ATA Member Spotlight >>>
ATA Member Spotlight on
Al ab am a Tu rf Tim es >>> Spring 2013
Beard Equipment Company
By Tricia Roberts, ATA Executive Director
Every
fall, the new ATA board of directors hosts a two-day strategic planning meeting. This meeting has been held at various locations around the state, but this past fall, we had the privilege of spending the two-day retreat in Grayton Beach, courtesy of Beard Equipment Company. Ralph Brannin, sales manager for Beard Equipment Company, graciously allowed us to use his family’s beach home for the retreat. We are blessed to have members such as Beard Equipment Company to offer us accommodations to take care of important association business. And, yes, even though we were at the beach, we took care of business! Hosting our Board Retreat is just one example of this company’s generosity. Beard Equipment Company has been an annual sponsor of the Alabama Turfgrass Association since the inception of the sponsorship program. The company has always been willing to support ATA at our Annual Conference, golf tournaments, educational seminars and field days. Beard Equipment Company founder, William B. Beard Sr., believed that the two most important company assets were its relationships with customers and having high-quality employees. This philosophy still works today, as evident in the company’s support of ATA and its amazing sales team: Herman Bloch, Ralph Brannin, Mickey Pitts, Brad Rounsaville, McCall Bergman and Garlon Rainey. Three generations of the Beard family have operated this John Deere dealership for central and south Alabama, Florida, Mississippi and Louisiana since 1970. Today, Beard Equipment has eight locations: Mobile, Pensacola, Panama City, Freeport, Jacksonville, Palatka, Lake City and Ocala. The stores sell and service all John Deere products and commercial mowers that our members use, as well as for the construction, forestry and residential industries. In 2007 and 2011, the company was awarded the Dealership of the Year by the John Deere Company, a deserving tribute to the dream team at Beard Equipment Company. Thank you, Beard Equipment Company, for being a member, sponsor and friend of the Alabama Turfgrass Association. Your commitment to our association and industry are greatly appreciated by our membership! The Beard Equipment Company team. The ATA Board of Directors during a recent Board Retreat at the Grayton Beach home of Ralph Brannin, Sales Manager for Beard Equipment Company.
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