Stanley E. Metsker, CGCS, retired golf course superintendent from Colorado Springs, Colo., and William A. Meyer, Ph.D., professor and director of the Turfgrass Breeding Project at Rutgers University, Cook College, have been selected as recipients of the 2007 Golf Course Superintendents Association of America's (GCSAA) Distinguished Service Award.
They will be acknowledged at the Opening Session (Feb. 22) of the 2007 GCSAA Education Conference in Anaheim, Calif., Feb. 19-24. The Opening Session is presented in partnership with Bayer Environmental Science.
"Bill and Stan are most deserving of the Distinguished Service Award,” said GCSAA President Sean A. Hoolehan, CGCS. “They have made outstanding and significant contributions to the advancement of the golf course superintendent profession as well as to the game of golf. GCSAA is honored to have them as colleagues in the field of golf course management.”
Metsker initiated and guided the development of the Rocky Mountain Golf Course Superintendents Association's (RMGCSA) certification program, which provided the foundation for GCSAA's certification program. He went on to become a member of the GCSAA Certification Committee. Metsker was involved in the development of numerous turfgrass management programs at community colleges in Colorado and has mentored dozens of individuals who are now golf course superintendents.
As a participant and advisory committee member in varying horticultural organizations, Metsker has spoken at many regional and national conferences. In addition to developing and editing The Reporter, the RMGCSA's newsletter, which he contributed to for more than 30 years, Metsker published an autobiography in 1996, "On the course: The life and times of a golf course superintendent" and authored more than 30 published articles. Inducted into the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame in 1999, Metsker is credited with the discovery of Fults alkaligrass. He donated all the royalties to Colorado State University for turf research.
For more than 30 years, Meyer has served as a turfgrass breeder and administrator in the development of improved turfgrass cultivars, which have directly benefited golf course superintendents throughout the world. Meyer is frequently invited to speak at turfgrass conferences throughout the country and has presented his research to golf course superintendents at more than 150 educational conferences all over the world. After developing the most successful privately funded turfgrass breeding program in the world from 1975-95 as vice president of research for Turf Seed and president of Pure Seed Testing in Hubbard, Ore., Meyer left to join the faculty at Rutgers University, Cook College in the Plant Biology and Pathology Department, where he directs the world's largest turfgrass breeding project. His research on turf disease and new turfgrass species has had significant applications in the golf course industry.
Meyer has published more than 40 refereed journal articles and more than 80 new cultivars registrations in Crop Science, the flagship journal of his profession. He has also authored five book chapters, 110 research abstracts and reports and 182 Plant Variety Protection certificates for cool-season turfgrass species. Meyer runs three field days each year for turf managers, he has mentored three Ph.D. students and advised scores of undergraduate students. A participant in various GCSAA committees, Meyer has made significant leadership contributions to the Crop Science Society of America and served on the International Turfgrass Society Board of Directors. He is active in countless other seed, grass and turf committees and associations as well.
The GCSAA Board of Directors selects Distinguished Service Award winners from nominations submitted by affiliated chapters and/or association members. First presented in 1932, the award is given to individuals who have made an outstanding, substantive and enduring contribution to the advancement of the golf course superintendent profession.
Celebrating its 80th anniversary, GCSAA is a leading golf organization, which has as its focus golf course management. Since 1926, GCSAA has been the top professional association for the men and women who manage golf courses in the United States and worldwide. From its headquarters in Lawrence, Kan., the association provides education, information and representation to more than 21,000 members in more than 72 countries. GCSAA’s mission is to serve its members, advance their profession and enhance the enjoyment, growth and vitality of the game of golf. The association's philanthropic organization, the Environmental Institute for Golf, works to strengthen the compatibility of golf with the natural environment through research grants, support for education programs and outreach efforts. Visit GCSAA at www.gcsaa.org.
The GCSAA Education Conference, held in conjunction with the Golf Industry Show, is the largest educational conference in the turfgrass management industry. More than 100 seminars and 50 additional hours of educational sessions are offered, covering all ranges of golf course management, including agronomics, communication and business management.
Golf Industry Show The Golf Industry Show is an innovative trade show designed for the owners/operators of golf facilities, and the professional members of the golf course and club management industries. Featuring its signature interactive solution centers, as well as the largest exhibit floor in the industry, the event combines education, networking and solutions for golf course superintendents, owners/operators, general managers, chief operating officers, architects and builders. The Golf Industry Show is presented by the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, the National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA) and the Club Managers Association of America (CMAA), along with supporting organizations the Golf Course Builders Association of America (GCBAA), the American Society of Golf Course Architects (ASGCA) and the National Golf Foundation (NGF). The 2007 event will be Feb. 22-24 in Anaheim, Calif. Visit www.golfindustryshow.com.
Note: The title "CGCS," after a superintendent's name, stands for Certified Golf Course Superintendent, which recognizes the achievement of high standards of professionalism through education and experience.
For more information contact:
Stanley E. Metsker, CGCS, retired golf course superintendent, (719) 634-6156
William A. Meyer, Ph.D., Rutgers University, Cook College, (732) 932-9375, ext. 160
