2 minute read
Let Greatness Take Root
Wow, the first six months of 2019 have been exciting for VTF! In late 2018, the board embarked on the task of rebranding and reorganizing. All of this hard work came to fruition in May at the Virginia Tech Research Classic and Field Day where the new logo and website were unveiled. The event was a great opportunity to showcase the projects, many funded by the VTF, being researched at Virginia Tech. The VTF would like to say “Thank You” to everyone who supported the event. Proceeds from this event, hosted jointly by the VGCSA and VTC, are donated to the VTF to support turfgrass research. As if that was not enough, VTF Manager Betty Parker began making plans for her retirement. Her last day with the Foundation was April 30. During her 27 years with the Foundation, over $2 million was raised to fund turfgrass research at Virginia Tech, and she helped grow the endowment to over $600,000. I know everyone will join our board in saying “THANK YOU” to Betty for everything she has done to grow our industry.
With Betty’s retirement, the VTF board embarked on another huge task. The board began the search for a candidate with experience with nonprofit organizations. The Foundation has enjoyed great success in its first 29 years, but to meet the needs of turfgrass research, continued growth is a must. Each year, funding requests are more than we can support, and with a clear investment strategy that was developed with the Turf Team and Virginia Tech, the endowment must grow.
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After an exhaustive search, Brandyn Baty was hired as the new Manager for the VTF. Her diverse background working with non-profit organizations made her a natural fit. Brandyn will be at various events throughout the summer. If you see her, please stop by and introduce yourself.
Brandyn Baty, VTF Manager
The Foundation is now positioned for the next chapter. The new logo and digital platform will help you stay connected to the great work the Foundation is supporting. Later this summer, we will launch a YouTube channel where we can share updates on current research and highlight the findings from past research.
Please follow us on Twitter @vaturf Visit our website: www.vaturfgrass.com Thank you to everyone for your continued support of the Foundation. We look forward to fulfilling our new tagline:
Let greatness take root… Let Greatness Take Root
