INNOVATION AND GENERATIONS— NG TURF
By Mark McWhorter, Merett Alexander, Natalie Howard, Jutt Howard and Suz Trusty
Editor’s Note: Tis is the second in a series of articles showcasing TPI member businesses whose operations are growing through a combination of innovation, utilization of technology, and outreach to upcoming generations, internally and externally. If you have a story to tell, or know of someone that you’d like to hear more about, please contact your editors.
Turfgrass Producers International (TPI) is a conglomerate of family businesses; each based on the dream of the founders and built on their vision for the future. Teir commitment to achieving their goals took continual improvement accomplished through a combination of dedication and innovation. Tat laid the groundwork for the next generation and created the opportunity to grow the company by working together.
One Family’s Story
Meet Aaron McWhorter, founder and president of North Georgia Turf, Inc., in this excerpt from the company’s website (
www.ngturf.com). Aaron McWhorter started his turfgrass company, NG Turf, in 1985. Beginning with 25 certified acres of bermudagrass, NG Turf has grown to approximately 2200 acres with farm locations in Whitesburg, Franklin, Clarkesville, Calhoun and Fort Valley, Georgia.
In December 1991, Aaron started Sports Turf Company, Inc. to serve the growing athletic field construction business in Georgia. Sports Turf is recognized as the preferred contractor for high quality construction projects for colleges and universities, city and county municipalities, and public school systems throughout the Southeast.
Sports Turf Company is a separate entity, now employee- owned. Te two companies (NG Turf and Sports Turf Company) share office and retail space. Te day-to-day operations of the two companies are separate. However, family members are vested partners in both companies.
Aaron and his wife, Linda, reside on the farm in Whitesburg. Mark McWhorter, Merett Alexander (Lonnie), and Natalie Howard (Jutt) are all active in the family business. Aaron and Linda have six grandchildren.
Jutt Howard I worked my way through high school and college doing lawn maintenance and installations. I started dating Natalie my last year of school and begin working for NG Turf doing outside sales. After graduating from the University of West Georgia with a degree in marketing, I moved inside and began managing our inside sales staff at NG Turf ’s Whitesburg location for about a year. Natalie and I got married in 2011, and I moved outside to get a better understanding of the production side of the business. I was assistant farm manager from 2011 till 2015, when I became the farm manager at the Whitesburg farm.
Tat move helped me gain a better understanding of the whole farm. Tat’s vital for the second generation. Te first generation is hands-on in every part of the business, being highly involved with outside and inside operations such as personnel, purchasing, finance, and sales. Te second and third generations often don’t have a broad understanding of the details in all of these operations.
One of the business-savvy things Aaron does is to make sure every one of us does just about everything on the farm. Tis develops insight into the diversity of how the farm operates that is key to next generation management, especially when you have siblings in different positions and roles within the company. Tis helps us to recognize our talents and strengths, and to determine the positions in the company for which we are best suited. I’m very comfortable with where all the family members are in the company. We all want to be where the company needs us at the time.
Change is inevitable, and NG Turf has experienced some major changes. Our Chief Financial Office (CFO) of 15 years left last year and then, in June of 2016, our General Manager started his own farm after 13 years with the company. Personnel changes have presented our generation opportunities to do new things by reorganizing our leadership. Te last five years, I’ve been at the main branch helping with decisions on finance, sales and pricing. Part of our restructuring is my transition back into the office to be the general manager of business operations. Mark McWhorter serves as the general manager of production operations. We spend a lot of time talking among the family about managing change, our staff, purchasing and financial issues.
When decisions are made, it’s important to know that everyone is in agreement and we have reached consensus. NG Turf is like every other company or organization. We
42 TPI Turf News September/October 2017
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