TPI Introduces New Women in Turfgrass Group for Members

TPI INTRODUCES NEW WOMEN

IN TURFGRASS GROUP FOR MEMBERS

By Allie Shriver

Turfgrass Producers International is thrilled to announce our newest initiative—Turfgrass ProducHERS International. This community will be dedicated to the networking, education, and empowerment efforts of all TPI women members.

Sparked from a successful happy hour at the 2020 TPI International Education Conference & Field Day in Orlando, FL, TPI realized our women need more than once a year to meet and greet. We decided to take the group one step further in February at the 2021 TPI Growing Forward Virtual Series with a full-hour roundtable discussion. This discussion covered various topics important to our community. We discussed how everyone was adjusting to working during a pandemic, areas we would like to grow in professionally, how we stay connected to other women, and so much more.

This discussion further solidified our need for a women’s community within TPI and Turfgrass ProducHERS International was created. We’re happy to bring this group a place to speak openly with other women about the challenges and accomplishments they face in the natural grass industry. The name and the logo created for this group emphasizes the role women fill at the center of this industry and this association. Much has happened since then and our community is growing stronger with each connection. Our first quarterly conference call on May 11 drew even more ladies to the group and the idea-sharing was amazing! We thrive on learning from those who share the same challenges we face in balancing work and family time and are willing to bring those problems to the discussion and dig into ways to resolve them. We’ve opened ongoing discussions on topics such as finding good employees in the tight labor market and navigating through family business transitions. We’ve created a Facebook Group as an avenue to keep the idea-sharing flowing and have already seen how that interactive exchange leads to positive action. It’s a “Master Mind” group focused on what matters most to you and we’d love to have you join us!

How to Get Involved with Turfgrass ProducHERS International

There are several ways you can get involved within this group starting now! • Join our Facebook Group dedicated to the women of

TPI—Turfgrass ProducHERS International at the link that follows: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ turfgrassproduchers. Here you can ask questions, share experiences, and collaborate with other women in the natural grass industry. • You can also register for emails from TPI on Women in Turfgrass topics at the link that follows https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe4rLgGG7 7ErBiFNhInrkE1vsjB64RWWf5lpuuMIUy9_jNqBA/ viewform • Join our quarterly conference calls! The links for these will be emailed to you prior to the meeting.

Mark your calendar for 2021:

August 12, 11 am EST November 11, am EST • Join us at the TPI International Education Conference & Field Day

Growing in 2021

TPI is ready to see this community take off and bring you the platform to do so. If you have questions, suggestions, or general comments you can reach out to me at ashriver@ TurfGrassSod.org. h

Allie Shriver is TPI’s membership and marketing manager and coordinator of the Turfgrass ProducHERS International community.