EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S TURF

50 & Fabulous: Celebrating Our Past, Inspiring Our Future There’s a celebration going on and you’re invited!

It would be far too easy to state that you should attend TPI’s 2017 International Education Conference & Field Day in Tampa, Florida, because we’re celebrating TPI’s 50th Anniversary. Sure, there’s going to be a lot of celebrating going on, and if you have been a member for any length of time you’ll have a chance to reminisce with old friends, talk about the good old days, or just play catch up as you network with other turfgrass producers. If you are relatively new to TPI, or if you are a first-time attendee, this year’s conference will provide you with a wonderful perspective of TPI; where we’ve been, how we got here, where we’re going, and what this association can mean to you, your family and your business as you look to the future.

Te point is, there’s much more to this year’s conference than its historical significance, or the celebratory and social aspect of what will be taking place; there’s also the business side of the conference. Te two days of education sessions offer subject matter as varied as the countries represented by TPI members. Guest speakers, timely issues, in depth panel discussions, “Show & Tell” presentations, and the Annual Business Meeting are part of the whole package.

Tis year’s conference will also feature a series of concurrent Harvester Preventive Maintenance breakout sessions provided by technical representatives from some of the industry’s leading manufacturers. Tese informative sessions are sure to be especially meaningful to farm managers, technicians, mechanics or anyone else responsible for keeping your equipment up to date and making sure they provide maximum performance. To encourage members to bring their employees who are responsible for equipment maintenance we’re offering special promotional pricing for these exclusive training sessions.

Add to that a great Field Day at SMR Farms, indoor exhibits, a live auction, a sensational raffle where someone will win a John Deere Gator RSX860i ATV, a variety of exciting optional activities and a great location and you have all the makings of a not to be missed conference.

Sandy Reynolds

Taking all this into account, can you afford not to attend this year's

conference? Of course not, if for no other reason than the fact that you're worth it.

We all need to discover ways to do things better; be it operating more efficiently, maximizing our production capabilities, reducing our operating costs, generating sales or learning ways to fine-tune our business skills and overall operation efficiencies. Te fact is, we all have things we can learn; so, attending a TPI event, especially this one, is an investment in yourself, in your company and in your future.

If early registration is any indicator, TPI’s 2017 International Education Conference & Field Day is going to draw a huge crowd and we want you to be a part of it. If you haven’t done so already, now’s the time to make your reservations at the host hotel and be sure to register for the conference. Te reservation deadline for the Saddlebrook Resort is January 27. Advance registration for the conference ends February 13. Visit the TPI website at www.TurfGrassSod.org to register online.

We hope to see you in Tampa at TPI’s 2017 International Education Conference & Field Day because this is one event—you really can’t afford to miss!

Until next time,

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TPI Turf News January/February 2017