P R E S I D E N T ’S M E S S AG E
Arkansas Turfgrass Association P.O. Box 185 • Bryant, AR 72089 Tel: 501-860-0187
NEW Opportunities Richard Covert ATA President
A
new year brings with it new challenges and new opportunities. As we enter the spring season, the return of the green to our yards, fields, and facilities reminds us of renewal and brighter days ahead. As an association, we are confident that the spring and summer months will bring us closer to a return to in-person gatherings and opportunities to come together as an organization. Though our 2021 Annual Conference was held virtually, our speakers brought the same invaluable information we’ve always enjoyed as part of our educational events. We thank those of you who supported the event through your attendance and I hope that you all learned something new. We were still able to honor our association award winners and we are grateful that we had the support of our generous sponsors. We understand the work before us and hope to help your business remain essential and grow this year – many of us simply survived the past year, but our sincere hope is that this year we will all thrive. We are hard at work to provide the resources you need to navigate the coming busy season. As the months pass, we will be considering the options for our 2022 conference and will be in touch with you as decisions are made. We are hopeful that in-person events and education will be possible soon, but we’re remaining agile to adapt to changing safety guidelines. We are proud to continue serving you,
Richard Covert ATA President
Published by: Leading Edge Communications, LLC 206 Bridge Street, Suite 200 Franklin, TN 37064 Tel: 615-790-3718 Email: info@leadingedge communications.com ATA OFFICERS Richard Covert, President Baptist Health Systems Richard.covert@baptist-health.org Kyle Sanders, Immediate Past President Sanders Ground Essentials 501-315-9395 kylesanders@sandersground.com Jeff Haskins, Treasurer Paragould Country Club 870-780-5883 Ja1116@earthlink.net Karen Cooper Executive Director 785-331-9225 ataturfgrass@gmail.com Doug Karcher, Ph.D., Education Chair University of Arkansas • 479-575-5723 karcher@uark.edu Pat Berger, Director Emeritus University of Arkansas • 479-575-6887 pberger@uark.edu Charlie Bowen, Director Emeritus Arkansas Hydroseed • 501-315-7333 charliebowen@yahoo.com Seth Dunlap Arkansas State Plant Board seth.dunlap@agriculture.arkansas.gov 501-225-1598 Mark Brown Nabholz • 501-749-7459 rmbrown2@ualr.edu Rodney Fisher Life Member, Founding Member Agra Turf, Inc. • 501-268-7036 agrarod@yahoo.com Ron Fisher Agra Turf, Inc. • 501-268-7036 agraron@yahoo.com Steve Ibbotson Conway Parks & Rec. • 501-328-4173 Steve.ibbotson@cityofconway.org Josh Landreth Ace of Blades • 479-530-7001 aceofblades@cox.net Mark Mowrey, Director Emeritus Oaklawn • 501-538-1600 bntgrns@yahoo.com Guy Oyler Jerry Pate Turf & Irrigation goyler@jerrypate.com • 501-317-5980 Rodger Pevehouse Life Member Michael Rush Rush Lawn Care • 501-279-8980 mrush@rushlawn.com
6 • A R K A N S A S T U R F G R A S S • Spring 2021
Ricky Self Cypress Creek r.self@yahoo.com • 501-605-8000
