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120 East Pine Street, Suite 1 · Lakeland, FL 33801 · Phone (800) 882-6721 Copyright © 2007-2010 Florida Turfgrass Association, All Rights Reserved. |
Board of Directors
President - Greg Pheneger
Vice President - Mac Carraway
Secretary/Treasurer - Armando Campos
Immediate Past President - Todd J. Himelberger
Board of Directors - Jan Bel jan; Alex McCoy (Mac) Briley; Dr. Eric A. Brown; Darren Davis; Tim Hiers, CGCS; Mark Kann; William J. Lanthier; John Mascaro; Jon McDowell; Betsy McGill; Mickey Nolen; Matt Shook; Matthew R. Taylor, CGCS; Kevin Wasilewski; Stacie Zinn
Officer Biographies
Gregory Pheneger - President
Gregory A. Pheneger has been the Golf Course Manager at John's Island Club in Vero Beach, Fla. since 1993. He is a member of the FGCSA and TCGCSA and has served as president of both Associations. Pheneger is also a member of the GCSA and has served on the Government Relations Committee since 2006. Prior to joining the staff at John's Island, he was the Director of Golf Course Maintenance at PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens. Pheneger is currently a member of the FTGA Board of Directors and serves on the Allied Associations Committee, Finance Committee, Funding and Endowment Committee and Publications and Publicity Committee. He also received the 2007 Florida Golf Course Superintendents Association Distinguished Service Award. Pheneger has been married to his wife Gail since 1983, and has two sons, Alex and James.
Mac Carraway - Vice President
Mac Carraway joined SMR Farms/Schroeder-Manatee Ranch, Inc. (SMR) in November 2004 as its Vice President of Agriculture. Prior to joining SMR, he was the principal of Carraway Consulting, a private consulting firm serving agricultural, development and commercial clients, primarily in Southwest Florida. Previously, he was the Executive Vice President of Zirkelbach Construction, Inc. in Palmetto, after serving as CFO for Pacific Tomato Growers, Ltd., also in Palmetto, for 11 years. Carraway was appointed in May 2004 by Governor Jeb Bush to serve as a member of the Southwest Florida Water Management District's (SWFWMD), Manasota Basin Board (MBB) for a term running until 2007, and is currently the MBB's Secretary and the Vice Chairman of the SWFWMD Basin Board Education Committee. He was an active member of the Florida Chamber of Commerce Water Task Force representing agriculture, and the SWFWMD Water Conservation Task Force. Currently he serves as the Florida Turfgrass Association's (FTGA) representative on the SWFWMD's Agricultural Advisory Committee as Vice Chairman. He was also a recipient of the 2000 Commissioner of Agriculture's Environmental Leadership Award. He is a current board member of the Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association (FFVA) and is a past chairman of its Environmental and Pest Management Committee and also serves on FFVA's Natural Resources Committee. He is a member of the Board of Directors of Third Party Registrations, Inc., as well as the Manatee County Agricultural Museum, and serves on the FTGA's External Affairs Committee. Carraway is a graduate of Florida State University and currently lives in Bradenton.
Armando Campos-Cruz Secretary/Treasurer
Armando Campos is the President and owner of Nutrient Technologies, L.L.C., a specialty fertilizer products marketing and management consulting company focused on turf and specialty agricultural crops. He previously served for 8 years as Vice President of Marketing of Douglass Fertilizer & Chemical, Inc. Campos is heavily involved in the industry recently graduating with Class VII of the Wedgworth Leadership Institute for Agriculture and natural Resources, serving on the Board of Directors of the Certified Crop Advisor Program in Florida and is a member of the Commercial Horticulture Advisory Committee UF/IFAS, American Society of Agronomy, Florida Fertilizer & Ag Chemical Association, Florida Nursery Growers & Landscapers Association, Florida Strawberry Growers Association, Florida Gulf Citrus Growers Association Highlands County Citrus Growers Association, Fluid Fertilizer Foundation, Ag Retailers Association. He has been recognized as an International Certified Crop Advisor and is a P.L.A.N.E.T. Certified Turfgrass Professional. Campos has been married to his wife Nowell for 13 years and has three children; Armando VIII, Daniel and Alexander.
Todd Himelberger - Past President
Todd has been a supplier to the turfgrass industry since 1977. His employment began with 3M Lakes and Waterways Management Service doing applications and sales of aquatic weed services. From 1980 to 1989 he represented Southern Mill Creek Products both in sales and marketing to the lawn care and golf industries. From 1990 to current Himelberger was employed by Rhone Poulenc, Aventis Environmental Science, Bayer Environmental Science and DuPont Professional Products representing various products for pest management. From 1986 to 1989 he participated on the FTGA Show Committee and was the co-chair for the show committee during the early 1990's. From 1994 to 1997 he was a member on the FTGA Board of Directors, and is a current member of the Executive Committee. Himelberger is also an active as member of the Research and Scholarship committee.
Board of Directors Biographies
Jan Bel jan has been a design associate of Tom Fazio, Fazio Golf Course Designers, since 1978. As an associate, Jan has been involved with numerous Florida golf courses. In 1990, Jan became the second female elected to membership in the American Society of Golf Course Architects (ASGCA.) She is also a registered Landscape Architect and a member of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA.) Additional affiliations include: Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA); Executive Women's Golf Association (EWGA). Jan has been a member of the Board of Directors of the Florida Turfgrass Association since 1995 and is a past president. Sports Illustrated Plus noted her among the "Ten Most Powerful Women in the Game of Golf" in December 2000 and February 2005.
Alex McCoy (Mac) Briley has been the Parks Supervisor for the City of Ocoee since November of 2006. He is responsible for maintaining 14 Parks, Sports Turf on 10 playing fields, Tree Management, and Median and Right of Way landscaping for the City of Ocoee. Before coming to the City of Ocoee, Mac worked for the City of Orlando for 15 years. While with the City of Orlando he was a Field Supervisor in charge of 23 sports fields and worked at the City of Orlando's public golf course (Dubsdread Golf Course).
Dr. Eric A. Brown is a consulting agronomist specializing in Turfgrass Science. He is the owner of Turfgrass Doctors, an Independent Consulting and Contract Research firm serving the state of Florida. He earned a Doctorate from the University of Florida's Soil and Water Science Department working with Dr. Jerry B. Sartain. Dr. Brown is currently an Adjunct Professor at Rollins College. Dr. Brown, a native Floridian raised in Plantation, is the son of the 1982 Wreath of Grass recipient and two term past president of the Florida Turfgrass Association (FTGA), Dr. Max A. Brown (1985-1987). He worked for his father in the fertilizer business at Liquid Ag Systems, Inc., in the 1990s and was a Turfgrass Specialist for the University of Florida Athletic Association while residing in Gainesville. Dr. Brown has experience formulating fertilizer blends and solutions, sports turf management, product testing and field trials, greenhouse phytotoxicity studies, and turfgrass consulting. He is a member of the FTGA, North Florida Sports Turf Managers Association, Golf Course Builders Association of America, Central Florida Golf Course Superintendents Association, and the GCSAAA.
Darren Davis has served as the Director of Golf Course Operations at the Olde Florida Golf Club in Naples since September of 1992. Prior to his current position he was employed as the Assistant Golf Course Superintendent at The Loxahatchee Club in Jupiter, Florida. Additional professional experience includes two stints at the Augusta National Golf Club, the first serving as an Apprentice Superintendent in 1990 and returning as the IPM Technician in 1991. He also spent a year as the IPM Technician at Golden Eagle Country Club in Tallahassee. Davis attended the Turfgrass Management program at Pennsylvania State University, where he graduated in 1991. He also graduated from Tallahassee Community College with an Associate in Arts degree in 1987. Currently, Davis is nearing completion of a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication from Florida Gulf Coast University.
Tim Hiers, CGCS has been a Golf Course Manager for 30 years. His accomplishments include assisting Collier's Reserve Country Club become the first Audubon International Cooperative Signature Sanctuary Golf Course. In 2000 Tim joined The Old Collier Golf Club and led the effort to achieve the designation of the first Audubon International Gold Signature Cooperative Sanctuary. This project is the first in the continental United States to use the newer variety of Paspalum grass on the entire golf course and the first in the world to irrigate sporadically with pure salt water. Career highlights include: Golf Course Superintendents Association of America member since 1977, Past Educational Instructor for the PGA of America, Past Member of the GCSAA Government Relations Committee, Member of the Florida Turf Grass Association (FTGA) External Affairs Committee, Past President of the Florida Golf Course Superintendents Association (FGCSA) , FGCSA Distinguished Service Award recipient in 1986, recipient of the Southeastern Environmental Steward Award in 1993, 1994 recipient of the first John James Audubon Environmental Steward Award, 1994 National Environmental Steward Award winner presented by GCSAA, and the 1995 GCSAA President's Environmental Leadership Award winner. In addition Hiers served on the Environmental Summit Group in Pebble Beach, California in 1995, he managed Collier's Reserve at the time it was awarded the Florida Division of Safety Award of Excellence for four years without a lost-time injury (the division's highest award) - the only golf course to win this award, in 1998 he was the FTGA's Wreath of Grass Award recipient, he served on the Collier County Pollution Prevention Council, he managed Collier's Reserve at the time it was awarded the Governor's Sustainable Council Award (highest award) in 1999, and under Tim's leadership, The Old Collier Golf Club received the 2003 Sustainable Florida Award and the 2004 Sustainable Florida Water Resource Management Award.
Mark Kann is Coordinator of Research Programs at the University of Florida Plant Science Research and Education Unit in Citra, Florida. He is responsible for all turfgrass and ornamental research experiments being conducted at the facility. In addition to coordinating research projects, he is responsible for maintaining the 30-acre turfgrass unit including its three golf holes, nine-hole putting course, football and baseball fields, and numerous turfgrass plots. Prior to his employment at the University of Florida, Mark was Golf Course Superintendent at Meadow Oaks Golf and Country Club in Hudson, Florida for five years. He has been involved in the turfgrass industry since 1995, working at several golf courses throughout North Central Florida during that time. He graduated from the University of Florida in 1999 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Turfgrass Science. Mark has been an active member of several organizations including the Florida Golf Course Superintendents Association, in which he currently serves on the Board of Directors and as Education Chairman. He is also a member of the Seven Rivers Golf Course Superintendents Association currently serving as Immediate Past President and External Vice-President. He has been both a Class A Member of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America and a member of the United States Golf Association since 1997. Mark rejoined the Florida Turfgrass Association as a Class A Member in 2006.
William J. Lanthier has been a Territory Manager for Golf Ventures working mainly in the Treasure Coast for the last 10 years. Prior to that Bill was a Certified Golf Course Superintendent at Mariner Sands CC in Stuart, Fl. and North Palm Beach CC in North Palm Beach, Florida beginning in 1989. He has served on the FGCSA board of Directors. Bill is currently on the TCGCSA Board Of Directors where he has served for over 17 years including a term as President. He has been an FTGA member for over 20 years.
John Mascaro is President of Turf-Tec International, Coral Springs Florida since 1986. He has invented over 25 different turfgrass tools to analyze the heath of turf and also makes various turfgrass maintenance equipment. He is also Executive director of the Florida Chapter of the Sports Turf Managers Association and writes a monthly column for Golf Course Management called the "John Mascaro's Photo Quiz". John has also spoken at many turfgrass conferences, seminars and field days.
Betsy McGill is the Executive Director of the Florida Sod Growers Cooperative, having joined the organization in 2003 after four years as the Director of Member & Industry Relations for the Gulf Citrus Growers Association in southwest Florida. She and her husband John, a LaBelle native, moved to Florida from Denver, Colorado where she worked as professional relations coordinator and patient counselor for Beacon Eye Institute, an international laser vision correction company. A native of Mississippi, Betsy graduated from Southeastern Louisiana University with degrees in history and education. She serves on a number of industry working groups and committees and is the current president of the Agriculture Institute of Florida, an organization of communications professionals dedicated to helping individuals and groups communicate more effectively on behalf of Florida agriculture.
Jon McDowell has been a Turf and Ornamental Sales Representative for the Specialty Products Business at FMC Corp. in Florida for the past 5 years. He has been involved in the professional turf industry for nearly 19 years. During this period his positions ranged from superintendent at Indian Lakes G&CC, to a career transition into the pesticide industry. This transition relocated Jon out of Florida to South Carolina and then later to Virginia. This allowed Jon the opportunity to remain involved within the turf and ornamental industry working throughout the southeast. In 2000, he accepted a position with FMC Corp. relocating him back to Florida. Jon has been actively involved throughout most turf and ornamental markets. Some of these include lawn care, golf, landscape, sod, sports fields, nursery and greenhouse throughout the state. He has been active as a Florida Turfgrass Association member since 2000 by supporting the turf conferences throughout the state and is currently chairing the Mid-Florida FTGA Turf Conference in Orlando. He and his wife Marion have been married for the past 12 years and have two children, Kendal and Josh.
Mickey Nolen has been employed Nozzle Nolen, Inc. since 1975. He is currently the President Fully certified in Pest Control, Lawn Control and Termite Control as well as Fumigation. He also runs a company with 5 separate offices, with more than 100 employees. Nolen is heavily involved in the Seagull Industries, Florida Pest Management Association (FPMA), Gold Coast Toast Master, and the Better Business Bureau Board.
Matt Shook has been employed by Harrell's since 1993 where he is currently Vice President of Sales with responsibility for the southeast U.S. market. Harrell's has manufacturing plants in Florida and Alabama with distribution sites in the Northeast, Midwest as well as the Southern U.S. Harrell's services the golf, ornamental and lawn care markets with over 90 sales representatives. Matt has worked as a sales representative, chemical products manager, national accounts manager and sales manager. Prior to Harrell's he worked with Lesco, Vigoro and Wheeler. He has been active in the Central Florida, Treasure Coast and North Florida superintendent associations and has been a member of the FTGA for over 20 years, currently serving on the FTGA show committee. Matt received a Bachelor of Science degree in Agronomy from the University of Florida after initially attending Florida State University. Matt has been married for 29 years to his wife Jenny and they have 4 children, Katie, Joey, Megan and Kerri.
Matthew R. Taylor, CGCS has been employed by Royal Poinciana Golf Club as Director of Golf Course Operations since April 2000. Prior to coming to Royal Poinciana Golf Club, Matt was the Director of Golf Course Operations at Bonita Bay Club/East for more than three years. After graduating from Lake City Community College in 1993 with a degree in Golf Course Operations, Matt worked at Collier's Reserve for three years as the Assistant Golf Course Manager. During the time Matt was at Bonita Bay Club/East, he received the 1999 Environmental Steward award from the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America in the private course category. Taylor served as President of the Everglades Golf Course Superintendents Association in 2001-2002. Other positions served for the EGCSA include Secretary, Treasurer and member of the Board of Directors for the Association. He is currently the Immediate Past President for the Florida Turfgrass Association. In addition to his work with FTGA and the EGCSA he also serves as the Vice President of the Florida Golf Course Superintendents. Taylor is married to his wife Tracy, and they have a daughter Allison and two sons Jordan and Ashton. He coaches boy's baseball and girl's softball.
Kevin Wasilewski has been a supplier to the turf grass, ornamental, and aquatic industry in the southeastern United States since 1987. He began his career in distribution with V-J Growers supply in 1987 as a sales representative. He then worked for Terra Industries from 1996-1998 as a Sales Manager. He made a move to the manufacturing side of the business in 1999 as he took a Sales Manager position with The Scotts Company. He currently is a Sales Representative for Syngenta and has been for the past seven years. Kevin has served on the FNGLA Action Chapter Board, the FTGA Show Committee, and the Allied Board of Directors for The Scotts Company, and is involved in many community boards and fund raising campaigns.
Stacie Zinn is the President of Environmental Turf, an award-winning Florida-based company dedicated to the research, development, marketing and distribution of environmentally friendly turfgrasses worldwide. Zinn is a recipient of the 1992 United Nations Environmental Programme Award for retail environmental marketing and awareness campaigns, as well as numerous other writing and marketing awards. Prior to joining Environmental Turf, for a decade Zinn worked as a freelance writer specializing in golf, turf, landscape and real estate development issues. She has written more than 1,000 published articles and is the author of “Suggestions for the Care of Seashore Paspalum,” a book published in 2004 on the maintenance of Seashore Paspalum, a turfgrass that takes up to 50 percent less water for irrigation and up to 75 percent less nitrogen for fertilization than many other warm-season grasses.