Iowa Turfgrass Institute A Message from Jeff Lamoureux

Jeff Lamoureux | Executive Director

In February of this year I began my journey with the Iowa Turfgrass Institute as the newly appointed Executive Director. Two weeks after my first day I was part of the biggest and most important event for the association, the Annual Turfgrass Conference! The conference was held at the Holiday Inn – Airport, Des Moines. Preparation and planning for the conference of this size requires a tremendous amount of work. Much of this work fell on the shoulders of the board of directors, past staff, and volunteers. As a newcomer my responsibilities were minimal. The great majority of the “heavy lifting'' was done and I simply had to “keep the boat afloat.

Now several months later, and a great deal of experience gained, we are knee deep in planning for the 2023 version of the Iowa Turfgrass Institute’s Annual Conference. While my responsibilities this go around are much greater, I still rely on the Board of Directors, past employees, and volunteers to make the next conference even better than last year!

I am pleased to announce the Iowa Turfgrass Institute’s annual conference which will again be held at the Holiday Inn – Airport, Des Moines, IA, scheduled for February 14-16, 2023!

While the 2023 conference will be similar to last year’s, you will see some changes. The education committee has arranged for a fantastic group of presenters touching on many aspects of the turfgrass industry. You will be able to get your Pesticide Applicators License renewed but

Message From the Iowa Turfgrass Institute

you will see a slight change in the scheduling of the classes.

The Association socials will return, as will the all-industry social. The silent auction will also return with many fabulous items donated by our generous corporate sponsors. We are looking forward to a packed trade show as well, thanks to the support of our many turfgrass industry vendors.

We are excited to announce the return of a Keynote Speaker for the conference. The ITI Board of Directors has asked Major Sean Quinlan (retired) to address the association with his motivating and inspiring words.

Born into a large family and raised in Scottville, Mich., Major Sean Quinlan took on the role of “leader” from an early age. He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in December 1985 and ultimately rose to the rank of Major in October 2006. After retiring from the United States Marine Corps in 2012, Major Quinlan accepted a teaching position at Des Moines North High School and coached the Polar Bears football team. He led the team to their most wins since 2008. His work with the team was even featured on an episode of ESPN's, “Outside the Lines.” In 2017 after retiring from teaching and coaching, Major Quinlan has toured the country as an inspirational public speaker. “There are a lot of people in this world who preach about Leadership, Integrity, and Honor... but fail to live a life that mirrors their message,” noted Des Moines Roosevelt High School Principal Kevin Biggs. “But this is not the case for Major Quinlan – He walks the walk and talks the talk. It's a powerful message that you need to hear.”

Whether you’re involved in golf courses, sod farms, athletic fields, professional lawn care, or any other type of landscapes, we invite everyone from all facets of this great industry to join us as we continue to unite in our efforts to maintain the long-term sustainability of our profession at the 2023 Turfgrass Institute Conference.