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Iowa Turfgrass Conference & Trade Show Recap: Jeff Wendel, CGCS

January 28, 2010

First, I want to thank ALL our Exhibitors, Attendees, Speakers and Staff for making the 2010 ‘show’ a success despite the incredible challenge presented by our delightful Iowa weather. It is no surprise to me this group was able to deal with inclement weather, as they do so all the time. Our show works because Turfgrass Managers work. I could not possibly imagine a better group of people to work for!

I also want to thank Marcus Jones for his numerous contributions to the 76th Annual Iowa Turfgrass Conference & Trade Show. All of Marcus’ presentations were excellent and everyone appreciates his enthusiasm and dedication to Turfgrass Management.

Very Special thanks to the management and staff at the Downtown Marriott for their expert handling of our Reception. I think they proved that electric power is a luxury that is needed but not a ‘deal breaker.’ The Reception was perfect and the attendees and Marriott staff deserve another ‘whoo- hoo.’

While Conference is fresh in people’s mind I would encourage them to contact the Iowa Turfgrass Office with ideas for the 2011 event. Anyone who is interested is moderating a session, speaking, or who has a topic or speaker idea can contact me: jeff@iowaturfgrass.org or 515-232-8222.

Finally, I must thank our Keynote, Tim Gard, CSP, CPAE for his contribution. The ‘bummer’/’whoo-hoo’ theme fit perfectly for the ‘hills and valleys’ that constituted the 2010 Iowa Turfgrass Conference & Trade Show. I cannot possibly count the number of times someone told me, “Best Keynote Ever.”

Jeff R. Wendel, CGCS
Iowa Turfgrass Institute
17017 US Hwy 69
Ames, IA 50010-9294
www.iowaturfgrass.org

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Iowa Turfgrass Conference & Trade Show…WhooHoo!

January 22, 2010

The Iowa Turfgrass Conference and Trade Show was held at the Downtown Des Moines Marriott & Polk County Convention Complex January 19-21. I always enjoy conference season and the opportunity to network and listen to all the different presenters. One of the themes of this year’s show was environmental stewardship. Jim Sluiter, Audubon International staff ecologist, and Greg Lyman, GCSAA director of environmental programs, spoke about environmental stewardship and how to conduct an environmental assessment at your facility. Brett Hetland, CGCS, Brooks National Golf Club was presented with the first ever Iowa GCSA Environmental Stewardship Award. Congratulations Brett!

I had the opportunity to present about my interseeding research and about iaTURF and related electronic resources. I also tried my hand as a game show host during the pesticide applicator training (I better not quit my day job).

I was encouraged by the number of people who seemed excited about the possibility of contributing to iaTURF or even starting their own blog. In case you missed it, or want to see it again the presentation can be viewed below.
iaTURF
 

View more presentations from iaturfblog.

Marcus Jones
Graduate Research Assistant

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A Big Finish to a Big Week

February 15, 2010

Conference season is always a whirlwind of meetings, educational seminars, and trade shows as far as the eye can see. Last week I was in San Diego attending the GCSAA Conference and Trade Show. I participated in the Golf Course Irrigation Auditor program which kept me busy the first two days of the conference. We performed an actual audit at a local golf course and learned how auditing can be a useful tool to fine tune an irrigation system for peak performance.

Wednesday night the Iowa/Nebraska GCSA reception was hosted at Zagarella, a great Italian restaurant in Little Italy. Jon Christenson (Superintendent, Monarch Bay Golf Club, Santa Clara, CA) was presented with the 2009 Iowa GCSA Distinguished Service Award.

Thursday morning brought the much anticipated event for the students who made the trip as they were preparing for the 2010 Collegiate Turf Bowl Competition. This year’s competition consisted of 67 teams from 31 colleges and universities. John Deere sponsored the competition and awarded cash prizes to teams who placed in the top 10. A team from Iowa State University which included Nick Dunlap (Iowa City, IA), Tyler Dykstra (Sibley, IA), Bryan Huinker, (Lakeville, MN), and Caleb Swanson (Nevada, IA) took first place and the $4,000 cash prize.

 

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80th Annual Iowa Turfgrass Conference and Trade Show

January 21, 2014

A week from today, the 80th Annual Iowa Turfgrass Conference and Trade Show kicks off at the Downtown Marriott Hotel in Des Moines, IA. The conference runs from January 28th through the 30th.

If you plan to attend the conference, please register as soon as possible. 

Online Registration has closed. Please register on-site after January 21st.

The three day event offers ample educational opportunities as well as Pesticide Applicator Training (PAT) on Thursday afternoon. This event is made possible by industry support and is a great opportunity to network with peers, educators, and other professional turfgrass managers. A special Thank You goes out to ITI Executive Director Jeff Wendel and all of the associations, sponsors, vendors, and presenters who make this conference possible. 

To download the pocket program, click on the following link Pocket Program. 

or use the following address: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzSKKI3Akgy_cXBSaF9QdXZjVWc/edit?usp=sh...

 

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