TTA Member sp otlight
Theo Lankford TTA Member Spotlight on
Kormac, LLC, and 2016–2017 TTA President
Company name and location: Kormac, LLC, in Brentwood, TN Job Title: Relationship Manager/ Sports Turf Manager How did you get started in the turfgrass industry? Well, in my senior year of high school (in 2000), I took a turfgrass-management ag class and have been working in it ever since. What did you do before your current job position? I started working for GreenLeaf Landscapes as their “lawn guy,” and then I went to work for Clarkland Sports Fields as a sports field manager. My last position was with Nashville Sports Leagues as vice president of athletic facilities. Who have been your mentors in the industry? Britt Sullivan, Billy Clark, Dr. Tom Samples and Korey Heightmen What do you enjoy most about your job? I love interacting with people. I get to meet a wide range of folks of many different demographics. I enjoy talking shop and seeing the results of hard work. How long have you been a member of TTA? Since 2002. How has TTA enhanced your career? 16
Since I didn’t attend college, TTA has been a large source of education for me. Attending conferences year after year and all the networking have provided several opportunities. What positions have you held in TTA? I was elected to the board of directors in 2011, and then as secretary/treasurer in 2012. In 2014, I moved up into the vice president’s position, and I currently serve as president.
overcame this by leaning on the people around me and trusting that they could take care of things when I wasn’t there. What have you learned by now that you wish you would have known early in your career? There are probably a lot of answers to this question, but the one that stands out the most is utilizing networking opportunities to learn and better myself as a professional. What are some of your favorite memories from your career? My most favorite memory is actually several different memories of watching kids play on the fields that I put heart, sweat and tears into, day in and day out.
What have been your contributions to the industry? In addition to my service with TTA, I also served as vice president and president of TVSTMA (Tennessee Valley Sports Turf Managers Association). I have taken a lot of pride in staying focused and learning as much as I can along the way and then teaching that process to others who have also chosen the same path.
What are your hobbies? I enjoy volunteering with my church, running in the park and being an active member in my local Free Masons Lodge.
Please tell us about a challenge that you’ve faced in your career and how you overcame it. I think the biggest challenge I have faced is finding the proper work/family balance. As VP of facilities at Nashville Sports League, I was responsible for 9 locations with 22 fields in constant 7-days-a-week play, so the job was extremely time consuming. Often, my family had to take a back seat to the demands of my responsibilities. I
Tell us a little about your family. My high school sweetheart, Alicia, has had my heart for almost 20 years, and we’ve been married since 2001. Alicia works with preschoolers with autism and loves every second of it. Our 18-year-old son Blake is a senior in high school and will be attending The University of Tennessee in the fall. Our 9-year-old daughter Mia is very happy to be in 3rd grade, and she enjoys dance. T
TENNESSEE TURFGRASS February/March 2016 Email TTA at: tnturfgrassassn@aol.com