Wayne Thorson Todd Valley Farms, Inc. Mead, Nebraska, U.S.A.

Wayne reports, “We have been TPI members for over 40 years and throughout that period we have met hundreds of growers, educators and friends of the turfgrass industry that were ready and willing to share their secrets for producing sod. Te conferences have always been my favorite time. From the flooded field in Nashville to the ice storm in Austin, somehow TPI endured the unexpected and would always find a way for the meetings and field days to be a success with a few adjustments to the schedule.

We hosted the 1995 Summer Convention and Field Days and found how stressful, yet fun, such an undertaking can be. In an area where there had been no local grower meetings and little cooperation between most of the producers, many of the local farms volunteered to help. Tey were TPI members first and competitors second— just how it should be. We had over 800 members from around the world at our farm that year and twenty years later we will still get compliments from members that were at the show telling us how much they enjoyed it.

Te best advice I received was to “get involved.” Te more you give the Association, the more you will receive from the Association. I was first elected to the board for 1991-1992, when I was in my early thirties and served as president in 1996-1997. I was lucky enough to become social and business friends with the other members I served with during those seven years. Tese relationships, which still continue today, have helped fuel our success in the turfgrass business. Te best advice I can give is to ‘get involved in TPI early’ so you can take advantage of what you learn and the friendships you make for many years to come.”

Ben Copeland, Sr. Patten Seed Company/Super Sod Lakeland, Georgia, U.S.A.

TPI 1998-1999 President Ben Copeland, Sr. (left) chats with John Addink (right) of A-G Sod Farms, Inc. during the 2002 Midwinter Conference in Orlando, Florida.

Ben reports, “I began on the TPI (then ASPA) Board in July of 1993. Prior to then I had attended several winter meetings and served on a committee. After serving on the Board and as an officer and then as president in 1998- 1999, I also served as president of the Foundation.

I have many fond memories of my time as a Board member. Te experiences of travel and comradery with other Board members were the highlights of that time for me. We had the first international president from outside North America in Bryan Wood (Tip Top Turf, England, 1999-2000); the name change to TPI; and subsequently the first TPI Midwinter Conference held outside the U.S. and Canada in Birmingham, England, February 26-28, 2003. My interactions with Doug Fender were always positive and a great learning experience for me. He taught me a lot!

Some of the most valuable times for me were visiting with fellow board members, seeing operations and learning from them. It always gave me a new prospective for our business.”

The best advice I received was to "get involved." The more you give the Association, the more you will receive from the Association.

Wayne Thorson 1996-1997 TPI President (left) chats with Louis Brooking 1994-1995 TPI President.

TPI Turf News January/February 2017 47