NYSTA’s TURFGRASS ENDOWMENT CAMPAIGN WITH CORNELL UNIVERSITY CELEBRATES 10-YEAR ANNIVERSARY

LATHAM, NY – The New York State Turfgrass Association recently celebrated the 10 year anniversary of the New York Turfgrass Foundation, a fund established by the New York State Turfgrass Association (NYSTA) at CornellUniversity to support research activities for the benefit of the turfgrass industry in New York. In 1998, NYSTA’s Past President, Joseph Hahn, CGCS, former superintendent of Locust Hill Country Club, Oak Hill Country Club and the Country Club of Rochester launched an endowment campaign to assist in reaching the $1 million goal of the New York Turfgrass Foundation.
According to Hahn, “The year 2008 marked the 10th year since “Foundation Club” members were invited to make annual contributions at various giving levels, making the $1 million goal well within reach. Since the inception of the endowment campaign, funding has reached nearly $930,000. I am grateful to all of our contributors, especially donors who have given faithfully for the past ten years. They should be proud of their efforts because their continued support has kept our industry strong.” All 10-year Foundation Club donors were recognized in NYSTA newsletters and on the NYSTA web site. They were also honored at the 2009 Empire State Green Industry Show, January 7-9, in Rochester, New York, which coincided with NYSTA’s 60th anniversary celebration.
When it was established, contributions made to the fund were matched by Cornell’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) until the interest generated from the account reached $50,000. Now, the interest income from the fund is used directly to support turfgrass research.
NYSTA President, Owen Regan, said,
“The New York Turfgrass Foundation is one of
the most important endeavors for our association. It has provided our association the opportunity to award grants for research that seek to solve turfgrass problems and improve best management practices on a variety of subjects. These include pest and weed control, invasive species education, soil analyses, integrated pest management practices (IPM), the use of organic and microbial products for decreased inputs, turf disease management and prevention, and water quality and irrigation issues. This type of research has a tremendous positive impact on the turf industry.”
According to Dr. Susan Henry, The Ronald P. Lynch Dean, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at CornellUniversity, “CALS is at the forefront of many of the University’s highest priorities, including the land grant mission, the New Life Sciences, Social Sciences and Environmental Sustainability initiatives, and International Programs. Thanks in large part to NYSTA contributions; we see great opportunities for the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences to help shape the course of events in this century as we did the last.” / NYSTA is pleased to announce the following Foundation Club members who have donated to the New York Turfgrass Foundation endowment campaign for the past ten years:
10 year donors
$1,000 Gold Sponsors
Scott Apgar, President
Metro Turf Specialists
Metro Turf Specialists is an independent distributor of quality turf products to golf courses in the metropolitan New York, Long Island, lower Hudson Valley, Connecticut and Northern New Jersey area.
Chris Frielinghaus, CGCS, President
Adirondack Golf Course Superintendents Association
The Adirondack GCSA is a professional organization of golf course superintendents in the Adirondack region of New York.
Rick Grant, Director of Business Development
Phoenix Environmental Care, LLC
Phoenix Environmental Care, LLC is a leader in the green and aquatic industries, dedicated to product innovation, as well as industry support, stewardship and involvement. The company re-invests a portion of their sales to support golf course superintendents.
$500 Silver Sponsors
Doug Heron, Owner
Maxwell Turf & Supply
Maxwell Turf & Supply provides a variety of green industry products including turf care products for the golf industry.
Steve & Laurie Griffen, Co-owners
Saratoga Sod Farm, Inc.
Saratoga Sod Farm, Inc. is a supplier and installer of sod. They also provide seed and fertilizer products.
Elizabeth Seme, Owner
Elizabeth Seme, Inc.
Elizabeth Seme Inc. is an association management firm specializing in meetings and exhibition management, graphic design, public relations, membership recruitment and retention.
Sean Taggart, President
Hudson Valley Golf Course Superintendents Association
The Hudson Valley GCSA is a professional organization of golf course superintendents in the Hudson Valley region of New York.
$250 Bronze Sponsors
Joseph Hahn, CGCS, NYSTA Past President and Retired Superintendent
Country Club of Rochester and Oak Hill Country Club
1966-1982: Golf Course Superintendent at Locust Hill Country Club; Hosted six LPGA Tournaments.
1983-1996: Golf Course Superintendent at Oak Hill Country Club; Host of the 1984 USGA Senior Open, 1989 USGA Open, 1995 Ryder Cup
1996-2003: Golf Course Superintendent at the Country Club of Rochester until retirement in 2003.
James Hornung, Sr., NYSTA Past President, President and Owner of Elbers Landscape Service, Inc. and Great Lakes Athletic Fields
Erie County Commissioner of Parks & Recreation
James Hornung Sr. was appointed Erie County Commissioner of Parks & Recreation in 2008. He is the President and
Owner of two companies: Elbers Landscape Service and Great Lakes Athletic Fields, a company that provides athletic field maintenance, construction, and consultation services.
Charles Lain, Jr., President
Pine Island Turf Nursery, Inc.
Pine Island Turf Nursery, Inc. offers sod and seed products for sports fields, home lawns, golf courses, parks, cemeteries, erosion control and commercial sites.
Michael Maffei, CGCS, NYSTA Past President and Superintendent
Back O’Beyond, Inc.
Michael Maffei is the Certified Golf Course Superintendent
at Back O’Beyond Inc. Maffei is the recipient of the 2008 Excellence in Government Relations Award by the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America.
Kirk Pogge, President and C.E.O.
Grassland Equipment & Irrigation Corporation, Inc.
Grassland Equipment & Irrigation Corp. is a multi-million dollar corporation that distributes residential and commercial turf care equipment.
Jim Shaw, President
Turftenders, Inc.
Turftenders, Inc. is a family-owned and operated lawn care company located in Western New York.
Richard Snyder, President
Arrowhead Golf Course, Inc.
This public facility includes a 9-hole course and an 18-hole course designed by Dick Snyder.
Richard Weldgen, Jr., Managing Partner
Weed Man
Weed Man specializes in professional lawn care and is a partner in the EPA Pesticide Environmental Stewardship Program (PESP.) Weed Man is also on the Better Business Bureau’s customer service honor roll in Monroe, Wayne and Ontario counties.
$100 Patron Sponsors
Greg Chorvas,Cantine Veterans Sports Complex
Glenn Creutz,Huntington Country Club
Elton Etheridge,Southampton Golf Club (Retired)
Anthony Grasso,Metropolis Country Club
Timothy Hahn,Greystone/Shadows Golf Courses
Rick Lemcke,RM Landscape, Inc.
Joseph Moisa
Gregory Moran,Matrix Turf Solutions, LLC
Peter Ruggieri,Inwood Country Club
Thomas and Karen Wright
The New York State Turfgrass Association is comprised of green industry professionals who have joined together to promote best management practices, environmental stewardship, support education, advance research and disseminate research findings. For more information or to become a Foundation Club member, please visit our web site at and select the “Foundation” link.