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The Deep South Turf Expo –
Deep Roots in the Turf Industry With a Focus on the Future! Tres Wilkinson passes the torch to Kim Byram, incoming ATA president
A busy trade show floor
By Melanie Bonds, ATA Executive Director
Al ab ama Tu rf Tim e s > >> Spr ing 2019
In
the fourth year since its inception, the Deep South Turf Expo is coalescing into a permanent fixture on the Mississippi Coast. Biloxi is a destination site with plenty of space for our Expo to grow at the Convention Center, and the Beau Rivage offers us an excellent host hotel. Additionally, we have recourse to several excellent golf courses and sports fields in the area. In 2018, the Expo dates proved a bit of a challenge, but the DSTE Board is seeking the best week in the future and hopes to get things on track with a permanent date for future Expos.
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While Biloxi offers excellent opportunities to play – golf and gaming to mention a few – the crux of the Expo has been and always will be a great education program. Planning for last year’s educational program was intense as always, and we have been fortunate to have a committee of some of the most respected names in the turf industry, dedicated to finding us the best programs in the industry. Dr. Scott McElroy (Auburn University) headed up the committee last year and began confirming speakers immediately after January 1st, 2018. Our education
committee, Drs. Scott McElroy (Auburn University), Bryan Unruh (University of Florida), and Jay McCurdy (Mississippi State University) put their heads together to hammer out a rough schedule early last year, and planning is already underway for the 2019 Expo. We want to welcome Dr. Dave Han (Auburn University), who will rotate on the education committee for 2019. Different ideas are bounced around with university colleagues to help determine what expertise best fits the topics important to discuss. We do encourage everyone to take a few
