MEMBER SPOTLIGHT ON
Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient WILLIE PENNINGTON
22 North Carolina Turf gr a ss
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www. nc turf gra s s . o rg
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March/April 2020
W
illie Pennington joined BASF in 1972 as production manager at the manufacturing site in Tucker, Georgia. He moved to Charlotte, North Carolina in 1975 and served as Sales Representative for the agricultural products business, covering soybean, corn and cotton markets. Pennington earned three sales of the year awards for increased sales of new products.
In 1991, he was promoted to Market Manager / National Accounts Manager in the Specialty Products Department to develop business plans for distributors, resellers and 3rd party customers. Pennington supported the development of the NPV model for BASF products in the Turf and Ornamentals markets. Beginning in 1978, he was involved with BASF active ingredients in markets other than soybeans and cotton, before BASF officially established a Specialty business in the T&O segments in the mid 90s. In 1996, Pennington became Regional Accounts Manager, covering the eastern U.S. for the T&O business. His primary responsibilities included distributor and reseller calls from South Carolina to Maine. In 2000, he was promoted to Fumigation Specialist managing the golf course renovation (regrassing) projects in the U.S. He worked with golf course architects and builders on more than 75 golf courses and athletic fields to improve turfgrass stands and improved playability. Pennington implemented training courses, developed protocols, and supported the writing of a fumigation manual in the state of Virginia. He collaborated with Certis USA / (Advan LLC) as a fumigation specialist to complete the transfer of the sale of the fumigation business from BASF to Kanesho Soil Treatment, and provide technical experience in the re-grassing of golf courses. Pennington is a Past President of the Pesticide Association of NC and Board Member of The J C Raulston Arboretum at NC State University. He is also a Past President of the Board of Directors of the NC Cooperative Extension Service Foundation (NCCESF) and past member of the Board of Directors of the Central NC Chapter of the National Assn. of Investment Clubs (NAIC) and has provided investment education to Investment Clubs.
