PRESIDENT’S REPORT The Business of the Minnesota Turf and Grounds Foundation
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Officers President Matt Cavanaugh Rush Creek GC, MGCSA
By MATT CAVANAUGH President Minnesota Turf and Grounds Foundation
Vice President Jamie Bezanson Highland GC, MGCSA Treasurer Steve Balfany Balfany Farms, MTA Secretary/Treasurer Sam Bauer Bauer Turf, MPSTMA Ex-Officio Manuel Jordán Heritage Shade Tree Consultants, MSA Directors MASMS Tom Redmann Tom Redmann Consulting MASMS Tracy Closson Northfield Schools MAC Dave Kemp The Catholic Cemeteries MAC Dominic Pierre Union Cemeteries MGCSA Michael Sonnek Royal Golf Club MPSTMA Paul Griffin City of Woodbury MSA Kent Honl Rainbow Treecare MTA Bryan Lawrence Rocket Turf & Nursery MTSC Brent Benike Northern Excellence Seed MTSC Richard Magnusson Magnusson Farms Vendor Representative Jim O’Neill EcoWorks Supply Vendor Representative Andy Keating Twin City Seed Company UM Representative Chad Giblin University of Minnesota UM Representative Dr. Eric Watkins University of Minnesota * * * * Executive Director Jeff Turtinen 763-703-4983 jeff.turtinen@mtgf.org P. O. Box 617 Wayzata, MN 55391
I do not like to ask for help. It is well known within my circle of people that I will go to great lengths and exhaust every avenue to figure something out by myself before I even consider asking for help. This personal trait is even my go to answer for the ever-popular interview question of ‘What is your greatest weakness?’ Well, great esteemed interviewer…I never ask for help. I continually try to find answers by myself. I would rather put in a little leg work to solve a problem than to bother someone about the situation. If I can figure it out, then we all win. See how that works? It makes me look good, too. Prospective employers love problem solvers. Feel free to add that to your interview memory banks. I have even extended my lack of wanting help from others to this phrase “Use what you have.” The phrase has prompted me to do such things as turning over a righthanded glove for use on my left hand…You get the point. I used what I had, and I did not have to ask for anything, from anyone. As many of you know, the Northern Green will be coming to us in a virtual platform this year. We all know the reasons why so I will not bother with that. What you may not know is how this new virtual Northern Green will happen and how you can benefit. By going digital, the Northern Green is making it even more affordable through price and you can even participate virtually as a workplace team. You no longer have to worry about choosing between two sessions because they are running at the same time. You can experience one session during the scheduled time, then circle back to attend the other session in your spare time later that day. You will be able to use the chat and Q&A features during the education sessions to interact with the speakers. The Northern Green has also made it possible to visit with vendors in a virtual manner as well by using either video or text chat. With all that and the benefits that a virtual Northern Green can have for you, why don’t we focus on how you can help (a large gasp from the reading audience). I said it, how can the green industry help? The benefits of the Northern Green go beyond what you gain in terms of education and what the vendors gain in customer interaction. Participation from the whole industry provides valuable funds for green industry research. Without your participation in the Northern Green funding would not be at the same level and the MTGF could not fund all the valuable green industry projects you see in the graph on Page 3 of this issue of MTGF Clippings. Think about that, 1.7 million dollars since 1993 for turf and grounds research. Most of which would not be possible without your support of the Northern Green. So yes, I am asking your help. Participate, educate, and enjoy this new platform. I know many of us are already pretty worn out with virtual life, but at least this time of virtual education will help with your in-person work life. So, I hope to see you at the Virtual Northern Green January 11th to the 14th. Oh yeah, sory if their are any speling or grammactical errors with ths massage. I disable any computer-generated spell check help and I don’t ask anyone to proof my work. Sincerely,
www.mtgf.org Matt Cavanaugh President Minnesota Turf and Grounds Foundation
www.MTGF.org