TURF INDUSTRY NEWS

Former ASPA/TPI President Passes A TPI longtime friend and former ASPA/TPI president Raymond Johnson has left this earth. Te family advised that Ray went to his heavenly home on Tuesday morning May 23, 2017. His wife Mary and partner in Faith, Family, and Farming remained at his side until the end. Ray was raised on the family farm and began his turf career in the early 1960s installing sod and eventually working as a sod farm manager. By the mid '70s Ray and Mary became the owners of Shamrock Turf Nurseries. He was an early innovator and promotor of mechanization and efficiency. Ray served on the board of directors for ASPA/TPI becoming president in 1980. He felt extremely blessed to have the opportunity to get to know and work with so many well-respected men and women involved in the turfgrass industry. Ray and Mary cherished the many friendships they developed over the years at conferences and study tours. Left behind to celebrate his life are four children and their spouses, seventeen grandchildren, and seven great grandchildren. Good and Faithful Servant is the best description of a life well lived.

Saratoga Sod Farm Founder Passes Longtime TPI member Philip Chauncey Griffen passed away on May 29, 2017 at his winter home in McCormick, SC with his family at his side. He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Linda, five children and 16 grandchildren. Philip was born on August 1, 1935. He lived his entire life in Quaker Springs except when he attended Cornell University where he received his Bachelor of Science in Animal Husbandry. He and Linda spent the last 11 winters in Savannah Lakes, SC. Phil operated Patriots View Dairy Farm in Bemis Heights, NY for 30 years. At age 51 he started Saratoga Sod Farm which is now owned and operated by his son, Steven, and daughter-in-law, Laurie Griffen. Phil was active in many agricultural and community organizations. He was recognized as an Outstanding Young Farmer in 1967. Phil was an active member of TPI and enjoyed the collegiality and free exchange of ideas with other growers. Phil took great pride in his immediate and extended family and his community. He treasured close friends, neighbors, and agricultural colleagues. He was an avid golfer, loved to garden, and enjoyed travelling with friends and family. Phil lived true to his personal belief that God is love.

FireFly Wins Utah Innovation Award Te ProSlab 155 automated turf harvester by FireFly Automatix is the winner of the Utah Innovation Award in the category for Mechanical Systems / Chemical / Manufacturing. Te 15th annual program seeks to recognize exciting technological advances happening in Utah and the companies that create them. Te Utah Innovation Awards program is organized by Stoel Rives LLP and the Utah Technology Council. Te Selection Committee included more than 80 experts to evaluate nominations in eight categories.

Rolawn awarded ISO9001 and ISO14001 Certification Rolawn was recently awarded the independently audited ISO standards for both Quality and Environmental Management Systems. Rolawn’s Sales and Marketing Director, Jonathan Hill comments: “At the heart of our business is a desire to set new quality standards, to be ethical, to be aware of our environment and the impact we have upon it. To source and supply specialist topsoils, that are fertile, peat-free, safe and correctly certified sounds simple but like many things, is much more complicated when you start to dig beneath the surface. Tese ISO awards are a justification for what we have always focused on.”

SiteOne Landscape Supply acquires Evergreen Partners SiteOne Landscape Supply has announced the acquisition of Evergreen Partners. Started in 2007, Evergreen has two locations. One is in Raleigh, NC, and the other in Myrtle Beach, SC. Te acquisition of Evergreen Partners allows SiteOne to expand its existing Raleigh footprint and provides SiteOne with its first nursery wholesale location in the Myrtle Beach area.

Project EverGreen’s National Awareness Week. Project EverGreen’s awareness week designations are intended to raise the profile of each of its valuable programs and increase the understanding of the mission of Project EverGreen: Bringing people together to make a difference in how our yards, parks and communities create a greener, healthier, cooler Earth. Project EverGreen’s National “Healthy Turf. Healthy Kids.™” Awareness Week is July 16-21. For more information or to get involved, contact Project EverGreen executive director Cindy Code through their website, www.ProjectEverGreen.org, email cindycode@ ProjectEverGreen.org or phone 440-290-4521.

TPI Turf News July/August 2017

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