November/December 2014 Volume 38, Number 6

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The Best One Yet! PGMS celebrated one of the best School of Grounds Management & GIE+EXPO’s yet! Over 300

attendees enjoyed the top notch education, networking and entertainment from Oct. 22-25 in Louisville, Ky. Highlights included the pre-conference field trip to Cave Hill Cemetery, the Welcoming Reception

which had our highest attendance number in years, the dynamic education sessions, the exciting Awards and Board Installation dinner and the entertaining nightlife.

Recaps from all of the main events are featured throughout this issue with exclusive photos! Enjoy reliving every moment and don’t forget to mark your calendars for next year’s event!

The Forum Newsletter is published six times a year by theProfessional Grounds Management Society

720 Light StreetBaltimore, MD 21230

410-223-2861 / Fax 410-752-8295E-mail: pgms@assnhqtrs.com

pgms.org

Board of Directors:President John Burns, CGMPresident-Elect John Doiron

Vice Pres. Marion Bolick, CGMTreasurer/Secretary Gerald Landby Past President Walter Bonvell, CGM

Directors Cary Avery, CGM

Diana Bramble Bruce De Vrou, CGMGerry Dobbs, CGMTed Heywood, CGM

Joe Kovolyan Jeff McManus, CGM

Joe Payne, CGMSusanne Woodell, CGM

Supplier Member RepPaula Sliefert

StaffThomas C. ShanerExecutive Director

Stephanie DoddAssociate Director

Monica ShanerFinancial Manager

Molly Baldwin-AbbottDirector of Communications

Meghan BradyAssistant Director of Communications

Opinions expressed in PGMS Forum are the opinions of the authors and do not necessarily express the opinions or policies of the PGMS Board and its membership. No part of this newsletter may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission.

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John Burns, CGMPGMS President

Hello from Texas!The first thing I want to say is thank you for the privilege and honor to serve you, the members of PGMS. I also want to thank Walt Bonvell, CGM, for all he did this past year as President of this wonderful society.

I have not come down yet from the excitement of the great week I had with my PGMS family at the GIE+EXPO in

Louisville in late October. PGMS had fifty more members registered this year above last year’s numbers. The increased numbers were immediately apparent when we all met for the Welcome Reception. The room was full and buzzing with the interaction between members. Buzzing is actually an understatement; it was really a roar of interaction. It was a great time to meet our first timers and of course, to reconnect with old friends. The next day during the education sessions it was again obvious there were more people in attendance when extra chairs were needed to seat all in attendance. Speaking of the education, I want to thank and congratulate John Doiron for putting together a very successful package of education sessions and a wonderful tour of the Cave Hill Cemetery. Jeff McManus, CGM kicked off the education with a motivational session that had us all pumped up and ready for more. Jeff’s session was followed by multiple topics on plants, sustainable practices, snow, and human resources. We closed out the conference with a dynamic talk by Tom Hayes. Tom spoke about how our campuses are marketing tools for our organizations. What an uplifting way to depart the conference with the knowledge of the importance of what we do and the affect it has on our respective organizations.

A really big thank you and congratulations on a job well done goes out to the Shaner group. Stephanie Dodd, Meghan Brady and Rachel Schley did an outstanding job, especially considering it was their first time at the GIE+EXPO. I’m not sure it could have gone any more smoothly from check in to the very end of the conference. Of course I don’t want to forget Tom Shaner and Monica Shaner who also did an excellent job. They were the stable force providing guidance for the new ladies. We did miss having Molly Baldwin-Abbott on this trip, but she did have a great reason for not making the trip. I wish the best for her in the final weeks of her pregnancy.

Our society is in a very good position right now. We added two new branches this year and have some very good prospects for possibly adding additional branches in the year to come. The Landscape Management and Operations Accreditation program is now active with the first three campuses receiving accreditation. We have a lot of good momentum as we move into this new year.

Now as we all get back to our daily grind, don’t forget to continue to support our society. The only way we can move forward is for the membership to be active. For those of you who have a local branch near you, I encourage you to be active with that branch. Help your branch become more active which will make it more attractive to other landscape professionals. The more people involved, the larger your circle of influence becomes and more opportunities are open for you. For those of you who don’t live near an existing branch this is a great time to reach out to others in your city or state and start a branch. The only way to start a branch is to have a few members who are ready to step up to do a little bit more. If anyone is interested let me or your regional director know. We are here for you and want to support any efforts to start a new branch. All you do to grow and strengthen our organization just adds to the overall benefit to yourself and our profession. To rephrase a statement made by John F. Kennedy, “Ask not what PGMS can do for you; ask what you can do for PGMS.”

John Burns, CGMPresident’s Welcome

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PGMS Member News and Notes• You should be receiving your 2015 dues renewal in the mail in the coming days. There has been some confusion regarding the cost for the 2015 membership renewal. The regular rate is $225 for Active Members and $175 for Affiliate Members. However, PGMS offers an early bird discount for both Active and Affiliate Memberships! If you renew before Feb. 28, 2015 the prices are as follows: Active Membership Renewal is $175, Affiliate Membership Renewal is $125. Members who renew online will already have the early bird rate applied. If you have any questions regarding what your renewal rate is, please contact Stephanie Dodd at stephaniedodd@assnhqtrs.com or 410-223-2861.

• PGMS would like to honor three professionals who have been members for 50+ years! We would like to recognize Jack Monday, John Moseley, and Ludwig Schneider for their dedication to PGMS. Pictured right is John, who graduated with a degree in Horticulture from the

University of Maryland in 1949. He then went to work for the U.S. Botanical Gardens until he was recalled back into the Navy in 1952. After he finished his tour in the Pacific, he worked in horticulture at the Navy Weapons Plant before moving to Walter Reed Army Medical Center where, after 18 years, he retired as General Foreman of Roads and Grounds in 1981. After his retirement from Walter Reed, he started his “fun” part-time job at Merrified Garden Center where he worked for 28 years as a Plant Consultant until he suffered a stroke. Currently, he enjoys attending meetings at the local PGMS branch and NVNLA, and he stays active working a small garden plot on his deck.

Pictured right is Jack. He worked for the D.C. government in the horticulture division for 12 years when he left in 1962. He was the Director of Horticulture at the National Zoo until 1973 when he went to work at the Smithsonian as the Assistant Director of Horticulture. He retired from that position in 1983.

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The University of California-Davis has become the first campus to receive a 4-star Landscape Management and Operations Accreditation as awarded by PGMS it was announced by Walt Bonvell, CGM, past president of PGMS and senior grounds lead of Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio. The University of Delaware was the first campus to receive an accreditation through this new program and was awarded 2-stars. The College of Wooster in Ohio quickly followed suit and was also awarded a 2-star Accreditation from PGMS.

In the area of environmental stewardship, PGMS accreditation evaluators looking at the University of California-Davis (UC-Davis) determined the campus grounds operation was excellent in providing leadership and effective communication, and that in addition to valuing ecosystem services, it manages resources within natural limitations, utilizes existing natural resources to preserve and conserve, and establishes environmental policies and evaluation processes and implements environmentally sustainable initiatives. Evaluators also determined the University of California-Davis to be superior in the economic performance area based on the use of renewable and sustainable resources, the elimination or reduction of the use of resources that are difficult or impossible to renew, the improvement of grounds managements’ performance through policies and programs, the use of advanced and emerging technologies, and that the campus conducts life cycle assessment and costing and produces contingency plans that reflect budget reductions. Cary Avery, CGM and associate director, Campus Planning & Community Resources, Grounds & Landscape Services at the University of California, developed the accreditation submission and received the honor on behalf of the school.

The University of Delaware provided clear evidence of a Grounds Department that functions from a tradition of very sound grounds management practices. They possess a solid service driven foundation that was key to their success and achievement in the Landscape Management and Operations Accreditation program. Mike Loftus, CGM, associate director at the University of Delaware, developed the accreditation submission and received the honor on

behalf of the school.

Beau Mastrine, CGM, director of grounds at the College of Wooster, developed the accreditation submission and received the honor on behalf of the school. The College of Wooster’s Grounds Department epitomized how best practices can be achievable and successful through effective collaborations. A demonstrative appreciation of good relationships and the necessary nurturing processes helped to advance them in the

Landscape Management and Operations Accreditation program.

The PGMS Landscape Management and Operations Accreditation program is a dynamic evaluation tool designed to be used by facilities and organizations that have a landscape services or grounds component. Through peer expertise, the program evaluates strategic grounds management principles and practices that produce and guide the delivery of properties to an attractive, healthy, sustainable and high quality state, states PGMS. PGMS accreditation focuses on three categories: environmental stewardship, economic performance, and social responsibilities.

“PGMS’ Landscape Management and Operations Accreditation is a remarkable accomplishment for a campus to receive,” stressed Bonvell. “Besides the honor, the

detailed evaluation report outlining the strengths and weaknesses of the school’s best practices as evaluated by professional peers is worth tens of thousands of dollars in providing feedback that will constructively allow a manager to better systems and possibly reduce costs while enhancing sustainability and social responsibilities.” For more information on the accreditation program please visit http://pgms.org/accreditation/.

Top photo (l-r): Accreditation Facilitator Joe Jackson, CGM, Cary Avery, CGM and associate director of campus planning & community resources, Grounds &

Landscape Services at UC-Davis, Nelson Randolph, UC-Davis grounds supervisor, Tyson Mantor, grounds and landscape services supervisor, UC-Davis, and Walt Bonvell, CGM, past president of PGMS.

Bottom photo (l-r): Accreditation Facilitator Joe Jackson, CGM and Mike Loftus, CGM, associate director at the University of Delaware.

Three Campuses Honored with PGMS Accreditation

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What’s Growing On With...PGMSA report on the state of the association by PGMS Executive Director Tom Shaner

What a dynamic year it was for PGMS. From the launching of the already acclaimed Landscape Management and Operations Accreditation program to the addition of four new Certified Grounds Managers (CGM) and 21 new Certified Grounds Technicians (CGT), not to mention the 122 new members who joined PGMS, the addition of two new PGMS branches, and the 25 percent growth in the number of professionals who attended the PGMS School of Grounds Management & GIE+EXPO in Louisville.

Congratulations to the University of California - Davis (UC-Davis) and to the University of Delaware for being named the first two campuses to receive the Landscape Accreditation. UC-Davis earned the remarkable accomplishment of a 4-star Accreditation and the University of Delaware earned a 2-star Accreditation. These two excellent campuses were closely followed by The College of Wooster who also earned a 2-star Accreditation. Special appreciation has to be given to the Accreditation Facilitator brought on by PGMS, Joe Jackson, CGM. Joe and his team of trained evaluators have developed systems which provides candidates excellent feedback and measurements against a series of best practices for landscape management. “Going through the process was a rewarding experience,” said Cary Avery, CGM, associate director, Campus Planning & Community Resources, Grounds & Landscape Services of UC-Davis. “Not just because we were honored to have been successful in our goal, but because of the pride it brought to our team and to the recognition and support it helps garner from campus administrative leaders. Peers documenting our team’s value is an excellent way to show our value.”

Three additional campuses are already in the process of evaluations for the remainder of this year and over a dozen are lining up for an evaluation in 2015. Imagine the list once APPA begins to promote the program to higher education facilitators. If you are not familiar with the program, visit the PGMS website to learn more.

Switching gears, as the economy picks back up we are seeing an increase in campuses seeking higher level professionals and in many cases, the coveted Certified Grounds Manager (CGM) designation is being listed as a preference by employers. Like any valuable professional designation, achieving the CGM is not an easy task. It challenges candidates to bring together all the knowledge in a way that not only demonstrates to CGM evaluators the level of competency of the candidate, but also in a way that is extremely beneficial to the candidates in reviewing his/her management programs. “The willingness of other CGMs to share experience or to answer a call for help when called upon by another member is immeasurable,” bragged PGMS past president and senior grounds lead of Xavier University Walt Bonvell, CGM. “I was able to pick up a couple of great tips this year when the CGMs who were in Louisville at the PGMS School of Grounds Management joined for an annual reception hosted by the Society. The networking friends I’ve made has helped and will continue to help me in my professional growth.”

Speaking of the School of Grounds Management, this year’s edition continues to receive rave reviews from the 300+ attendees who were on-hand to take part in the education classes, social events and ever-expanding GIE+EXPO show. With a variety of education opportunities aimed at providing members technical and management updates as well as a means of earning a SGM designation (great springboard for the CGM), every PGMS class was filled to capacity. Add to this the opportunity to explore hundreds of new products and services available to ground professionals as seen on the GIE+EXPO show floor, and the return-on-investment for attending the event is excellent.

Besides the educational opportunity presented in Louisville, PGMS also conducted a high-informative and successful summer conference in Minnesota in August. With an exceptional visit to the Toro headquarters and research and development plant located outside of Minneapolis as the focal point, attendees were presented four hours of high-quality classes on everything from Irrigation to Leadership.

The success of the 2014 summer program leads directly to plans for another in 2015. This one will be to the 4-star campus of UC-Davis, Aug. 3-4 with an optional day of tours being organized for Aug. 5 (aiming for a visit or two to Napa Valley wineries and more). Be sure to mark your calendar for this one!

On the paragraph before the last one, I ended with “Leadership.” Perhaps it is appropriate that I wrap up this article with special recognition of the leadership in PGMS; after all, without good leadership, organizations don’t move forward with growth, excitement and a winning attitude. And, as the famous New York Yankee leader Yogi Berra once said and as it applies to PGMS, “we have deep depth!” From the remarkable past presidents of Kevin O’Donnell, George Van Haasteren, CGM, Joe Jackson, CGM and Donald Bottger, CGM, just to name a few, to the dynamic leaders of 2014 and 2015 headed by Immediate Past President Walt Bonvell, CGM with John Burns, CGM of the University of Texas-Austin assuming the reigns for this year, PGMS is blessed with leaders who are dedicated and willing to give of themselves for the good of the Society. Each and every one of them, including President-Elect John Doiron of Concord Hospital in N.H., Vice President Marion Bolick, CGM of Collier County – Pelican Bay Services Division in Naples, Fla. and Gerald Landby of Winona State University in Winona, Minn. as well as the other nine members of the PGMS Board, will tell you that leadership doesn’t come naturally; it is learned by studying other leaders and that they have had the good fortune to study other PGMS leaders who came before them.

In closing, make the most of your membership in PGMS. Get involved, participate, and be a leader moving future generations to the cutting edge of professionalism.

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John Burns, CGM of the University of Texas in Austin was elected and installed as the new president of the Professional Grounds Management Society (PGMS) during the Society’s annual awards and induction dinner held on Friday, Oct. 24 in conjunction with the 2014 School of Grounds Management & GIE+EXPO in Louisville, Ky., Oct. 22-25. The 93rd grounds management professional to hold the office, Burns succeeds Walt Bonvell, CGM as the chief elected officer of the over 100-year-old green industry organization.

In addition to Burns, PGMS members elected John Doiron of Concord Hospital in Concord, N.H. as their president-elect. Marion Bolick, CGM of Collier County – Pelican Bay Services Division in Naples, Fla. was elected vice president and Gerald Landby of Winona State University in Winona, Minn. was elected as treasurer/secretary.

The regional directors are as follows: North East Regional Director, Ted Heywood, CGM of the College of Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass.; North Central Regional Director, Bruce De Vrou, CGM of Spectrum Health Hospitals in Grand Rapids, Mich.; North West Regional Director, Joe Kovolyan of the University of Puget Sound in Takoma Wash.; South East

PGMS Announces 2014-2015 Board Regional Director, Susan Woodell, CGM of Biltmore Estate in Asheville, N.C.; South Central Regional Director, Joe Payne, CGM of the City of Springfield in Mo.; and South West Regional Director, Gerry Dobbs, CGM of Cordova Recreation and Park District in Rancho Cordova, Calif.

Directors at Large include: Cary Avery, CGM of the University of California-Davis in Camino, Calif.; Diana Bramble of Baltimore, Md.; and Jeff McManus, CGM of the University of Mississippi.

Paula Sliefert of The Toro Company in Bloomington, Minn. will serve as the Supplier Member Rep.

Thomas C. Shaner continues to serve the Board as PGMS Executive Director and Stephanie Dodd will serve as the Associate Director.

PGMS leaders are already at work planning the 2015 School of Grounds Management & GIE+EXPO which will take place in Louisville, KY., Oct. 21-24, 2015.

For a complete list of the Board of Director, Committees and Committee members please visit http://pgms.org/about-us-2/officers-and-staff/.

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Big Year for EthanolEthanol production, consumption and stocks data are typically reviewed on a calendar-year basis because Renewable Fuel Standards are established for calendar years, according to Agri-View.

But according to a University of Illinois agricultural economist, corn is the major feedstock for domestic ethanol production, ethanol data on a corn marketing year basis (September to August); therefore are important for monitoring and anticipating marketing-year corn consumption.

Darrel Good reported that for the 2013-2014 corn marketing year, monthly estimates of domestic ethanol production and stocks are available from the U.S. Energy Information Administration through July 2014.

Weekly estimates are available for August. Census Bureau estimates of ethanol imports and exports are available for the entire marketing year. Based on these estimates, domestic ethanol production for the year totaled a record 14.15 billion gallons, 1.3 billion gallons more than was produced during the 2012-2013 marketing year and 354 million gallons more than the previous record production during the 2011-2012 marketing year.

“Ethanol imports during the 2013-2014 marketing year are estimated at 275 million gallons, 509 million gallons less than were imported during the previous year when domestic ethanol production was limited by a short supply and the high price of corn,” Good said. “The vast majority of imports are from Brazil.”

Exports were exceptionally large in 2011-2012 resulting from a sharp decline in Brazilian ethanol production due to a small supply and high price of sugar. Ethanol is exported to a large number of countries, with Canada being the largest customer by a wide margin. The exception was the unusually large exports to Brazil in 2011-2012.”

Article source: www.landscapeonline.com/research/article/19909

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Toro Celebrates a Century of Innovation at GIE+EXPO

Member Profile: Cary Avery, CGMBy John Doiron, PGMS president-electJohn: How long have you been a member of PGMS and how were you led to join?Cary: I have been a PGMS member since 2006. I became interested in PGMS after talking to a few colleagues here on the west coast about the Green Star Awards program.

John: How would you rate your membership of PGMS with networking among fellow grounds managers?Cary: PGMS has been a wonderful resource that has been invaluable for networking with other Grounds Managers across the country and locally.

John: Congratulations on your campus receiving a 4-star Accreditation from our new program, the PGMS Landscape Management and Operations Accreditation! I would like to hear what you thought of the process.Cary: The Landscape Management and Operations Accreditation was a great experience, not only for me but for the entire staff and the University. It really forced us to take a look at our programs and evaluate if we were implementing best practices in the three areas of environmental, economic and social management principles on a daily basis. I highly recommend this opportunity for anyone that is serious about best practices and learning not

only your strengths but also the areas that can be improved. The overall experience was one of the best decisions I have made in my professional career.

John: Aside from PGMS, what do you like to do in your personal life for enjoyment?Cary: I own a small farm in Northern California and love spending my time working on the property almost every weekend. I am also a very big baseball fan and love watching the Giants!

For three days in October, the Kentucky Expo Center in Louisville was home to GIE+EXPO 2014, the largest trade event for the greens and landscaping industries. The show has been a destination for manufacturers, equipment dealers, landscape contractors and end-users for decades, making it a fitting place for The Toro Company to mark its 100th anniversary — and a century of innovation — by debuting the latest Toro® products for the 2015 season.

Here are a few of the innovations Toro featured at GIE+EXPO:

• A one-of-a-kind display spotlighted the Z Master® 6000 Professional Series with HORIZON™ Technology – an onboard intelligence platform that improves fuel efficiency and productivity. Representing one of the latest advancements in Toro’s century of innovation, HORIZON Technology allows communication between key systems on the machine to enhance performance in a wide range of mowing conditions.

• Toro also showcased its family of turf renovation equipment – including a new stand-on spreader/sprayer – and highlighted its

complete family of gas and electric snowblowers.

• Attendees had the opportunity to take a closer look at the walk power mower that’s turned the mower industry on its end – Recycler® with SmartStow™ vertical storage.

• In addition, booth visitors were invited to watch a screening of Toro’s centennial video in a mini movie theater featuring Toro Z suspension seats.

Since its beginning in 1914, Toro has created innovative products, services and solutions to help customers care for their outdoor environments – from golf courses and sports fields to public green spaces, commercial and residential properties, and agricultural fields. The principles

that have guided the company from the very beginning – a commitment to innovation and building lasting relationships – remain a key focus today as Toro looks to its next hundred years.

Check out Toro’s latest innovations at www.toro.com and explore some of the company’s notable industry firsts at www.toro.com/100.

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PGMS honored several grounds professionals with numerous awards as part of their annual Awards Dinner that took place Friday, Oct. 24 during the 2014 School of Grounds Management & GIE+EXPO held in Louisville, Ky.

David Davis, CGM (pictured right in photo) of Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, N.C. received the PGMS Special Award of Distinguished Service. The Distinguished Service Award recognizes outstanding service from a board or committee member. While all board and committee members are hardworking and committed to our growth and success, this award is given to acknowledge outstanding service for an individual that goes above and beyond. Davis was honored for organizing a community service event at the Odd Fellows Cemetery, a landmark in Winston-Salem, N.C. that had fallen into disrepair and needed help. The event had over 200 volunteers that came out to give their service to help cleanup much of the 13 acre site. The volunteers included local residents, PGMS members and students from area colleges, such as Winston-Salem State University and Wake Forest University. Volunteers did a variety of tasks including: picking up litter, removing and loading brush and wood, using wheel barrows, shoveling, raking, sowing grass, spreading straw and removing English Ivy from the base of trees.

PGMS recognized The Toro Company with the PGMS Gold Medal Award. The PGMS Gold Medal is given to an individual or entity to recognize them for outstanding and long-term achievements and/or contributions to the green industry. Toro was recognized for their long term support of the overall green industry and PGMS as they have been a Platinum Partner in Professionalism for the

past few years. In August of this year, they hosted PGMS for their Summer Regional Seminar and Site Visit event, providing attendees with a dynamic, behind the scenes tour of their headquarters in Minneapolis, Minnesota, as well as highly informative education sessions. Lastly, they

were honored for their innovative products and services they have given to the industry for the past 100 years. Receiving the award on behalf of Toro was Paula Sliefert (pictured right in photo), senior marketing manager for Toro and the PGMS supplier member rep on the Board of Directors.

Each year the PGMS President is asked to give a President’s Award to

a member or members they feel have shown outstanding service and contributions to the Society. This year, Past President Walt Bonvell, CGM honored two professionals with this award. Mark Feist of American University in Washington, D.C. received one of the PGMS President’s Awards. He was honored for his dedication and countless hours in developing and working with the School of Grounds Management. He was also honored for his many years of presenting the Green Star Awards at the annual PGMS banquet that takes place as part of the annual School of Grounds Management & GIE+EXPO.

John Doiron (pictured left in photo) of Concord Hospital in Concord, N.H. received the other PGMS President’s Award. He was honored for his hard work in planning the PGMS Spring Regional Seminar and Site visit that took place this past March in Orlando, Fla. Putting this event together outside of his home state proved to be a difficult task, but one that John stepped up to the plate for and produced a highly successful event. John was also commended for his efforts in traveling to NYC for the first branch development meeting for the Northeast New Jersey and New York City PGMS Branch. Lastly, John was honored for his dedication to the growth of PGMS and his efforts in bringing in PGMS Partners in Professionalism.

PGMS Announces 2014 Professional Award Winners

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The Center

ofAttentionAt

Attendees of the 2014 School of Grounds Management & GIE+EXPO showed they had a great time networking, learning and taking in all that the event had to offer.

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New Member Profile: Michael WestBy John Doiron, PGMS president-electJohn: Who is your current employer and what is your title? What are your responsibilities there? Michael: I am employed by Sodexo as a Grounds Manager. I manage the grounds at King School, an independent Pre-K – 12 school. My responsibilities are to oversee all landscape maintenance, landscape construction, landscape contractors and snow removal on the 34 acre campus. The campus has a synthetic turf field, multiple baseball fields, athletic fields, playgrounds, private residences, and extensive garden landscaping. I am also responsible for planning and implementation of the Landscape Master Plan, yearly budgeting, and maintaining the equipment fleet.

John: How did you get started in the grounds industry? Michael: My first job at 14 was working at a driving range mowing and taking care of the grounds. Seven years later I graduated from University of Massachusetts with an AS in Turfgrass Management and a BS in Plant and Soil Science. After graduation I moved to Connecticut to work on as Assistant Superintendent at Brooklawn Country Club.

After four and half years I saw an opening for a Grounds Manager position at the private school where I am currently.

John: Where did you here about PGMS?Michael: I got started with PGMS simply through research on the internet. I recognized an opportunity to network and ask questions about talk to other professionals about their properties and practices.

John: Are you interested in any Certifications or Green Star Awards with PGMS? Michael: I am interested in becoming a Certified Grounds Manager. I would like to know more about what goes into completing the certification.John: Great, we will e-mail you information!

John: What do you do for enjoyment when you’re not at work? Michael: My after work enjoyments are golfing, boating, and snowmobiling… and the order changes with the seasons!

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Hospital or Institution CategoryDuke University Medical Center - Grand AwardDuke University Medical Center truly emphasizes sustainability in its campus through eleven roof gardens that use recaptured water, green roofs, and bio-retention ponds. New construction includes raised pavers with a membrane below to re-capture water into a number of cisterns with a capacity of 110,000 gallons that feeds into irrigation systems. Propane fueled mowers are used to ease the carbon footprint and the center uses fine fescue turf providing a cooling effect as well as a grand vista.

Honor Award – The University of Kansas Medical CenterHonor Award – St. Luke’s Health System – Boise

Park, Recreation Area or Playground CategorySarah P. Duke Gardens - Grand Award With almost 50 acres of planting beds maintained, Sarah P. Duke Gardens prides in their creative use of planting throughout their display beds, aquatic ponds, containers, bioswales and four main gardens. The Doris Duke Center Gardens include the Charlotte Brody Discovery Garden Center which is a one acre Sustainable Sites Initiatives certified food garden. Sustainability is a high priority in the gardens. Approximately 75,000 gallons of rainwater is harvested and stored in cisterns for irrigation.

Hotel, Motel, or Resort CategoryHonor Award – Woodfield Country Club

Athletic Fields CategoryPayton Field/Baker Stadium (University of Puget Sound) - Grand AwardBuilt in 1964, Baker Stadium has 3,000 covered seats and another 500 uncovered with an eight lane all-weather track. This field hosts football, soccer, lacrosse, track and field, cross country, and commencement along with sports camps and fundrasing events. One of the last natural grass fields in their division, Payton field is an 80/20 sand based field with a Blue/Rye mix and Hunter I 40 opposing nozzle irrigation. The largest event hosted on the field is commencement, where it takes five days to set up and tear down with a lot of stress to field and crew.

University and College Grounds CategoryGeorge Bush Library at Texas A&M University - Grand AwardThe flower bed at the entrance to the George Bush Library is the first thing visitors walk by as they tour the library. It has been planted with Green and Black Potato Vine and Cora Red Periwinkles for the summer months. The team rotates the color in this bed a minimum of four times per year. A gazebo on thefar side of the lake in the Barbara Bush Garden is a chosen site for weddings and bridal portraits. Old garden roses climb on the arbors defining the granite pathway leading to the gazebo. This area by the body of water is managed 100% organically and maintain without pesticide.

Northern Kentucky University - Grand AwardThe Pioneer Elm walkway graces Northern Kentucky University’s three acre green space. The walkway is part of the campus’ new arboretum started in 2008. The arboretum features eight varieties of American Elms and has been designed to serve as an educational experience to display multiple species of the same genus. Northern Kentucky is proud to be the first Tree Campus USA award winner in the U.S.A. The beautiful roof garden on Griffin Hall illustrates one of many efforts NKU puts forth to support sustainable practices. NKU began utilizing roof gardens in 1975 and has continued sustainable practices throughout the years including a retention pond capturing over six million gallons of roof runoff annually, rain gardens, green walls, and additional roof gardens.

Honor Award – Baylor UniversityHonor Award – Dallas Baptist UniversityHonor Award – Mount St. Mary’s UniversityHonor Award – Olin College of EngineeringHonor Award – Saint Leo UniversityHonor Award – Sam Houston State UniversityHonor Award – Southern Methodist UniversityHonor Award – Texas Tech UniversityHonor Award – College of the Holy CrossHonor Award – University of California, Santa BarbaraHonor Award – Vanguard UniversityHonor Award – Virginia Wesleyan CollegeMerit Award – Averett UniversityMerit Award – Concordia University

Urban University Grounds CategoryGeorge Washington University - Grand AwardThe George Washington University (GW) Grounds Department is responsible for care and maintenance of 22 city blocks in downtown Washington, D.C. Duties include mowing, pruning, planting, fertilization, IPM, mulching, event support, snow removal, and detailing of exterior beds and courtyard planters. In 2007, the University pledged to require a minimum of LEED silver on all new construction projects. Exceeding this commitment, the Foggy Bottom Campus is now home to five Gold and one Platinum LEED certified building projects, with many more on the way. GW’s turf is pesticide free and the Grass to Gardens program has eliminated small, unused patches of turf allowing the staff to focus on maintaining large high usage locations like the University Yard. On the Foggy Bottom Campus, GW is striving to be completely pesticide free. GW has embarked on a comprehensive beneficial insect program examining the efficacy of large scale releases of beneficial insects to combat aesthetically damaging pests in the landscape.

Honor Award – Lawrence Technological UniversityHonor Award – Savannah College of Art and DesignMerit Award – University of Pittsburgh

PGMS Congratulates the 2014 Green Star Award Winners

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PGMS Congratulates the 2014 Green Star Award Winners

A.) Duke University Medical Center - This is a birds-eye view of a raised roof garden. The excess water from the mixed sedum green roof in the foreground is captured by a membrane beneath the tiles which directs the water into a 10,000 gallon cistern, allowing collection of rain water for irrigating the mix of woody ornamentals and annuals.

B.) Payton Field/Baker Stadium (University of Puget Sound) - This is a pre-homecoming picture in mid October before game set up. At this late in the season, you can see the blue soccer lines and side line wear. We are one of the last natural grass fields in our division. We take pride in having this much cover this late in the season in spite of extensive use and high level of rainfall.

C.) George Washington University - Spring 2014 Annual Display Bed on University Yard: Tulips bordering arcs of Panola, Viola, and Trailing Viola. This 3,600 sq ft planting bed was turned into an annual display last year to provide a space for creative, colorful seasonal plantings. Planted in Fall 2013, this display provided two seasons of color to campus.

D.) Sarah P. Duke Gardens - View of display beds in historic terraces and fish pond.

E.) George Bush Library at Texas A&M University - The Fountain Bed this past spring was planted with masses of Pansies, Snapdragons and Petunias. Team members are challenged to come up with different designs for every change out and take great pride in implementing their designs.

F.) Northern Kentucky University - The Bank of Kentucky Center is a 10,000 seat multi-purpose arena in that was completed in 2008. The view is from in front of Gosney Cabin, a 200-year-old cabin that is currently under renovation on the Honors House lawn, placed there to remind the campus of the nation’s educational roots.

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Matt Anderson Belle Meade Country Club

Renae Beegle Ventrac

Jim Bolton Muhlenberg College

Matthew Cook New York Botanical Garden

Sean Cullen Turf Equipment and Supply Company

Matthew Dwyer City of Springfield Public Works

Ron Fillis Muhlenberg College

Shari Foley Gempler

Don Gabel New York Botanical Garden

Abbie Golding The Brickman Group Ltd LLC

Kim Longieliere

Kurt Morrell New York Botanical Garden

Dennis Peterson University of Georgia

Jessica Pierson Lake Land Community College

Michael Rogers Sodexo at the Southern Baptist

Theological Seminary

Brian Sullivan New York Botanical Garden

Know someone who isn’t a member? Help grow your profession and

spread the word about joining PGMS! Membership details can always be found on the PGMS

website at www.pgms.org.

PGMS Welcomes Newest Members! New members since Sept. 22, 2014

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New Standard for Landscape IrrigationThe International Code Council and the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers recently announced the release of a new ANSI consensus standard to classify sprinkler and drip irrigation systems, set uniform testing procedures, and establish minimum design and performance requirements for commercial and residential landscape irrigation components.

The ASABE/ICC 802-2014 Landscape Irrigation Sprinkler and Emitter Standard represents collaboration among a wide range of industry stakeholders, including major manufacturers, the U.S. EPA WaterSense Program, the Irrigation Association, the Alliance for Water Efficiency, major water utilities, landscape architects, regulators and academia.

“Assembly and publication of this new ANSI-accredited sampling and reporting standard for landscape irrigation sprinklers is timely,” said Timothy Malooly, president of Water in Motion Inc. and chairman of the standard development team. “The information made available by its use will result in improved decision-making when considering component products used in landscape irrigation system design, installation, maintenance and operation.”

Brent Q. Mecham, industry development director from the Irrigation Association and vice chairman of the team added, “Because the process included a diverse group of stakeholders and allowed for public input and review, the standard should be recognized as supporting best practices for efficient irrigation in the urban environment.”

The standard specifically defines and categorizes various types of devices, including sprays, rotors, multi-stream/multi-trajectory nozzles, bubblers, drip emitters and microsprays. It also addresses standardized test procedures for common test parameters including flow rate, distance of throw and uniformity.

“For the first time, the industry has a standard that establishes uniform testing procedures for key components of landscape irrigation systems,” said Dominic Sims, CBO, ICC CEO.

The new standard is cited by the U.S. EPA WaterSense program, and a number of other organizations and jurisdictions are evaluating the document as a way to improve minimum standards of installed landscape irrigation systems.

Article source: http://landscapeonline.com/research/article/19933

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ClassifiedsTo view details on any of the positions below visit pgms.org/job-bank/.

Landscape Specialist - Duke University/ Durham, N.C. Perform a variety of technical and skilled duties involved in maintaining Duke University landscape and grounds in accordance with established schedules and instructions.

Supervisor SR, Grounds Maintenance - Duke University/ Durham, N.C. The Grounds Maintenance Supervisor is responsible for supervising activities involved in the preservation, development and care of all grounds, drives, walks and parking areas of the Duke University Campuses and designated off-campus properties.

Arboretum Gardening Specialist - University of California, DavisThis position’s primary assignment is to perform landscape maintenance within the UC Davis Arboretum. This position performs all functions necessary to maintain Arboretum plant collection health and visitor safety.

Athletic Facility Maintenance Person - Wesleyan University/Middletown, Conn. The Athletic Facility Maintenance Person will perform all grounds and facilities maintenance tasks for the Department of Physical Education and Athletics.

Grounds Maintenance Assistant - Antioch Service Center/ Oakley, Calif. This position performs a variety of work in maintenance and care of established planting and planning, selecting and installation of trees, shrubs and other landscape improvements.

Grounds Operations Manager Facilities - University of Massachusetts Lowell/ Lowell, Mass. The Grounds Operations Manager is responsible for the overall appearance and care of 175 acres of urban University grounds. This care covers lawn spaces, landscaping, tree maintenance, turf maintenance, recreational and intercollegiate field preparation, and campus infrastructure such as roads, sidewalks, parking lots and parking garage maintenance.