TTA Member Spotlight TTA Member Spotlight on
Mike and Margaret Moore, Marion County High School • Jasper, TN By Scott Boyle, UT Turfgrass Science and Management Communications Coordinator
Where did you attend college? Mike did not attend college. I (Margaret) attended Middle Tennessee State College before it became a university. I also attended a business school and have an associate’s degree in accounting.
What did you do before your current job position? Mike entered the machinist apprentice program (8,000 hours) in 1964 and worked as a machinist/welder for 44 years with TVA, all at Widows Creek Steam Plant in Stevenson, AL. I was a substitute teacher for the school system for approximately 35 years.
told Mike that since some of the other schools were starting to get lighting, he was not going to host the tournament because he was too busy getting the field ready instead of practicing like the other teams. Mike replied that he would mow the field and let the coach work with the team. As the saying goes, the rest is history. We have served as volunteer head and assistant groundskeepers since spring 1996.
Have you won any job-related awards?
Who have been your mentors in the industry?
Tell us a little about your family.
Dr. Tom Samples, with The University of Tennessee.
We will have been married for 47 years this September. Our oldest daughter, Michele, is 46 and lives in Brooklyn, NY, where she is a speech/language pathologist. Melissa, our middle child, is 41 and works for Hamilton County Dept. of Education. Our son, Cliff, is 33 and employed by Quality Inn and Suites. McKenzie, our granddaughter, is 17 and will be attending Chattanooga State this fall. T
Why did you choose a career in the turfgrass industry?
What do you enjoy most about your job?
In 1996, our son started playing baseball for Marion County High School, which hosted the district tournament every year since it was the only school with lights on the baseball field. That year, the coach
High school competition will be the highest level that most of our school’s athletes will play, so we enjoy giving them the chance to play on the best field that we can possibly make for them.
Mike Moore at work as head groundskeeper at Marion County High School.
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TENNESSEE TURFGRASS August/september 2014 Email TTA at: tnturfgrassassn@aol.com
We have received the Bill Baxter award for volunteering from the school.
How long have you been members of TTA? Since 1997 or 1998.
What are your hobbies? Working.
For many years, Margaret and Mike have delighted their fellow Marion County residents as Santa and Mrs. Claus during the Christmas holidays.