Alabama Turfgrass Association News
November 2009
Greetings!

Happy Thanksgiving!  I will be celebrating many things I am thankful for this upcoming holiday; one of them is the opportunity to serve as President of this great association.  It was an honor to be named President at the Conference last month and I look forward to leading our association into the new year.
 
The new ATA Board has been extremely busy since the Conference.  We held our annual Board Strategic Retreat last week, a two-day meeting that enabled us to make both short-term and long-term plans for the association.  We reviewed your comments from our membership surveys and developed some reachable goals that will serve the association well.  We have an extremely eager Board and I'm appreciative for their commitment to ATA.
 
Our calendar of events for 2010 is set.  I encourage you to get involved this year and attend our many offerings.  Two benefits our organization offers include the opportunity to network with colleagues and to educate yourself on the latest research and issues in our industry. Take advantage of these benefits ATA offers and attend an event or two.
 
Thank you again for allowing me to serve as your President.  I wish you and your family a great Thanksgiving!
 
Jeff Oelmann, CGCS
President
e-Newsletter Contents
Recruit a Member for ATA
Green Industry is Growing
Meet the new ATA Board of Directors
2010 Calendar of Events
Turf Students Sell Peanuts
Thank you to our Annual Sponsors
ATA Holds Member-Get-A-Member Campaign
Recruit a new member for ATA and you could win CASH!
ATA is holding a membership drive and we need your help!  Your testimony and experience in ATA is our best marketing tool!  Introduce the benefits of ATA to your peers and you can win some cold, hard cash.  Get started, the membership drive started at the Annual Conference and will continue until the 2010 Conference.  Membership applications can be found on our website at: www.alaturfgrass.org or by contacting the ATA office (mailbox@alaturfgrass.org).  Be sure to sign the application so we can keep track of your recruits!
 
PRIZES will be awared to the top recruiters at the 2010 Conference!
1st place - $300
2nd place - $200
3rd place - $100                                                                                     CLICK FOR MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION
Green Industry Is Growing
Thank you to everyone who participated in the Green Industry Economic Impact Study that was conducted by Deacue Fields, PhD, Agriculture Economist from Auburn University.  The green industry is now Alabama's number one cash crop and reflects $2.89 billion of the state's economy.  Turfgrass sod contributed $150.37 million to this figure and lawn and landscape contributed $909.02 million to this figure.  The study compares figures from 2003 to 2007, which includes two drought years but not the downfall of the housing market.  The condensed summary of the findings is currently being printed and will be mailed to all ATA members. 
Meet the 2010 ATA Board of Directors
Executive CommitteeWhite interviewed by Channel 10
Jeff Oelmann, CGCS, Grand National Golf Course - President
Tom Wolf, Coosa Valley Turf Farm - Vice President
James Bartley, Southern Lawns - Treasurer
Pat White, Southern TurfCare - Past President
 
Board of Directors
Kim Byram, Blackjack Horticulture - Lawn Care
John Carter, Carter Sod Farm - Sod
Jason Cooper, Birmingham Southern College - At-Large
Bobby Farley, Phillip's Turf & Ornamental - Industry
Glenn Hedden, Town of Loxley - Parks & Recreation
Scott Herron, Jerry Pate Turf & Irrigation, At-Large
Jeff Lee, CGCS, Valley Hill Country Club - Golf
Richard Murphy, Murphy Turf & Ornamental - At Large
Paul Patterson, University of Alabama-Huntsville - Institution
 
Ex Officio
Dave Han, PhD, Auburn University
David Hubbard, Alabama Cooperative Extension System
 
2010 ATA Calendar of Events
Turfgrass RoadShow Seminars
January 20th            Loxley Civic Center, Loxley
January 27th            Birmingham Botanical Gardens, Birmingham
February 3rd            Alabama Department of Agriculture, Montgomery
February 17th          Troy University at Dothan, Dothan
February 24th          JayCees Community Building, Huntsville
 
Golf Tournaments
March 30th              Magnolia Grove Golf Course, Mobile
                              Controlling Pests, Grubs and Bugs
 
April 19th                 FarmLinks Golf Course, Sylacauga
                               Poa Suppression Using Plant Growth Regulators
 
Sports Turf Field Day
April 21st                Orange Beach SportsPlex, Orange Beach
 
New Beginnings Community Service Work Day
April 22nd                Gulf Coast Youth-Reach, Summerdale
 
Annual Turfgrass Conference & Tradeshow
October 19th - 21st  Auburn University Hotel & Conference Center
Turf Students Sell Peanuts
Auburn Turf Students raise money to attend Turf Bowl
If you will be attending the Iron Bowl on Friday in Auburn, be sure to stop by Price's Bar-B-Que on South College (across the street from Funchess Hall) and purchase some boiled peanuts from the Auburn University Turfgrass Students.  They will be selling peanuts to earn money to attend the Turf Bowl, a turf student competition among universities from all over the nation, to be held at the GCSAA Golf Industry Show in San Diego in February.  Come out and support our turf students before the big game!  And if your coming to town for the game, check out www.ironbowlthanksgiving.com for all the festivities on and around campus!
 
Please support our 2009 Annual Sponsors
Gold Sponsors                      Silver Sponsors                     Bronze Sponsors
Jerry Pate Turf & Irrigation                       Agrium Advanced Technologies                Bayer Environmental Science
Kilpatrick Turf                                         Ewing Irrigation, Golf & Industrial              DuPont Professional Products
                                                             John Deere Landscpaces                         Harrell's, Inc.
                                                             NaturChem, Inc.                                      Hugghins Sod Farm
                                                             Syngenta T & O Products                        Humphries Turf Supply
                                                                                                                          Regal Chemical Company
                                                                                                                          Southern States