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GCSANC Honors Award Winners
The Golf Course Superintendent’s Association of Northern California (GCSANC) is pleased to announce its 2005 Award Winners. These individuals were formally recognized at the GCSANC Annual Meeting and Awards Ceremony January 24 at the Olympic Club in San Francisco. More than 150 association members, industry representatives, and special guests attended the event.
The Superintendent of the Year Award was presented to Terry Grasso of Sequoyah Country Club in Oakland. This is the highest distinction bestowed upon a golf course superintendent. Grasso, a Class “A” Superintendent, receives this award for his ongoing contributions to the association and its members.
A Walnut Creek resident, Grasso is currently serving his second term on the GCSANC Board of Directors, a position that he takes seriously, yet enjoys immensely. In addition to his volunteer efforts as a board member, Grasso regularly supports chapter events including scholarship programs, tournaments and educational seminars that benefit association members. “I am humbled to receive such an award,” said recipient Terry Grasso. “To be considered by my peers for this coveted honor, is something that I will cherish for years.”
“We are pleased with our selection of Terry Grasso as Superintendent of the Year,” said GCSANC Awards Chairman Robert Lapic. “He is a stellar individual who continues to give back to others in a genuine and admirable way. Terry is a true steward of the game, and an excellent role model for all of us in the association.”
Gary Carls, CGCS, received the George Santana Distinguished Service Award for displaying a high level of professionalism while also demonstrating a longstanding commitment to the GCSANC and the turfgrass industry. Carls, the Golf Operations Supervisor for Sunnyvale Golf Course and Sunken Valley Golf Course (Sunnyvale), currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA.) He has served on the Chapter Relations, Education, Environmental Stewardship and Scholarship committees.
Carls is a Past-President of both the California Golf Course Superintendents Association and the Golf Course Superintendents of Northern California. He is a former recipient of the GCSANC Superintendent of the Year Award for contributions to the association and its members. Carls is also a founding member of the California Alliance for Golf, an organization that serves as a liaison to governmental agencies, promoting the economic and positive environmental contributions demonstrated by the California golf industry.
The GCSANC Turfgrass Excellence Award is being presented to two individuals exceptional in their professional field. In the Private Category, the Turfgrass Excellence Award was bestowed upon Dean Gump of Pasatiempo Golf Club (Santa Cruz). This is the second time Gump has received the distinction. During his 24-year tenure at Pasatiempo Golf Club, he has developed superior agronomic skills that translate into healthy agronomic conditions, thus enhancing the playing experience for club members and guests.
An alumnus of Cal Poly Pomona, Gump continues to attend educational seminars that expand his knowledge on subjects relating to course maintenance. Under his supervision, last year fairway drainage improvements were made to the course, tee complexes were improved and tee landscape areas were enhanced. In ’04 Gump oversaw all course preparation for the USGA Senior Women’s Amateur Championship that was held at his club.
This year Gump will restore the No. 11 green and No. 12 tee complexes. He will also work closely with Tom Doak and Renaissance Golf on bunker restoration for holes No. 2 through No. 9. This project will include restoring greens back to their original shapes.
The recipient for the GCSANC Turfgrass Excellence Award in the Public Category was Tim Powers, CGCS, at Crystal Springs Golf Course (Burlingame). Powers consistently provides high levels of maintenance and conditioning, which in turn attracts golfers back to the course from all parts of the San Francisco Bay Area.
According to Powers, the course is located within a 32,000-acre wildlife refuge owned by the San Francisco Water Department. With such an environmentally sensitive site, Powers takes great pride in meeting all standards and guidelines set for the course. Crystal Springs Golf Course, managed by CourseCo, has been certified in the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program and Wildlife Council since 1998. Recognition is nothing new for Powers and Crystal Spring’s GC; they garnered four Environmental Leader in Golf Awards from GCSAA and Golf Digest. In addition, Powers holds the respected initials CGCS, behind his name as a Certified Golf Course Superintendent.
Some of Powers’ success comes from his hands-on experience as a superintendent. He insists on still personally mowing the greens and loves to coach and inspire his staff as they tend to the course. Every Friday, Powers blocks out some time to huddle with his peers to discuss what’s going on in the business. “As for work, my to-do list hasn’t gotten any shorter,” admits Powers. “But I like the folks I work with and I still love going to work every day, and I guess that’s what counts!”
Prior to his tenure at Crystal Springs Golf Course, Powers worked in course construction in Myrtle Beach and Kentucky. He got his start in the business as a summer employee back in 1979 working at Shorehaven Golf Club in Connecticut. He credits his passion for the business to his earlier mentor and boss, Bob Phipps, who left a lasting impression on Powers.
Greg Fernald with Target Specialty Products was selected as the recipient of the Affiliate Merit Award for his contributions to the betterment of the GCSANC and its members. Fernald, a resident of Gilroy, has volunteered his time on behalf of the GCSANC and has just completed serving two years as an Affiliate Board Member for the association. He has supported chapter events, including scholarship programs and educational seminars and industry conferences. “When our association is looking for help on a special assignment or project, we can always count on Greg and his fellow associates with Target Specialty Products to step up and help out,” said Barbara Mikel, GCSANC Association Manager. “For that, we are forever grateful.”
As Golf Business Manager for his company’s Golf Market Segment, Fernald takes great pride in servicing his clients at courses and clubs throughout Northern California. “I really enjoy working with golf course superintendents,” explained Fernald, “and to receive this award just reminds me of how fortunate I am to be a part of this association, which is at the heart of the industry.”
Fernald has worked 11 years for Target Specialty Products, a wholesale distributor of specialty agricultural chemicals, fertilizers, application equipment, and education, servicing the landscape, golf, pest management, nursery, and vegetation management markets. He began his career as an account representative, worked outside field sales, gained title as Target’s turf specialist and later advanced upward to turf business manager, and now holds the leadership position as golf business manager. Fernald is a graduate of California Polytechnic State University with a degree in Agribusiness.
Naumann’s NorCal News
Tim Greenwald has had a short retirement from Rancho Canada GC. He is now working for the City of Salinas at the First Tee Project … Joel Ahern has moved on from his Special Projects position at Los Altos G & CC to take a position with Robert Bothman & Associates. He is now responsible for all of their Sports Turf fields including Oakland Raiders practice facilities … Gary Sayre, CGCS, has left Oakhurst CC in Clayton to take the superintendent position at Baywood G& CC in Arcata. Gary will be teamed at the private club with General Manager Ron Witt.
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