The Toro Co. has renewed its support of The Environmental Institute for Golf (EIFG), the philanthropic organization of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA), and Toro Commercial Products Division Sales and Training Director Jim Heinze has been selected to serve on the EIFG Advisory Council.
The Advisory Council, headed by World Golf Hall of Fame member Greg Norman, provides guidance to the EIFG Board of Trustees in the areas of outreach, fundraising and strategic planning. The members are selected to enhance the EIFG's ability to cultivate relationships with current and potential donors, as well as communicate the importance of the work conducted by the EIFG.
"Toro has been a valuable partner for the EIFG over the years," said Norman, chairman and CEO of Great White Shark Enterprises. "This support is vital as we focus on continual improvement in regards to stewardship of golf courses. Jim is a welcome addition to the Advisory Council. He has an agronomic background and a keen understanding of what the EIFG is working toward."
Toro is a long-time supporter of GCSAA and the EIFG, cultivating a relationship with the association for more than 80 years. It is a Platinum Partner in the GCSAA Partner Recognition Program, a Victory Club member of the EIFG's cumulative giving program and a Platinum Tee Club member of the EIFG's annual giving program. The annual GCSAA National Championship and Golf Classic has been presented in partnership with Toro since 1995, and Toro is a double eagle sponsor of the Golf Industry Show Silent Auction as well. The GCSAA Golf Course Environmental Profile has been funded by The Toro Giving Program and it also supports the EIFG's online environmental resource, EDGE. Toro also partners with the EIFG to fund the Watson Fellowship Program for future educators and researchers of the turfgrass industry.
"I am honored to join the Advisory Council and look forward to getting involved," Heinze said. "The EIFG has assumed a leadership position in charting the course for environmental sustainability for the golf facility and we at Toro are excited about that future."
The Environmental Institute for Golf Advisory Council
- Greg Norman, Advisory Council chairman, Great White Shark Enterprises
- Gregg Breningmeyer, John Deere Golf
- John Donnelly, Golf Channel
- Pete Dye, Dye Designs
- Steven Fisher, Plaza Construction Corp.
- John Foster, West Coast Turf
- Sergio Garcia, PGA Tour professional
- Dana Garmany, Troon Golf
- Bobby Ginn, Ginn Resorts
- Morgan Gregory, GlenArbor Golf Club
- Jack R. Harrell Jr., Harrell's Fertilizer
- Jim Heinze, The Toro Co.
- Bill Kubly, Landscapes Unlimited
- Owen G. Larkin, Vineyard Golf Club
- Gary Michel, Club Car
- Jeff Novak, Agrium Advanced Technologies
- Cal Roth, PGA Tour
- Vijay Singh, PGA Tour professional
- Joe Steranka, PGA of America
- Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, Dubai World
- Bob Wood, Nike Inc.
- Weldon Wyatt, Sage Valley Golf Club
