Future leaders attend GCSAA event

The GCSAA hosted 25 members from around the nation in the second annual Leadership Academy earlier this month at the association’s headquarters in Lawrence, Kan.

Those who attended the two-day session were nominated by their GCSAA-affiliated chapters based on their potential to serve as volunteer leaders in the future. They heard speakers and shared best practices that helped them learn practical leadership skills. The program also addressed current issues and future trends affecting the golf course superintendent profession and association management, and helped the attendees begin building a professional network of peers who share best practices and innovative ideas.

“The lifeblood of any organization is a membership that has vision and is engaged,” GCSAA President Mark Kuhns, CGCS, said. “To create that, we believe it is important to identify and cultivate leaders who can execute the association’s mission and the vision. Our leaders are meant to serve fellow members, and the more engaged in service our members become, the better off we will all be."

The sessions included Steve Keating, selling skills manager for The Toro Co., and his presentation “The 360 Degree Leader.” Bryan Stromme, midwest regional director of agronomy for Billy Casper Golf, presented “Taking the Lead in Environmental Issues in Golf.” GCSAA CEO Mark Woodward, CGCS, spoke about association management.

Both sponsor companies, Toro and Syngenta, continue to stress the importance of getting more people actively involved in both their association at the local and national levels and in the industry.

Participants included:

• Todd Bohn – Creekmoor Golf Club, Raymore, Mo.; Heart of America GCSA
• Steven Chernosky – Deerwood Country Club, Kingwood, Texas; South Texas GCSA
• Robert Coffey – Cimarrone Golf & Country Club, St. Johns, Fla.; North Florida GCSA
• Douglas Dykstra, CGCS – White Mountain Country Club, Pinetop, Ariz.; Cactus and Pine GCSA
• Sean Flynn – Great River Golf Club, Milford, Conn.; Connecticut Assoc. of GCS
• Eric Frazier – Willow Oaks Country Club, Richmond, Va.; Old Dominion GCSA
• Jonathan Heywood – Cape Cod National Golf Club, Harwich, Mass.; GCSA of Cape Cod
• Adam Ikamas – Crystal Mountain Resort, Thompsonville, Mich.; Michigan GCSA
• Stephen Karsh – River Crossing Golf Club, Spring Branch, Texas; Central Texas GCSA
• Steven Link – Broadmoor Golf Club, Seattle, Wash.; Western Washington GCSA
• Robert Martin – The Wilshire Country Club, Los Angeles, Calif.; GCSA of Southern California
• Neil Mayberry – New Orleans Country Club; Louisiana-Mississippi GCSA
• Craig Moore – Marquette (Mich.) Golf Club; Northern Great Lakes GCSA
• Ron Padilla – East Lake Woodlands Country Club, Oldsmar, Fla.; Florida West Coast GCSA
• D. Wayne Phillips – Rocky Bayou Country Club, Niceville, Fla.; Gulf Coast GCSA
• Casey Schlepp – Butte (Mont.) Country Club; Peaks & Prairies GCSA
• Joshua Tolman – Salmon (Idaho) Municipal Golf Assoc.; Idaho GCSA
• Phillip Vaughan – Pine Valley Country Club, Fort Wayne, Ind.; Hoosier Turfgrass Association
• Toby Young – Val Halla Golf & Recreation, Cumberland, Maine; Maine GCSA