You guys give a lot for a little company! Jerry: We’re all Christians. This business has always revolved around how we can spread the good word. That’s the foundation of what we do and why we’ve always tried to help folks in our industry previously when they’ve been hit by things like this. We’re able to help and we want to help. We feel blessed even more so that the favor was returned to us. Todd: I had a letter to the editor that my dad had published in the local newspaper
when I was kid. It’s a list of 6-7 pieces of advice for young people. Number one was always put God first. But down about number 3 or 4 was help people along life’s way who aren’t as fortunate. That’s important to us. Jerry: We get more out of it by giving. These are our friends and family…clients and people I’ve know for 35 years. It’s the right thing to do. We also do it inside the company. At the end of the year we get to pick a charity and the company makes a matching donation. Obviously Chris and Kevin were there for you when the tornado hit but talk about what the GCBAA has meant to you. Jerry: The builders are our family. As an architect, we’ve worked with them. Now we’ve spent countless hours on the ground with them. Yes, we’re doing business with them but they’ve become part of the BBB family. They are some of the greatest people in the world. Todd: The morning of the tornado, I pulled into the lot at 4:30 to assess the damage and before noon I had over 50 texts and emails from friends, supers and others offering help, resources and prayers. Justin Apel called by 9:30! I had a dozen GCBAA builders, suppliers and even competitors reach out and ask what do you need and how can we help? I will never forget it. So, you came into this crazy pandemic with a perspective nobody else had. What are your final thoughts to share with your friends in the business as you sit here now? Todd: “The game of golf has given me more than I could ever give back.” Adam: “We’re blessed in so many ways.” Jerry: “The family is still strong”
GCBAA Earth Shaping News | Spring Edition 21
MOVERS & SHAPERS
NMP GOLF CONSTRUCTION CORP. ANNOUNCES THE APPOINTMENT OF Alexander M. Weber AS A SUPERINTENDENT
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lex has been working in the golf course industry for a few years. He first started as a Survey Technician, part-time, while he was completed his studies. In May 2016, Alex became a full-time Survey Technician. Throughout his experience, he has acquired a range of skills acting as an operator, a team leader, and a foreman making him an asset for our company. Among the projects he worked on, it is important to mention his exceptional contribution to the following golf courses: • Pelican Golf Course, Belleair, FL • The Stanwich Club, Greenwich, CT • Fox Chapel Golf Club, Pittsburgh, PA • Westcott Plantation Golf Course, North Charleston, SC At NMP Golf Construction Corp., we have the pleasure of working with Alex since 2015. For the past
5 years, we have witnessed his willingness to work, his ability with technical tasks, his professionalism, and his dedication, making him a natural choice to take on this position in the company. Congratulations Alex!
Links Bridges OPENS UNITED STATES OF AMERICA OFFICE Links Bridges Don Ferrar President/CEO 1 SE Ocean Blvd Stuart, FL 34994 888-444-0277 dferrar@linksbridges.com www.linksbridges.com
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Call 800-345-ISCO or visit ISCO-PIPE.com to learn more. 22 GCBAA Earth Shaping News | Spring Edition
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LEVRACK
2840 O Street Road Seward, Nebraska 68434 Website: levrack.com Phone: (402) 631-3041 Austin Peters – apeters@levrack.com Matt Boyts – matt@levrack.com
SYNGENTA PROFESSIONAL SOLUTIONS
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THE HAYDEN GROUP INC.
55JT Drive Sheridan, Arkansas 72150 Website: www.thehaydengroupcorp.com Phone: (847) 337-0808 Ted Fist – tfist@haydengroupcorp.com
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BUILDER/IRRIGATION CONTRACTOR APPLICANT MEMBERS
GREENWAY BRIDGE COMPANY
99 Crescent Road Santa Rosa Beach, Florida 32456 Website: greenwaybridgeco.com Phone: (631) 901-4561 Tim Kris – tim@greenwaybridgeco.com
AUDUBON INTERNATIONAL
GOLF PRESERVATIONS INC.
120 Defreest Drive Troy, New York 12180 Website: www.auduboninternational.org Phone: (844) 767-9051 Christine Kane – christine@ auduboninternational.org Kat Findlay – kat@auduboninternational.org
P.O. Box 2266 Middlesboro, Kentucky 40965 Website: www.golfpreservations.com Phone: (606) 499-2732 Samson Bailey – golfpreservations@yahoo.com Jerry Wilson – golfpreservations@yahoo.com
WSB
3701 40th Ave NW, Ste 100 Rochester, Minnesota 55901 Phone: (651) 286-8458 Website: wsbeng.com Klay Eckles – keckles@wsbeng.com Bob Barth – bbarth@wsbeng.com
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERS TYLER J. RAE DESIGN, LLC
4403 Channing Road Wilmington, Delaware 19802 Phone: (303) 740-1607 Website: www.tylerraedesign.com Email: tylerraedesign@gmail.com
INDEPENDENT AFFILIATE MEMBERS ROB FOGG
1701 Sydney Terrace Mt. Juliet, Tennessee 37122 Phone : (615) 878-4376 Email: foggrobertd@gmail.com
ED KRUSE
3028 East Vernon Street Gilbert, Arizona 85298 Phone: (480) 842-1903 Email: j.s.e.strategicplanning@gmail.com
GCBAA MEETINGS CALENDAR August 4-6, 2020
2020 GCBAA Summer Meeting Asheville, NC
Visit the Events page at gcbaa.org to stay up to date!
Welcome TO THE GCBAA! GCBAA Earth Shaping News | Spring Edition 23
IN REMEMBRANCE
THOMAS SCHUECK Thomas B. "Tom" Schueck, 78, of Little Rock, Arkansas, passed away on March 3, 2020. He was a man who positively impacted the lives of countless individuals and made our community and state a better place to live. Tom was blessed with a love of learning as well as a drive and determination to succeed at any endeavor that lay before him. He pursued everything with passion, whether it be work, fishing, hunting, or the Razorbacks. To those who knew him, he will forever be remembered as a man who made a true difference in this world. Tom was born in St. Louis, Missouri, on March 22, 1941, to Loretta and Arthur Schueck, both of whom predeceased him. He is survived by many family members whom he held dearly in his heart. Tom was blessed with a devoted wife of 53 years, Marge; a daughter, Jennifer S. McCarty, and her husband, Mark, of Little Rock; a son, Patrick T. Schueck, of Little Rock; five wonderful grandchildren, Caroline McCarty, Harrison McCarty, Mason Schueck, Ava Schueck, and Hayden Schueck, all of Little Rock; and a sister, Pat Ahrens, of North Port, Florida. Tom grew up in a blue-collar neighborhood on the south side of St. Louis. After high school, he got a job working for a local construction company, which inspired him to pursue an engineering degree. Tom applied for and was accepted into the engineering program at Washington University and completed his studies there in 1965 with a degree in civil engineering. After graduation, Tom and Marge married and moved to Little Rock for Tom to work on the Murray Lock and Dam project. Tom later became a successful factory representative for various steel products. In 1968, he took this knowledge and formed Schueck Steel Products in his garage based on the principle
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of providing superior service at a fair price. Today, his company, Lexicon Fabricators and Constructors is one of the leading heavy fabrication and construction companies in the nation, encompassing four divisions with approximately 2,000 employees. Tom's accomplishments led to him being honored with numerous awards, including the Paul Harris Fellow of the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International (2013); Sidney M. Brooks Fellow of the Rotary Club of Little Rock Club 99 Foundation (2013); Rotary Business & Professional Leader of the Year (2013); and Arkansas Business Hall of Fame (2017). When receiving any recognition, Tom was quick to point out the success he and Lexicon had experienced would not have been possible if not for the hard work and dedication of his many loyal employees. Tom leveraged his success in business to help others, giving both his time and his resources to his employees and the greater Arkansas community. Tom generously shared Lexicon's profits with personnel and routinely helped employees and their families in need. In addition, he and the Schueck Family Foundation have been long-time supporters of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Arkansas Children's, Baptist Health Foundation, St. Vincent's Foundation, Indiana University Cancer Research, UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, Moog Center for Deaf in St. Louis, University of Arkansas Foundation, UA Little Rock Donaghey College of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service, Razorback Foundation, Heifer International, AEDC Foundation, Clinton Foundation, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, P.A.R.K., Single Parent Scholarship Fund of Pulaski County, Watershed Human and Development Agency, Our House, and
many others. In addition to his charitable work, Tom tirelessly served on many commissions and boards. At the time of his death, he was the chairman of the Arkansas State Highway Commission and a board member of the Arkansas Industrial and Economic Development Foundation and The Nature Conservancy in Arkansas. He was also an active member of American Institute of Steel Contractors, Arkansas Society of Mechanical Engineers, and Arkansas Manufacturers Association. Tom previously served on the Little Rock Municipal Airport Commission; Arkansas Parks, Recreation and Travel Commission; Little Rock Progress Committee; and Arkansas Pollution Control and Ecology Commission. He had previously been a board member of the Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce, Little Rock Boys & Girls Club, and UAMS Foundation. Please join us at 3 p.m. on Sunday, March 8, 2020, at Second Presbyterian Church, 600 Pleasant Valley Dr., Little Rock, Ark. 72227 for a celebration of life service. A reception will follow the service at Little Rock's Pleasant Valley Country Club. Ruebel Funeral Home will handle arrangements, www. ruebelfuneralhome.com. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Tom's memory to UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute (UAMS Institutional Advancement, #716, Little Rock, Ark. 72205), Our House (302 E. Roosevelt Road, Little Rock, Ark. 72206), or the Schueck, McCarty, Lexicon, Inc. Dean's Endowed Fund, UALR Office of Alumni and Development (2801 S. University Ave., Little Rock, Ark. 72204).
IN REMEMBRANCE
PAUL FOLEY Paul J. Foley, Jr., age 77, died on Friday, April 17, in Chicago, IL, of COVID-19. Born in Chicago, IL to Paul J. Foley, Sr. and Christine MacIver Foley, Paul grew up in Westfield, NJ, where he graduated from Holy Trinity High School. He attended Niagara University, Niagara Falls, NY, and after college, served in Korea’s demilitarized zone as an intelligence officer for the US Army. He was a dedicated and loyal husband, father, and grandfather who devoted his life to his family. He greeted everyone with a smile, could talk to anyone, and loved to tease, always looking to kid around with you. He was a risk-taker, willing to ride the highest roller coaster or brave the wildest rapids, and recently he went skydiving at iFLY, something he always wanted to do. He loved to fish, grill, and find the latest and greatest craft beers. His favorite activities with the young “grands” were flying kites, building and tending to bird feeders, and getting ice cream (preferably a Choco Taco treat) with them while playing at the park. In the summertime, he would bike to the farmers market, wearing one of his favorite baseball hats from his prized collection. Paul was an avid sports fan, cheering for his favorite teams, the Nebraska Cornhuskers, Green Bay Packers, Chicago Cubs, Atlanta Braves, and recently, the Pittsburgh Pirates after his grandson, Quinn, was drafted to the team in 2019. He loved to garden, earning him the title of “urban gardener” because even in the city he found a way to make things grow. And he could always be found with his favorite craft beer in hand. Paul worked for The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company for nearly 35 years. After retirement, Paul served as the Executive Director of the
Golf Course Builders Association (GCBAA) and its foundation in Lincoln, Nebraska. He was instrumental in reestablishing the Sticks for Kids program in the USA and worldwide. His love of golf fueled his work and he took great pride in his time with the GCBAA. Soon after leaving GCBAA, Paul and his wife, Judy, moved to Chicago to be near their two (2) eldest daughters and their grandchildren. Paul enjoyed staying busy in the community and served as a Board Member for the Edgewater Development Corporation. He was proud to perform his civic duty as a Judge of Election for the City of Chicago. And, when Chicago weather cooperated, he was the starter and ranger at the Sydney Marovitz Golf Course on the beautiful Chicago lakefront, often sending his family photos of the sunrise over the lake. He and Judy enjoyed visiting his son and grandchildren in the Philadelphia area and his youngest daughter and grandchildren in Los Angeles. He is survived by his loving wife Judy (Voigt) Foley of 50 years; his four children of whom he was so proud: Christine Priester of Cary, IL, Kerry Maman (Isaac) of Evanston, IL, Paul Foley, III (Dana and her daughter, Isabella) of Doylestown, PA, and Jill Alexander (Ryan) of Los Angeles, CA; nine “grands” who he never stopped talking about; Madison and Quinn Priester, Max, Owen, and Levi Maman, Olive and Jack Foley, and Sienna and Vera Mae Alexander; and two sisters Carole Foley of Denville, NJ, and Kathleen Cornwell of Pollocksville, NC. He was preceded in death by his parents and brothers, Peter and Patrick. Christine will remember a dad who would always watch sports with her and a dad who never missed a game, cheering for her and her kids as they played
their favorite sports. She will forever cherish the many photos of all the sporting events they attended as a return ticket to moments otherwise gone. He was the original #girldad. Kerry will remember a dad who was kind, genuine, and selfless, always reaching out to see how he could help while his children juggled work and young children. His advice was always “don’t sweat the small stuff.” He would dedicate his free time to attending countless school events and games for his children and grandchildren. He was a jokester, making his family laugh with his teasing and silly jokes. She will hold dear their shared love of scones, cashews, and apple crisp. Paul will remember a dad whose impact on his grandchildren was immeasurable. He never let an opportunity pass to fly a kite with them, teach them to fish, teach them sports, or just simply engage with them. Paul will also remember relaxing with his dad and drinking IPAs, essentially every time they were together. Jill will remember a dad who gave the best back scratches during Mass, the grandpa who always had a gentle, patient and comforting hand on the back or arm of his grandchildren, a husband who called his wife, Mom-o, and a kind person who would make small talk with any person he met. A celebration of Paul’s life will be held when the world reopens once again and family and friends can gather for a Memorial Mass at St. Gertrude Catholic Church in Chicago and raise their glasses, together. Instead of gifting flowers, the family asks that you consider donating to the COVID-19 Relief Fund at Northwestern University Medicine in memory of Paul J. Foley, Jr. https://foundation.nm.org
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IN REMEMBRANCE
STEPHEN BRADLEY NUTT Stephen Bradley Nutt arrived into the heavens on Sunday April 12, 2020. He was a Tullahoma native born July 5, 1975 to Kenneth (Bettye) Nutt and the late Lane Nutt. He was the youngest in the line of siblings survived by Bethany (Roger) Wilson and Lori (Russell) Browning and his step siblings James(Evelyn) Childers and Charmian Childers. He developed a love for the outdoors as a child, being in God’s country meant being on the water, horseback riding in the hills of TN, or gathering outside with friends and family. For this reason, after he married the love of his life and his high school sweetheart, Ashley Abbott Nutt, they returned to their home town of Tullahoma to raise a family.
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He passed his whole heart to his world’s greatest blessings, his daughters Lucy Lane (15) and Anabeth Nutt (13). In addition to his girls, he had a multitude of nieces and nephews, adoring each as though they were his own; Brody, Lily and Blake Melton, Juliette and Will Strickland, Ashley Rose Tolbert, James Childers and Rachel Childers Henderson. Family was at the core of his being and he loved in the mightiest of ways. Stephen lived his life with fire and passion. That passion led to the successful development of Nutt Irrigation. He left footprints and lifelong friendships scattered through the golf course industry all across the United States. Stephen worked hard at everything he did, he played hard with the
biggest smile, and he loved hard. His life will be honored in a celebration at a future date to be set at a later time. In lieu of flowers the family would like for Stephen to be honored with contributions to the local animal rescue center, Middle Tennessee Treasures, PO Box 2460, Shelbyville, TN 37162. Caring for and loving animals was one of his greatest joys.
EARTH EARTHSHAPING SHAPINGNEWS NEWS Distribution of 1500 to All GCBAA Members, Architects, Allied Associations, Media, Key Superintendents, & Key Golf Industry Executives Electronic copy, which includes a hot link to advertisers website or product page, is included.
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