Rochester, N.Y. – The New York State Turfgrass Association elected its 2006 officers and directors at the annual meeting during the Empire State Green Industry Show in Rochester, N.Y. Nov. 15 through 17, 2005.
Michael Maffei, CGCS, Back O’Beyond, Inc. was elected president of NYSTA for 2006. Maffei served as vice president of NYSTA in 2005, secretary/treasurer in 2004, and on the board of directors since 1988. He is the chair of the awards committee, which has granted scholarships to deserving turf students for many years. In addition, he is the co-chair of the Southeast Regional Conference and government relations committees, and serves on the Empire State Green Industry Show’s education and trade show committees as well as the Adirondack Regional Conference, nominating and golf tournaments committees. He is a past recipient of NYSTA’s prestigious Citation of Merit Award.
Maffei is also the treasurer of the Council of Agricultural Organizations and the New York Alliance for Environmental Concerns. He is the past president of the Metropolitan Golf Course Superintendent’s Association and was honored with the MetGCSA Sherwood A. Moore Award for his contributions.
Owen Regan, owner of A T Sales Associates, Ltd. will serve as vice president of NYSTA for 2006. Regan co-chairs the field day committee and Empire State Green Industry Show’s Trade Show committee. He also serves on the government relations, nominating, grant review, Adirondack Regional Conference, Southeast Regional Conference and Sullivan County Challenge committees.
Regan is a past president of the Associated Landscape Contractors of Massachusetts. He has also served as Director of Operations for New England Grows annual conference and trade show. In addition, A T Sales Associates, Ltd. is a member of the Golf Course Builders Association of America, a non-profit trade association comprised of the world’s foremost golf course builders and leading suppliers to the golf course construction industry.
The 2006 secretary/treasurer is Greg Chorvas, superintendent at Cantine Veterans Sports Complex, a multi-purpose sports complex, recreation and conference center, created by the Town of Saugerties. Chorvas serves on NYSTA’s membership promotion and services committee and the Adirondack Regional Conference and winning fields committees. Chorvas was recently recognized for his work as superintendent of the 127-acre sports complex. He received the Quality of Life Award for his contributions in the field of human services from the Mid Hudson Pattern for Progress, a regional planning and policy membership group and the “Man of the Year Award” from the New York Mets Baseball Academy.
Newly elected directors include Rick Holfoth, CGCS, Country Club of Rochester; James Baird, Ph.D., USGA Green Section; and Timothy Hahn, Greystone/Shadows Golf Courses. Other members currently serving as directors include Cindy Gemmill; David Hicks, Robert Trent Jones Golf Course at Cornell University; Robert Sanderson, Nazareth College; Roger Lind, Grassland Equipment & Irrigation Corporation; and Lyman Lambert, CGCS, Nassau Country Club. Past president, James Diermeier, CGM/CNP, will maintain an active position on the board of directors.
The New York State Turfgrass Association is comprised of a group of green industry professionals who have joined together to share technology, promote environmental stewardship, support education, advance research and disseminate research findings. For more information, call Denise Lewis, public relations coordinator at 518-783-1229.
NYSTA elects officers, directors
The New York State Turfgrass Association elected its 2006 officers and directors at the annual meeting during the Empire State Green Industry Show in Rochester, N.Y.