President’s Message
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2019: Our Best Year Yet
hat a transformational year NESTMA had in 2018! We started with a strategic planning session and laid out goals for the future. One of the primary results of this important session was the decision to hire an association management firm. The Board conducted extensive interviews and we contracted with M.V. Wood Company on March 1, 2018. M.V. Wood Company is a full-service, award-winning association management firm. I know many of you met our new management team — Virginia, Charissa, Carrie, Kristen, and Peggy – at NESTMA events throughout the year. They bring a proven 30-year track record of creating effective strategic growth for green industry trade associations in New England. We know they will play a large role in helping us achieve our goals of increasing membership, improving communication, promoting participation, building awareness, and streamlining systems. As you read through the pages of this new and improved New England Blade magazine, you’ll see NESTMA’s accomplishments in providing the best education for sports turf professionals: an excellent Spring Turf Day at Governor’s Academy, a successful Summer Field Day at Wellesley College, and an informative Fall Workshop at URI. NESTMA members served as hosts at each facility and our Commercial Partners really stepped up to support our educational efforts. Thanks to everyone! What’s ahead for 2019? Based on your feedback, we’re retooling the content, format, and timing of our educational programs and networking opportunities! Members can look forward to NESTMA offering the latest trends and technology in exciting new ways throughout the year. At almost 400 members strong and growing, NESTMA is an amazing organization! Many thanks to our great Board of Directors. They work hard for the membership every day and I am grateful for their support. As always, we encourage you to stay actively involved and if you have colleagues or customers that are not NESTMA members, please invite them to join us. 2019 will be our best year yet!
Ben Polimer NESTMA President Fields and Grounds Coordinator Town of Weston, MA
6 • New England BLADE • March 2019
Thank You, Commercial Partners These companies partnered with NESTMA on one or more of our educational events in 2018. Please be sure to thank them for their support of our industry as you do business with them throughout the year. Agresource, Inc. Atlantic Golf & Turf Atlantic Irrigation Boston Company Athletic Fields Crop Production Services FieldTurf Fince Services/John Deere Five Star Golf Carts & Utility Vehicles Geese Police of Boston GreensGroomer WorldWide Harrell’s Helena Agri Enterprises Hillcrest Turf Services MTE Turf Equipment Solutions New England Specialty Soils Northeast Nursery Golf & Turf Northern Playground Surfacing Perkins Power Equipment Pioneer Athletics PJC Ecological Land Care Read Custom Soils SiteOne Landscape Supply Smart Water Management Sodco, Inc. Tom Irwin Advisors Tuckahoe Turf Farm Turf Products Corp. Turf Tank Winterberry Irrigation
