Arkansas Turfgrass - Spring 2020

T H E A R KA N S A S T U R F G RA S S A S S O C I AT I O N M AG AZ I N E • S P R I N G 2020

THE 32nd ANNUAL ATA CONFERENCE AND TRADE SHOW Highlights from

Plus, 3 Leadership Styles for Growing More Leaders in Your Organization

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T H E A R KA N S A S T U R F G RA S S A S S O C I AT I O N M AG AZ I N E CO N T E N T S • S P R I N G 2020

10

FEATURES

8 Feature Story –

3 Leadership Styles for Growing More Leaders in Your Organization

4 • A R K A N S A S T U R F G R A S S • Spring 2020

DEPARTMENTS 10

Cover Story –

Highlights from the ATA Conference & Trade Show

6 President’s Message 7 Index of Advertisers 7 University of Arkansas Turf Team

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Arkansas Turfgrass Association P.O. Box 185 • Bryant, AR 72089 Tel: 501-860-0187

P R E S I D E N T ’S M E S S AG E

Published by: Leading Edge Communications, LLC 206 Bridge Street Franklin, TN 37064 Tel: 615-790-3718 Email: info@leadingedge communications.com

NEW OPPORTUNITIES for a NEW DECADE

Richard Covert, ATA President

T

his is my first article for the ATA magazine as well as the first of the new decade. First and foremost I’d like to thank the outgoing President Kyle Sanders for his many years of service as a board member and the last year as the President. Under his leadership we have seen new opportunities to learn and grow as turfgrass professionals. Kyle has brought us the annual awards for excellence in the turf industry which are given out at the yearly conference in Hot Springs, as well as bringing Big Red Stores as an association sponsor. When Kyle approached me to join the Board back in 2016, I was honored and eager to serve and make the association thrive. Our Board is made up of many different people from all areas of the turfgrass industry, people that I respect and who share my same passion for what I do.

Our 2020 turfgrass show was a success and there are many people to thank for that being possible. I’d like to thank our sponsors and exhibitors, without them we couldn’t have a show; our speakers who give of their time and wisdom; our Board members that spend almost a year planning and working the conference; and finally, our attendees that take the time to travel to Hot Springs. We take seriously the feedback that we get from all areas and will work diligently to accommodate as many of those ideas as we possibly can.

As we look forward to 2021 and beyond, there will no doubt be changes to the show that need to be implemented. Our goal has been and will always be to learn and be the best we can be. I appreciate this opportunity and encourage you to reach out to us for any of your concerns or questions.

Thank you and Happy New Year!

Richard Covert President Arkansas Turfgrass Association

ATA OFFICERS Richard Covert, President Baptist Health Systems Richard.covert@baptist-health.org Kyle Sanders, Immediate Past President Sanders Ground Essentials 501-315-9395 kylesanders@sandersground.com Jeff Haskins, Treasurer Paragould Country Club 870-780-5883 Ja1116@earthlink.net Mary Beth Rogers, Executive Secretary 501-860-0187 arkturfgrassassn@att.net Doug Karcher, Ph.D., Education Chair University of Arkansas • 479-575-5723 karcher@uark.edu Pat Berger, Director Emeritus University of Arkansas • 479-575-6887 pberger@uark.edu Charlie Bowen, Director Emeritus Arkansas Hydroseed • 501-315-7333 charliebowen@yahoo.com Seth Dunlap Arkansas State Plant Board seth.dunlap@agriculture.arkansas.gov 501-225-1598 Mark Brown Nabholz • 501-749-7459 rmbrown2@ualr.edu Rodney Fisher Life Member, Founding Member Agra Turf, Inc. • 501-268-7036 agrarod@yahoo.com Ron Fisher Agra Turf, Inc. • 501-268-7036 agraron@yahoo.com Steve Ibbotson Conway Parks & Rec. • 501-328-4173 Steve.ibbotson@cityofconway.org Josh Landreth Ace of Blades • 479-530-7001 aceofblades@cox.net Mark Mowrey, Director Emeritus Oaklawn • 501-538-1600 bntgrns@yahoo.com Guy Oyler Jerry Pate Turf & Irrigation goyler@jerrypate.com • 501-317-5980 Rodger Pevehouse Life Member Michael Rush Rush Lawn Care • 501-279-8980 mrush@rushlawn.com

6 • A R K A N S A S T U R F G R A S S • Spring 2020

Ricky Self Cypress Creek r.self@yahoo.com • 501-605-8000

U N I V E R S I TY O F A R KA N S A S TURF TEAM Doug Karcher Professor 479-575-5723 • karcher@uark.edu

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Mike Richardson Professor 479-575-2860 • mricha@uark.edu John Boyd Visiting Assistant Professor Cooperative Extension Service Little Rock 479-575-2354 • Jwb019@uark.edu Matthew Bertucci Research Scientist 479-575-3979 • bertucci@uark.edu

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The statements and opinions expressed herein are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Arkansas Turfgrass Association, its staff, or its board of directors, Arkansas Turfgrass, or its editors. Likewise, the appearance of advertisers, or their identification as Arkansas Turfgrass Association members, does not constitute an endorsement of the products or services featured in this, past or subsequent issues of this quarterly publication. Copyright © 2020 by the Arkansas Turfgrass Association. Arkansas Turfgrass is published quarterly. Subscriptions are complimentary to members of the Arkansas Turfgrass Association. Third-class postage is paid at Jefferson City, MO. Printed in the U.S.A. We are not responsible for unsolicited freelance manuscripts and photographs. Contact the managing editor for contribution information.

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F E AT U R E S TO RY

3 LEADERSHIP STYLES

for Growing More Leaders in Your Organization

By Jeff McManus

“Leadership is practiced not so much in words as in attitude and actions” — Harold S. Geenen

If

you’re looking to grow a leadership culture at your organization, three leadership styles can help you achieve your goal.

Think about a time in your life when you really were impacted by an effective leader—someone who cultivated success, effort, and productivity. What qualities did this leader possess? It’s safe to say the leader you are thinking about was more than a figurehead. He or she was more likely to be someone who took interest in you and your work.

The leader most people think about is someone who knows the job because he or she has done it themselves.

They not only know the trade, but also know you along with all of the other employees in the company. They have a sincere vested interest in you, care about what you need to do your job, and build upon your strengths.

It is easy to lead from high above your employees, always having the last say, pointing out flaws in production constructively, or assigning tasks you would never do yourself.

This not only lowers morale but also lowers productivity and success. What does it take to be a good leader?

What are the qualities of effective leadership and team building?

There are many types of good leaders and styles a leader can practice to make a meaningful impact. Here are three leadership styles that are especially helpful for a leader who isn’t looking to only grow a strong group of team members, but to grow a strong group of other leaders at their organization. These three leadership styles are motivating and lead to great change for the better. They are a stark contrast from the autocratic leaders of the past who rule by the “because I said so” philosophy. When practiced regularly, these three styles help build other leaders to help push your company to new heights.

8 • A R K A N S A S T U R F G R A S S • Spring 2020

Transformational Leaders Have you ever had a leader who truly inspired you to be the best you could possibly be? This person really built you up and helped you to use your talents to succeed.

If so, you might have been working with a transformational leader.

Transformational leaders are often morale-boosting and inspirational. They work with employees to create a common goal that is close to the heart of the company.

They have great communication skills, which help to establish core values everyone can take to heart. They work hard at establishing these core values and not only communicating them to the company but also living these values.

In other words, they get their hands dirty.

When a leader works alongside their employees, the leader sends the message that the core values are very important. Values are constantly instilled through positive reinforcement and building self-esteem. They truly get to know the people who are working in the company and treat them with respect, often asking questions of their employees to assess what the company and the employees want and need to attain success.

They also look to everyone to think about what could be done differently. Transformational leaders provide relevant and interesting training. These trainings are often either done by in-house experts who inspire other employees every day or are hands-on and innovative transformational leaders.

Finally, transformational leaders are visionaries constantly working toward building a base of strong employees to help reach the next great success. Together, these qualities make transformational leaders especially good at building other leaders.

Coaches Think back to your childhood. Many of the times you accomplished something you never thought possible, it was under the leadership of a great coach. Coaches are not only accessible to the team, but they are a member of the team. They celebrate successes and learn from mistakes.

Coaches do this through observation and interactions.

They ask questions and show interest to develop a relationship with each team member to build autonomy of players by finding the strengths and providing scaffolding for each person to reach the next level. Gradually, this method helps every member reach his or her highest potential. The key to this is valuing each person’s individual role in the team’s success. Coaches foster success through team building.

They develop plans to train, motivate, and build morale in an adaptive way. Developing each person’s strengths and helping to build them instills great feelings of responsibility and accountability. Coaching will help move toward future goals and gradually build toward them never losing sight of them. Coaches provide the learning and support needed to naturally grow leaders from within.

Democratic Leaders In a democracy, everyone takes an active role in decision making. A democratic leader is an expert in successfully developing ways in which all members take an active role in the direction of a company’s success. These leaders give everyone an opportunity to be heard in a productive way.

Democratic leaders value, acknowledge, and honor the views of their employees. They delegate responsibilities according to strengths and interest. These leaders open up

communication throughout the company. Open lines of communication allow people to feel like they are heard and like they matter. Open communication helps to build creativity and success.

Democratic leaders set the stage for company core values but allow for other members to have a say as well.

This helps employees to develop a vested interest in the success of the company. A democratic leader listens to what employees are saying. They offer trainings and support based on their team’s specific needs.

Democratic leaders create an environment in which employees are comfortable taking educated leaps in the direction of becoming great leaders.

Which of these leadership styles do you see most in yourself?

One important takeaway is there are many ways to effectively lead. Transformational leaders, coaches, and democratic leaders each have unique qualities, but all help build other leaders within an organization. • Jeff holds a Bachelor of Science in Landscape and Ornamental Horticulture from Auburn University and is a PGMS Certified Grounds manager, and Certified Arborist.

His message rings true for any industry leader or manager looking to GROW a high-performance and dedicated workforce. Jeff has spoken at Caterpillar Inc, the Biltmore Estates, Leadercast, SRAPPA, Trent Lott Leadership Institute as well as the SEC Ole Miss Athletics. He has also worked with Memphis University, the University of Tennessee, the University of Georgia and private firms in developing their own training programs. You can contact Jeff at jeff@ jeffmcmanus.com or learn more at www.jeffmcmanus.com

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COV E R S TO RY

2020

CONFERENCE & TRADE SHOW

2020

gave us a vision for the future and it’s just possible that our show will take on a much different look in the coming years as we adapt to changing industry trends and respond to member needs. To understand where we are going, it is important to remember how we got this far to begin with. During the Awards Luncheon we surprised longtime director Bill Tippit with a plaque to recognize him for serving on the Board of Directors since 2008. Bill has been a dedicated friend to ATA and a loyal supporter. We can’t thank him enough for his valuable contributions, and we wish him well on his retirement. Hopefully he will come back to the show visit if we promise not to work him too hard!

Our joint tradeshow with the Arkansas Green Industry was sold out, and we enjoyed adding a few new vendors to our line-up. We figure if you didn’t see a vendor for it at this show, you probably don’t need it anyway. But seriously, our show continues to be one of the few left that still bring in equipment for you to see. This affords you the chance to see the latest and greatest innovations from equipment manufacturers without any obligation.

The Awards Lunch was a great time to network and enjoy seeing old friends again. This year we celebrated the achievements of three turf professionals who are the top in their field. Two golf courses were recognized in different divisions. Ricky Self accepted on behalf of Cypress Creek

and Dustin McNaughten for Burns Park Golf Course.

Daniel Baxley accepted the Sports Turf Field of the Year for Benton Parks and Recreation. Congratulations to all of our winners!

The ATA Conference continues to bring you the most recent research in the industry. Dr. Maria TomasoPeterson from Mississippi State educated us on large patch control and foliar diseases in ultradwarf bermudagrass. Dr. Becky Grubbs-Bowling from Texas A&M gave presentations on The Absence of Glyphosate, BMP for Lawns and “What are We Going to do About Poa?” Dr. Richardson contributed many talks in the Sports Turf Session which seems to grow more every year. Dr. Eric Reasor with PBIGordon updated us on the Top 10 Weeds and Their Control as well as addressing herbicide resistance. There are too many to list, but we did change things up and enjoyed an update from Pat Berger about the conversion of Razorback field and Troy Fink, superintendent at The Blessing on hosting major tournaments. We can’t list all the presentations here, but we were proud to offer a well-rounded portfolio of topics. We also offered four workshops this year which proved to be a big success.

Join us in thanking Dr. Karcher for organizing all of education for us and making several presentations. We could not do this show without his connections, insight, knowledge and hard work.

ATA CONFERENCE SPONSORS ATA CONFERENCE SPONSORS

10 • A R K A N S A S T U R F G R A S S • Spring 2020

ATA LUNCH SPONSORS

BREAK SPONSORS

THANK YOU, Bill Tippit for your years of serving ATA

A busy trade show floor Attendees took a break for lunch and networking

Many took advantage of the incredible lineup of education sessions

Past President Kyle Sanders passed the torch to Richard Covert, 2020 ATA President

TABLE SPONSORS

WORKSHOP SPONSOR

Thank you for your generous support!

Spring 2020

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CO N G RAT U L AT I O N S TO O U R AWA R D W I N N E R S!

Dustin McNaughton accepted the award for Burns Park Golf Course

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12 • A R K A N S A S T U R F G R A S S • Spring 2020

In 2014, Dustin McNaughton was hired as the Golf Course Superintendent. In 2016, the mayor appointed a new Director of Parks and Recreation with the goal of making Burns Park Golf Course the best public course the State. With the new energy and fresh ideas, the courses have improved dramatically over the past 5–6 years.

Spring and early summer of 2019 proved to be a very trying time for many golf courses in the area and Burns Park was no exception. Extremely wet conditions and the prediction of the Arkansas River reaching flood stages altered plans for the golf course. Close monitoring of river conditions and anticipated record flooding put all City employees on Emergency Alert.

The course remained open and playable through Memorial Day (May 27th) but was forced to shut down completely at noon on June 1st as the flood waters crossed the road leading to the course. By the time the river crested, much of the course was under water, including 11 greens.

As soon as the water started to recede, and damage could be assessed, maintenance personnel began the task of cleaning up. Priority number one was to remove debris, sand and river silt from the greens that had been submerged.

As the sun dried the course, the final layers of silt were removed from the course by verticutting, heavy raking and brushing. The greens that had been under water were damaged and put on an aggressive fertilization schedule and within 30 days all but parts of two greens had made a full recovery.

In case the flooding wasn’t enough, in mid-June, with still wet conditions, heavy winds uprooted several huge trees and left debris throughout the course again.

Several golf courses in our area have recently closed, but with the knowledge and hard work of our Golf Course Superintendent and the hard work of a relatively small maintenance crew, Burns Park Golf Course is improving and thriving. •

Ricky Self accepted the award for Cypress Creek Golf Club

CYPRESS CREEK GOLF CLUB

SEMI - PRIVATE GOLF COURSE OF THE YEAR Cypress Creek Golf Club is a public golf club that features Zoysia tees and fairways along with TifEagle Bermuda greens and 419 Bermuda rough.

Utilizing five different sets of tee boxes for players of all skill sets and offering a variety of different membership options, Cypress Creek also welcomes the general public to come and play. While open year-round, we orchestrate several tournaments through the year while also investing in Junior golfers to attend different events during the season to spark their interest in the game. Target clientele ranges from young to old, members and nonmembers, families and children as well as couples. We arrange weekly scrambles and honor our veterans with tournaments throughout the year.

Amenities include our revamped fleet of Club Car golf carts equipped with state-of-the-art touchscreen GPS to enable the golfer to quantify yardages from tee to green and help gain the most precision out of their game.

Staff includes a certified Club Professional on site, always able to troubleshoot and diagnose your swing with personal lessons. A transformed clubhouse offers everything from apparel, balls, bags, and gloves to food and a full-service bar. A friendly staff is found waiting and prepared to make sure you find everything you need. Their aim is to ensure the guest have the best experience possible.

While always enhancing the golfers experience on the course, a motivated Turf Staff strives to boost the golf experience on the course while also serving as the spearhead for improvements such as rehabilitated cart paths, reinvigorated bunkers with Billy Bunker and Capillary Concrete, improved drainage and irrigation in correlation with the cultivation of sod in areas throughout the course. While still under construction, our event center is forecasted to be completed soon and will incorporate a fully furnished restaurant and bar that will overlook the putting green, 18th green and incorporate the driving range for a view that will be unforgettable. Our goal is always progressing and focusing on making sure the players experience at Cypress Creek is an exceptional one. • Spring 2020

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CO N G RAT U L AT I O N S TO O U R AWA R D W I N N E R S! BENTON PARKS AND RECREATION

FIELD OF THE YEAR

Riverside Soccer complex has become a widely used area for the City of Benton Parks department and its citizens.

Our partnership with the Boys and Girls Club along with our Parks programs has allowed us to bring hundreds of people to our park multiple nights a week. Future programs will include archery, adult flag football and many more.

We have partnered with Benton FC to provide practice and tournament space for one of the fastest growing Soccer clubs in the State.

Fields are used by Boys and Girls Club in Spring and Fall. Spring season (March-May), will be utilized for soccer only. In 2019 Spring Season, we hosted over 300 kids in the program using the fields three nights a week. In the Fall the fields are used for Soccer and Football. In 2019 these programs combined to bring over 550 kids to the fields three nights a week. Parks utilizes the fields for special events and practice space on a weekly basis year-round. We also have Parks programs utilizing the space for Little Olympians and track and field events. •

Daniel Baxley accepted the award for Benton Parks and Recreation

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14 • A R K A N S A S T U R F G R A S S • Spring 2020

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