EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR NOTES

Most of our readers are probably familiar with the phrase, "I'll get to it, and I don't need to be reminded every six months!" Well, after much planning and coordination, I finally managed to update my profile picture. In fairness to those who have been teasing me about using my High School Senior portrait for so long, this new photo is actually the third iteration since my time with GCBAA. For the first few years, we used a photo of me standing next to an office wall that didn't have any picture frame holes. The previously retired image had lasted since 2011, and hopefully, this new version will be as close to resembling me as the last one, although there will likely be less hair and more gray. Please bear with me as I work on swapping out the old picture from all the places it appears, including this newsletter, our website, and my Uber profile.

Updating my profile picture is just one small item on a seemingly endless list of tasks we are working on in Lincoln. Since the show, we have continued to pursue initiatives and ideas to support our membership and the industry. We have been striving to provide our members with exceptional resources, networking opportunities, and access to the latest industry trends and best practices. To achieve these goals, we need your active participation in the association.

Our brand awareness campaign has been gaining momentum. We announced the creation of the gcsaa.tv/renovation channel in partnership with EPIC Creative. We have already been working with some of you on production projects underway this year. Please watch for updates and premier notices as the channel playlist populates over the next few weeks. If you have an idea for a project that would be of interest, or would like to support this initiative, please let us know.

Spring is here, and a new Masters Champion has donned the Green Jacket. National Golf Day is just around the corner, on May 10, 2023. This will be the first time in two years that attendees can return to Washington D.C. for in-person events at the capital of our nation. On Tuesday, May 9th, we will also be participating in a Community Service Project with the National Park Service, providing beautification projects around the National Mall.

Advocacy is an important member benefit and priority for GCBAA. While we have been a strong voice with other allied associations in golf, we have failed to provide our members with a behind-the-scenes look at the work we are doing on your behalf. Through GCBAA, you are a member of the American Golf Industry Coalition, which is a unified voice of the largest leading organizations in golf. We advocate for legislative and regulatory issues, facilitate diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, and support Make Golf Your Thing. Take time to visit MakeGolfYourThing.Org and learn how this program can benefit you and your company. At the very least, you can see how your membership is growing the game of golf and supporting the golf industry. Make Golf Your Thing is a collaborative effort that reflects the industry's commitment to making the sport more diverse, equitable, and inclusive. This multi-faceted, multiyear movement intentionally works to invite more people to golf from all backgrounds, identities, and abilities, whether you are playing, building a career, or doing business with the industry.

We look forward to joining members of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, American Society of Golf Course Architects, National Golf Course Owners Association, as well as the USGA, the PGA of America, PGA TOUR, and LPGA for National Golf Day. Whether sharing the latest golf industry impact reports, advocating equitable and fair legislation and regulations, or promoting small business programs, the golf industry becomes one voice.

We receive many phone calls and emails throughout the year asking about upcoming events. We always direct our members to visit the gcbaa. org website for the latest updates and plans. As soon as events are planned, we update the Event Page on our site. Whether you check it weekly or monthly, we recommend bookmarking the page to stay current on upcoming events. Additionally, we cannot stress enough the importance of visiting the Member Benefits page. We constantly make adjustments based on your feedback to tools and benefits that support your business. If you have any ideas or suggestions, please let us know.

When asked about the Number 1 benefit of membership with GCBAA, we believe it is the networking opportunities we offer. We pride ourselves on being able to host events with open doors, welcoming all members to participate regardless of their tenure. We recognize new attendees and strive to break the ice, sharing attendee lists and helping with introductions. Lack of participation in networking events is a common reason why some companies do not renew their membership. However, networking does not always have to involve traveling to a national or regional event. It can be as simple as

Justin Apel EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

partnering with GCBAA to send an email or mail campaign introducing your product or service to fellow members or sharing news stories for our newsletter. Networking can also be as easy as sharing news on social media and tagging us or asking us to tag and share your feed. Let us help you meet new customers and stay connected with existing ones.

Lastly, we would like to personally recognize a few fellow members and friends who helped make the GCSAA Conference and Tradeshow a success. On a cold December day, Mike Garbs traveled to Lincoln to help Mychelle and me create a golf green soil profile display. With the help of Ellen Davis, SportZMix Solutions, Waupaca Sand and Gravel, we were able to experiment and ultimately create a display box showcasing a side view of a USGA-specified green. This was an essential part of the Interactive Grass Stage, a show feature. We also need to thank our friends Dennis and Nancy Seelhoff, who are always up for an adventure and helped us make the sausage at GCBAA. Their willingness to travel and flexibility to set up, tear down, and host over 500 guests at our reception is the only way we can make it all happen. While we have detailed instructions and plans for these projects, we need individuals who are balanced, creative, and flexible. Certified Builder Chris Hill with Course Crafters and Trevor Wustrack are part of an exceptional team who can solve problems and bring a MacGyver-type solution to any problem. A shout-out to Mychelle Thompson who will be beginning her 4th year with GCBAA and keeps this train on the tracks! We couldn’t do this without you. We appreciate our Board of Directors who support our efforts and all of you who are willing to pitch in whenever you see us hard at work.

Justin Apel