The Super Social Media Awards presented by GCI and Aquatrols are turning five, and we’re using our mobile devices and computers to celebrate the milestone.
Winners of the awards, which recognize individuals and organizations who do the best job of using social media to communicate about programs, practices and the industry at large, will be honored during the annual TweetUp presented by GCI and Aquatrols at 3 p.m. PST Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2016 at Aquatrols Booth #3132 at the Golf Industry Show in San Diego. The event is the industry’s most celebrated social media gathering and can be followed by using #GCITweetUp16 on Twitter.
GCI will be accepting nominations for the awards from Dec. 1-31. Categories include: Best Overall Use of Social Media; Best Twitter Feed; Best Blog; Best Use of Video; and John Kaminski Award for Leadership in Social Media. No more than two recipients will be selected in each category. Winners will be announced in the January and recipients will receive their awards at the #GCITweetUp16.
“It’s very cool that an event that started in a windy parking lot at the Las Vegas Convention Center is now an annual program that so many folks have embraced,” said GCI publisher Pat Jones. “We’ve also seen the program evolve as social media has become more widespread and sophisticated. It’s a critical skill for many superintendents and others in our business and we’re delighted to help recognize the leaders out there and to help others follow the best practices they’ve developed.”
Judging will be conducted by the GCI editorial staff and a panel of industry experts and educators. Readers are encouraged to nominate others or nominate themselves. Multiple nominations in the same or different categories are acceptable. Please include the category and appropriate links to:
Guy Cipriano, assistant editor: gcipriano@gie.net or @GCIMagazineGuy. Email, tweet or call Cipriano at 216-393-0230 with questions.
Nine winners were honored at the 2015 TweetUp in San Antonio, with Steve Cook of Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfield, Mich., receiving the prestigious John Kaminski Award for Leadership.
PAST WINNERS
2015
Kaminski Award – Steve Cook, Oakland Hills Country Club, Bloomfield Hills, Mich.
Best Overall Use of Social Media – Matthew Wharton, Carolina Golf Club, Charlotte, N.C.; Pat O’Brien, Hyde Park Golf and Country Club, Cincinnati, Ohio
Best Twitter Feed – Scot Dey, Mission Viejo Country Club, Mission Viejo, Calif; Kevin Hicks, Coeur d’Alene Resort Golf Club, Coeur D’Alene, Idaho; Jason Hooper, Quilchena, Golf & Country Club, Richmond, B.C.
Best Blog – Joey Franco, Brookstone Golf & Country Club, Acworth, Ga.; Adam Garr, Plum Hollow Country Club, Southfield, Mich.
Best Video – Georgia GCSA, “Stewards of the Land”
2014
Kaminski Award – Micah Woods, Asian Turfgrass Center
Overall Social Media Program – Nick Christians, Iowa State University; Adam Ikamas, MiGCSA
Best Use of Facebook – Gary Grigg, Idaho/Florida; Jason Chennault, Turfgrass World
Best Blog – Jason Haines, Pender Harbour Golf Club, Madeira Park, BC; Jason VanBuskirk, Stow Acres Country Club, Stow, Mass.; Tom Vlach, TPC Sawgrass
Best Use of Twitter – Randy Samoff, Champions Golf Club, Houston Texas; Ellie Parry, TurfJobs, Loughborough, U.K.; Justin VanLanduit, Briarwood Country Club, Deerfield, Ill.; Cale Bigelow, Purdue University
Best Multimedia – Adam Garr, Plum Hollow Country Club, Southfield, Mich.; Rick Brandenburg, North Carolina State
2013
Kaminski Award – Bill Brown, Hartefeld National Golf Club, Avondale, Pa.
Outstanding Blogger – Andrew Hardy, Pheasant Run Golf Course, Sharon, Ontario; Dan Meersman, Philadelphia Cricket Club; Brian Boyer, Cinnabar Hills Golf Club, San Jose, Calif.
Outstanding Use of Twitter – Chris Tritabaugh, Hazeltine National Golf Club, Chaska, Minn.; Matt Gourlay, Colbert Hills Golf Course, Manhattan, Kan.
Special achievement in video/other – PACE Turf LLC, San Diego, Calif., PACE Turf YouTube Videos; Steve Biehl, Naperville Country Club, Naperville, Ill., GCM Blogging World
2012
Kaminski Award -- Darren Davis, Olde Florida Golf Club, Naples, Fla.
Best of Blogs – Chris Tritabaugh, Northland Country Club, Duluth, Minn.; Steve Cook, Oakland Hills Country Club, Bloomfield Hills, Mich.; Bill Brown, Hartefeld National Golf Club, Avondale, Pa.
Innovative Use of Twitter – Greg Shaffer, Elcona Country Club, Bristol, Ind.; David Phipps, Stone Creek Country Club, Oregon City, Ore.
Excellence in Video – Justin Ruiz, Indian Summer Golf & Country Club, Olympia, Wash.