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Nufarm welcomes new EXCEL Leadership Class at 2022 GCSAA Conference
Alsip, IL (February 17, 2022) — The EXCEL Leadership Program welcomed its newest class to the 2022 GCSAA Conference and Trade Show in San Diego. Sponsored by Nufarm in partnership with GCSAA, the three-year program provides specialized leadership training for assistant golf course superintendents’ career, course and community.
All three current EXCEL classes attended this year’s conference following a gap year due to Covid. The 2021 graduating class was granted an extra year in the program due to limited in-person training opportunities during the pandemic last year. The newest class met for the second time since they joined the program in October. Their GSCAA agenda featured daily networking events and education sessions on leadership, communication, decision-making and career advancement.
EXCEL Program members past and present, each selected through a rigorous application process, continue to gain recognition for their leadership and participation in the industry.
Lora Beth West, first-year EXCEL Program member and assistant director of agronomy at Hillcrest Country Club in Los Angeles, served as an impressive panelist for Ladies Leading Turf.
Madison Rudsinski, first-year EXCEL Program participant and assistant superintendent at Paradise Valley Country Club in Paradise Valley, Ariz., was interviewed during Superintendent Radio Network’s Wonderful Women of Golf segment and said of her EXCEL experience, “I’m super out of my comfort zone…but everybody’s there to help each other and help me learn, so I’m super excited.”
Jessica Lenihan, an EXCEL alumna currently working as a farm manager with Green Valley Turf in Colo., has also been featured on Wonderful Women of Golf. Asked about the most satisfying part of her time at Hayden Lake Country Club, Lenihan replied, “Knowing how much I’ve grown as a manager of turf and people. I’ve been doing a lot of the EXCEL Program through GCSAA and Nufarm, and Green Start Academy and different things like that, where I learned about different personality types. That’s something they really don’t teach you in turf school.”
West, Rudsinski, and Lenihan all volunteered for the U.S. Women’s Open in June 2021.
Travis Cook, EXCEL alumnus and course superintendent at Greystone Golf & Country Club in Birmingham, Ala., was awarded GCSAA’s first Emerging Leader Award. Cook remains active in the industry, the association and his community since graduation, including his service as a GCSAA Grassroots Ambassador. “EXCEL will set you up for success,” he said.
As of this year’s show, 13 past and present EXCEL participants have been promoted to superintendent.
The EXCEL Leadership Program accepts eight new assistant superintendents each year. Applications for the 2022 class will open later this year.
More Nufarm News at the GSCAA Conference & Trade Show
At GSCAA, Nufarm sponsored the annual RISE breakfast where board member Blaine Pinkerton, Nufarm VP T&O Sales, highlighted the environmental benefits of golf. “The golf industry has long been an environmental leader in creating habitat, enhancing water quality, and creating playable places for recreation,” said Pinkerton.
To support this mission, Nufarm introduced Decide™ Fungicide, an exclusive Group 7 SDHI fungicide that offers application flexibility to control multiple challenging turfgrass diseases. Decide will be available later in 2022. Learn more about Decide Fungicide here.
Anuew™ PGR, available for the 2022 season, was also featured for its ability to save turf management time and resources with less mowing and fewer clippings while improving playability of greens, tees, and fairways in warm- and cool-season turf. Anuew is a late-stage inhibitor that can be used on all managed turf areas to improve turfgrass quality, density, and appearance. Learn more about Anuew PGR here.
About Nufarm
Established more than 100 years ago, Nufarm is recognized as one of the leading manufacturers and suppliers of plant protection in the world. As a top supplier to the US turf and ornamental market, Nufarm strives to offer a solution for every challenge from innovations such as Anuew™ to go-to products such as SureGuard® SC, Celero®, Escalade® 2, Arena®, Pinpoint®, Traction™, Millennium Ultra™ 2, Safari®, TriStar® and the 3336® brand family. As the manufacturing landscape changes, Nufarm is expanding to bring innovation and choice to distributors, retailers and the professionals they serve. For more information and a complete list of Nufarm products, visit nufarm.com/usturf.
Nufarm Americas Inc. is a subsidiary of Nufarm Limited, a manufacturer, supplier and marketer of crop protection products based in Australia. Nufarm is recognized as one of the leading agricultural and turf chemical manufacturers in the world. Nufarm Americas, Inc. formulates products that serve the agricultural, professional turf, vegetation management and forestry markets in the United States.
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