first recipient, Ben Copeland, Sr., Patten Seed Co./Super Sod, Lakeland, GA; and Innovator of the Year Award and its first recipient, Gerry Brouwer, Kesmac, Inc. Two new Honorary Members were named: Doug Jacklin, Jacklin Seed Company, and Peter McMaugh, founder of a 30-year-old turf supply company in Australia.

Te Hilton Harrisburg Towers in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was headquarters for TPI’s 2004 Summer Convention and Field Days, July 27-30. Field Day Host was Sporting Valley Turf Farms. Art Campbell, Campbell Sod, Rossville, KS, was elected TPI 2004-2005 President. One tour visited the New Holland Equipment facilities and a Lesco Service Center. A second visited historic Harrisburg and the Landis Valley Museum. A third, the Farm/Ag Tour, included an Amish Farm. Te Antique Auto Club of America Museum was the banquet site.

A bylaws change was approved giving Class B (Supplier) members the right to vote and to serve on TPI's Board of Trustees. Te Board approved the purchase of the association’s first building. Te ITPF Board amended its bylaws so the TPI Board of Trustees also would serve as the ITPF Board of Directors.

Attendees check out the equipment during the 2005 Field Day at Biograss Sod Farm in Bluffdale, Utah.

presentations included: Innovator of the Year to Don, Mike and Gregg Tvetene, Trebro Manufacturing, Inc.; Distinguished Service to Randy Tischer, Green Velvet Sod Farms, Bellbrook, OH; and Honorary Member to: former Executive Director Doug Fender; Ike Tomas, Tomas Bros. Grass/Turfgrass America; and Ken Dawson, Rolawn Limited, Elvington, York, North Yorkshire, England. Post- conference choices were a tour of the Tulum archeological site or a farm tour that included a site where jungle had been cleared to develop a turfgrass sod farm.

Te Santa Barbara Polo Club was a tour stop during the 2004 TPI Midwinter Conference.

Year-end 2004 saw the retirement of Executive Director Douglas Fender who had served the association for more than two decades. T. Kirk Hunter, who had joined the TPI staff in 2001 as Education and Meetings Manager, was appointed Executive Director, the third in TPI’s history. Jim Novak joined the TPI staff as Media Relations Coordinator.

2005

TPI headed to Cancun, Mexico, for the 2005 Midwinter Conference. Te Hilton Cancun Beach Resort was headquarters from January 31 to February 4, with “Mix Business and Pleasure” the conference theme. Pre-conference activities included choices: the ITPF Golf Tournament fundraiser, a tour of Xcaret Eco Park, or the seminar, “Keeping It in the Family: a Survival Guide for a Privately- Held Business.” Educational sessions introduced more choices, with concurrent session offerings. Te “Show & Tell” format highlighted the general session. Te Award

TPI Turf News November/December 2016

A group of Australian attendees poses for the camera during the 2005 TPI Midwinter Conference in Cancun, Mexico.

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TPI’s Summer Convention and Field Day was held at the Grand Summit Resort, Park City, Utah, July 25-28. Field Day Host was Biograss Sod Farm, Bluffdale, Utah. Te Roundtable Forums were continued and a Women’s Forum Breakfast and Regional Groups’ Breakfast were added for further networking opportunities. Te Field Day featured 73 exhibitors. Art Campbell presented the President’s Leadership Award to David Doguet, Bladerunner Farms, Inc., Poteet, TX. Elected as TPI 2005-2006 President was Warren Bell, Biograss Sod Farm, Sandy, Utah. Post- conference choices were tours of Salt Lake City or farm sites. TPI relocated its office to its first association-owned property in East Dundee, Illinois, in 2005. TPI’s PR Working Group met with leading turfgrass extension specialists to define areas of information gaps and overlaps. TPI’s Ninth Study Tour visited Italy.