President's Message
James Bade
Somerset Country Club




January/February 2006

A Warm Winter's Greeting to You

To quote Charlotte's Web, "salutations" a (literal) warm winter's greeting to you. I want to thank the MGCSA membership for putting their trust in me to be president of this wonderful association. I see it as a privilege and honor to serve in this capacity. The reason I volunteered was due to the fact of being surrounded by such good and experienced people. Thank you Rob Panuska for your strong leadership the past two years. It is reassuring to know that you are the Ex-Officio. As I see it the board consists of a group of individuals trying to make things happen for its members. The association has always been important to me but even more so since sitting on the board and seeing all that it takes to accomplish things.

I want to thank outgoing board members Rick Fredericksen, Jeff Johnson, James Gardner, Brad Zimmerman, and Dave Oberle for their service. They brought a lot of wisdom and fresh ideas to the table. Hopefully we can tap into your knowledge and resources again. And welcome new board members Scottie Hines, Tom Meier, Tom Proshek, Jeff Vinkemeier and vendor representative Dan Brown. I think you will find the experience of serving a rewarding one and enlightening.

The Minnesota Green Expo continued to buck the trend of declining trade shows. 7,833 people attended the show. I want to thank all of you who participated. A strong show helps to support turfgrass research, Dr. Horgan and Dr. Watkins at the U of Minnesota. Being in the new part of the convention center this year made things a little different. We recognize the need for some improvements so if you have concerns bring them to our attention.

Serving on the board makes you realize how important the vendors are. So I want to thank the sponsors of the 27-hole challenge. Next year the score cards will be distributed before the show and available at the vendors’ booths. The reason we draw the prizes at the annual meeting is our strong desire to have you participate in the business affairs of the MGCSA.

The December Appreciation and Recognition Banquet at the Wilds Golf Club was a very nice evening. Congratulations to Steve Garske, Brad Peterson and Mike Sonnek for their achievements and awards. A big thank-you to Jeff Johnson and Brad Zimmerman for planning the festivities. We plan to have this as an annual event because it is an enjoyable way to see each other and involve our spouses.

Congratulations to Jack MacKenzie, Scott and Jeff Turtinen, and article writers for the Hole Notes. The publication received two awards from the GCSAA, the most improved publication and more importantly the top publication for 2005 in its category! Thanks gentlemen for taking the Hole Notes to the next level. Let’s keep it going in 2006 with interesting articles from you the members.

And finally we hope to see you Tuesday, March 7 at the Mini Seminar being held at Mendakota Country Club. This year’s featured speaker is Dr. Frank Rossi. Look for an inter-active engaging day. We also hope to have the Labor Department available to answer questions on the Child Labor law. So, let's saddle up our horses and blaze a trail in 2006.

Sincerely, James Bade