3rd Quarter 2023
TEXAS TURFGRASS ASSOCIATION
President’s Message Good Afternoon Members! Thank you all for a great 2023 and I hope to keep the momentum going to the Texas Turfgrass Association at our Winter Show and Conference in Frisco. Join us December 12th and 13th in Frisco, TX at the Embassy Suites, and Convention Center Frisco Dallas. It will be a great time and our Board of Directors, Katie, and committees are underway planning the show and education. This is a great time to network, get your education, and a way to give back to our scholarship fund! Each year, the Exhibitor Trade show will also have a Silent Auction that is present and gives all members an opportunity to bid on items in each Exhibitor booth. All proceeds will go toward the TTREEE endowment at Texas A&M University. Your contributions will be a great way to reach students and hopefully continue their education in turfgrass. Should you want to help further, please make sure you contact Randall Anderson, chair of our Silent Auction Committee, or Katie Flowers, for additional information. Randall can be reached at: anderson@odessa-tx.org Lastly, thank you to our Annual Sponsors for your continued Support and Help with our association. See you soon! Sincerely, Houston “Hoot” Fullerton, MCPTM Texas Turf Services TTA President 2023
Keeping Texas Green SINCE 1947
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Table of Contents
President’s Message
Houston Fullerton CPTM
Special Thanks
To Our 2023 Sponsors
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2023 Board of Directors
University Advisors
4
Executive Director Message
Katie Flowers
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Save The Date
2023 Winter Conference
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Save The Date
2024 Turfgrass Short Course
7
Brouwer Female Leader Award
Irene Gavranovic-Sipes
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2023 CPTM
Newest Receipent Honored
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2023 Summer Conference
Thank Yous and Pictures
12 - 17
2023 Awards
Nomination Information
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THANK YOU ADVERTISERS! All Seasons Turfgrass Thomas Turfgrass All Seasons Turf Grass
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Cover
2023 Sponsor Page
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Prime Sod Turf & Soil Diagnostics King Ranch Turfgrass
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President
Houston Fullerton, MCPTM Texas Turf Services hoots@hootslawncare.com
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Executive Director Message
Howdy! I am excited to see so many of you at our Winter Conference and Show, December 12th, and 13th, 2023. I want to take a quick moment to encourage you to attend our Special Kickoff event, December 11th from 5 pm - 7 pm at PINSTACK location in Plano, roughly 7 minutes from the Embassy Suites Dallas, Frisco. Our Special Event Planning Committee is organizing a Bowling kick-off for all TTA members, attendees, and exhibitors. Look for a blast soon to pick teams, sign up, and compete! Or you can just show up to PINSTACK, watch and mingle. All profits from this event will go toward the Texas Turfgrass Association and its continued operation and educational advancement within the Turf industry. In addition to our Special Event, Texas Turfgrass Association is piloting our first ever all Spanish Speaking Education at the TTA Show. This is in addition to all standard education and our hope is to provide an outlet for Managers and Members to bring their employees to. Please spread the word and encourage all Spanish speaking members to attend for education relative to our turf industry. This education day will be held, December 12th from 8 am to 5pm; registration details are on our website. Thank you so much to all Members, Exhibitors, Sponsors, and our board of Directors for your support, and involvement in our show and association.
God Bless! Warmest Regards, Your Executive Director, Katie Flowers
REGISTRATION OPEN! @texasturf.com
Brouwer Female Leader Award Recipient: Irene Gavranovic-Sipes After 50 years of business Brouwer Kesmac recognizes the collective pride and passion that lives within those in the turf industry. Though automated advancements may lead you to think one could do it all on their own, the reality is, us as farmers know that nothing would be possible without a solid team of dedicated individuals behind you. The Brouwer Female Leader Award is presented to a woman that shows a commitment and passion not only to the turf industry but to the education of others and proliferation of the industry as a whole. This individual represents the core and often familial values held by the community and provides overwhelming value and richness to the turf farming collective. Today, on behalf of Brouwer Kesmac and Sales Midwest, we would like to honour and recognize one of these many worthy and potential individuals. Irene Gavranovic-Sipes is the owner and CFO of All Seasons Turf Grass, a familyowned sod business established in 1981 just west of Katy, Texas. She grew up on a farm started by her father Willie and wife Gladys that would later become Horizon Turf Grass, where she learned the ropes with her brother Will Jr. and her sister Rachel, who now 4 generations later have been in the sod business for over 40 years.
After high school Irene earned a double major in Economics and Soviet and East European Studies from the University of Texas as well as an MBA from Eastern New Mexico University before returning home to her farming roots in 1999. Irene saw a need for a sand-based farm in the west Houston area to better serve the golf, sports field and premier property markets. She seized the opportunity to launch the Brookshire Farm in 2000, forming a partnership with her father Willie in what is now All Seasons Turf Grass. In 2014, Tiger Woods chose All Seasons Turf Grass as the supplier for the first golf course he designed in the United States, Bluejack National. Irene’s Farms have gone on to supply sod for NFL teams as well as the Houston Dynamo Soccer Field and Major League Baseball’s Houston Astros. Under Irene’s leadership, All Season Turf has become an industry leader in New Sod varieties, ground breaking business practices and new equipment innovation. She is responsible for all budgeting and financial forecasting and even created her own All Season Trucking company to better handle deliveries. All Season Turf Grass is also part of the Harmony Brands network, producing turfgrass for a large variety of big box home improvement stores throughout the state of Texas. Irene has served as a board member for a variety of industry organizations including past President of the Texas Turf Grass association and later elected to TPT (Turfgrass Producers of Texas) President in 2009 as the first woman to receive that honor. All Seasons Turf, in partnership with its sister company, Horizon Turf, has 11 farms, 12 varieties, and over 5,000 acres in production, while Irene is constantly striving to find new varieties to provide customers even more choices. Irene is a down to earth, hard-working individual who is often the first person you see as Office Director but doesn’t shy away from hopping in a forklift to tackle the loading if she needs to. In the words of her husband Scott; “It’s a family business that works hard to keep their customers happy – because that’s what the Gavranovic family does.” Irene Gavranovic-Sipes 32601 F.M. 529 Brookshire, TX 77423 281-375-7505 www.allseasonsturf.com info@allseasonsturf.com Written by: Daniel Allen – Marketing & Publicity, Brouwer Kesmac
Kimberly Mayer CURRENT EMPLOYER: Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Brazoria County CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS: Keep Richwood Beautiful City of Richwood Charter Review Commission PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS: Member of TCAAA - Texas County Agricultural Agents Association Member of ESP - Epsilon Sigma Phi DEGREES: Bachelor of Science Interdisciplinary Studies Texas A&M University - Kingsville OTHER INFORMATION: Married for 24 years with two adult children. Enjoys gardening and yoga CPTM Certification Program - Overview The Certified Professional Turf Manager (CPTM) designation recognizes a level of achievement in professional turfgrass management in Texas beyond a Bachelor of Science degree or a long tenure in the industry. The CPTM designation is a mark of distinction. Professionals who acquire the CPTM designation benefit the turfgrass industry and themselves through increased self-esteem and respect, increased value and service to their employer and increased competitiveness in the job market. Click here for more information
Introducing Doxem® Plus Fire Ant Bait: The Ultimate Solution for Fire Ant Control Control Solutions Inc. unveils its latest breakthrough in fire ant control with the launch of Doxem Plus Fire Ant Bait. This revolutionary product offers a comprehensive triple mode of action for effectively managing fire ants. Doxem Plus Fire Ant Bait is formulated with a powerful blend of three highly effective active ingredients: indoxacarb, novaluron, and pyriproxyfen. Designed for simplicity without being a restricted-use product, it’s labeled for use in both residential
and commercial lawns and landscape areas, golf courses, recreational areas, and industrial sites. This highly attractive bait is collected by foraging workers, shared with nest mates, and spread throughout the mound – crashing the colony and killing the queen. Moreover, its versatile application options allow for targeted treatment of individual mounds or widespread broadcast application, for larger areas. Additionally, this Doxem Plus Fire Ant Bait prevents new fire ant mounds from appearing for up to three months. Notably, Doxem Plus Fire Ant Bait is not limited to only Red Imported Fire Ants, it is also effective against other nuisance ants including, bigheaded ants, pavement ants, and turfgrass ants, making it an indispensable tool for comprehensive pest management. For more information about Doxem Plus Fire Ant Bait, visit us at quali-pro.com.
DEADLINE EXTENDED: November 1 !