time executive director, focusing exclusively on ASPA, resulted in the hiring of Doug Fender, previously director of communications for the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA). On December 12, ASPA became an occupant of the High Point Plaza office building in Hillside, IL, 10 miles from both downtown Chicago and O’Hare Airport.
1984
ASPA’s Midwinter Conference was headquartered at the Riviera Hilton, Palm Springs, CA, February 21-23. Te
“Sodfest,” Summer Convention and Fields Days were held at the Olympia Resort, Oconomowoc, WI, July 24-26. Te opening reception and exhibit viewing were “poolside.” William L. Campbell, Fairlawn Sod Nursery, Lynden, Ontario, Canada, was elected 1984- 1985 President. Tour stops included: Lurvey Sod Farm; America Sod Farm, with viewing and demonstrations of old sod equipment; the Ransomes/Bob-Cat plant; and Long Island Farm, where Jim Huggett spoke of his sod operation, mint production facility and computer usage. Field Day Host was Warren’s Turf Nursery, Sullivan, WI, where a static display area was offered as well as equipment displays and demonstrations.
1985 Te exhibit area is a great gathering spot.
February 21 pre-conference seminar, “Reaching Your Market’s Full Potential,” featured seven speakers who each used specific, sod-related marketing information to provide practical tools attendees could use in their businesses. Te seminar was summarized as a Conference session. Other business-related sessions covered writing business plans, legal developments, recordkeeping, the housing construction outlook—and computer use. A split session for warm- and cool-season grasses addressed agronomic issues.
New Bylaws required Board of Trustee members to be Class A (sod producing) members. Te Board of Trustees approved a Code of Ethics. An ASPA “Member Profile” survey, distributed to all Class A members, drew a response rate of nearly one-third and favorable distribution by size and geography to enable establishment of an informational base of industry “norms.” Data covered four areas: marketing, operations, ASPA participation, and member demographics.
New turf-type tall fescues were reported to be gaining interest from Southwest growers. New South Wales officially formed a state sod producers association. Te Oklahoma Sod Producers Association was formed. North and South Carolina sod producers united to form a joint organization.
TPI Turf News July/August 2016
Te Contemporary Resort Hotel, Disney World, Orlando, FL, headquartered ASPA’s Midwinter Conference, January 30-February 2. Conference Program Chairman, Ike Tomas, Tomas Bros. Grass Co., Granbury, TX, would be elected 1985-1986 President in July. Over 500 attended. A special seminar and educational sessions detailed the theme, “Issues, Answers & Insights.” At the tour of R&D Sod Farm, Okeechobee, FL, participants received printed examples of the computer programming used there. Open for ten hours, the exhibit area included an ASPA booth where promotional/marketing materials were offered.
ASPA’s Board of Trustees approved a new organizational structure designed to improve communications and coordination among committees. ASPA sponsored a day- long, March 26, “Great Lakes Regional Sod Seminar” in suburban Detroit, which drew attendees from eight states and one Canadian province, including 26 registrants from 17 prospective firms. Te half-day, southern sod seminar was held in conjunction with the Southern Turfgrass Conference and Show, November 17-19, at the Opryland Hotel, Nashville, TN. Turfgrass Water Conservation was published. Te 155-page book contained technical papers first delivered at the February 1983 symposium financially sponsored by ASPA. ASPA’s legal counsel presented a detailed description of sod grower’s warranties and disclaimers in Turf News.
ASPA’s Summer Convention and Field Days, headquartered at the Prince Hotel, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, July 17-19 were hosted by Te Nursery Sod Growers Association of Ontario. Educational programing opened the convention and a prayer breakfast was held the last morning. Te tour visited a duck farm/sod operation and tour host, Brouwer Turf Equipment, where they also viewed antique and unique equipment collected by the host association. Field Day host was Larry Smilsky, M. Smilsky, Ltd., Hampton, Ontario.
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