Fulling elected 84th president of Golf Course Superintendents Association of America
Election took place as part of the 2020 Golf Industry Show in Orlando
Lawrence, Kan. (Jan. 30, 2020) – John R. Fulling Jr., the certified golf course superintendent (CGCS) and grounds and facilities manager at Kalamazoo (Mich.) Country Club was elected to a one-year term as president of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) at the association’s annual meeting Jan. 30, held in conjunction with the Golf Industry Show in Orlando. He is the 84th president in the association’s history.
Fulling served as vice president of the association in 2019 and has been a member of the association’s board of directors since 2013. A 30-year member of GCSAA, Fulling is also a member and past president of the Michigan GCSA.
Fulling has served as the superintendent at Kalamazoo CC since 1993. Previously, he served as superintendent at Berrien Hills Country Club in Benton Harbor, Mich., and as a course superintendent at Medinah (Ill.) Country Club.
He has a turfgrass management degree from Kishwaukee College in Malta, Ill., and previously studied music performance at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb.
“Thank you to the membership and the delegates for their trust. I will do everything in my power to not let you down,” Fulling said. “We have a lot of great initiatives going forward to serve members, advance the profession and bring young people into the game. That’s our mission. That’s what we are going to do.”
Other elected officers were Mark F. Jordan, CGCS and natural resource leader at Westfield Country Club in Westfield Center, Ohio, as vice president, and Kevin P. Breen, CGCS and golf course superintendent at La Rinconada Country Club in Los Gatos, Calif., as secretary/treasurer.
Board member Kevin P. Sunderman, CGCS, director of grounds at Isla Del Sol Yacht and Country Club in St. Petersburg, Fla., was elected to serve again, while Douglas D. Dykstra, CGCS, golf course superintendent at White Mountain Country Club in Pinetop, Ariz., was newly elected to the board.
Jeff L. White, CGCS and superintendent at Indian Hills Country Club in Mission Hills, Kan.; T.A. Barker, CGCS and superintendent at Fore Lakes Golf Course in Taylorsville, Utah; and Paul L. Carter, CGCS, at Bear Trace at Harrison Bay in Harrison, Tenn., continue their service on the board. Rafael Barajas, CGCS and the director of golf course operations at Boca Grove Golf and Tennis Club in Boca Raton, Fla., will serve as immediate past president, while past president Darren J. Davis, CGCS golf course superintendent at Olde Florida Golf Club in Naples, Fla., retires from board service.
2020 Golf Industry Show highlights
The GCSAA Education Conference, held in conjunction with the Golf Industry Show, is the largest educational conference in the turfgrass management industry. Seminar attendance was up more than 12 percent over 2019, with nearly 6,200 seminar seats filled. In addition, thousands attended complimentary forums, sessions and panel discussions throughout the week. Subject matter included agronomics, business, environmental management, communications, leadership, technology, and personnel management. Events included a full-size replica of a maintenance facility on the trade show floor and the Drone Zone.
GIS total attendance remained strong with nearly 12,000 for the second straight year and included nearly 6,000 qualified buyers. The two-day trade show covered more than 450,000 square feet of exhibit space at the Orange County Convention Center and hosted more than 500 exhibitors. In 2020, the Golf Course Builders Association of America (GCBAA) and American Society of Golf Course Architects (ASGCA) both increased their commitment to the event as presenting partners.
“The Golf Industry Show continues to offer an education and industry experience that is unmatched,” GCSAA CEO Rhett Evans said. “And with the involvement of our presenting partners GCBAA and ASGCA, all attendees in Orlando had the opportunity to experience enhanced education and information that furthered the close links between the design, construction and management of golf courses.”
The 2021 Golf Industry Show will head to Las Vegas, Nev., Jan. 30-Feb. 4 at the new Las Vegas Convention Center.
In other news from the Golf Industry Show:
- Deron Zendt, superintendent at Pine Tree Golf Club in Boynton Beach, Fla., won the 2020 GCSAA National Championship after a back-nine showdown with two other previous winners. He finished the two-day event at ChampionsGate’s International Course, with a 5-under-par 139. (link to https://www.gcmonline.com/tags/2020-gcsaa-championship-results)
- GCSAA announced it has partnered with Association Health Programs, an insurance broker, to offer health insurance access as a membership benefit. The program will be available to GCSAA members beginning April 1. (link to https://www.gcsaa.org/media/news-release/2020/01/30/gcsaa-unveils-health-insurance-access-for-members)
- GCSAA’s 100th affiliated chapter, Caribbean GCSA was established. (Link to https://www.gcsaa.org/media/news-release/2020/01/30/caribbean-gcsa-established-as-gcsaa-s-100th-chapter)
- A team from Cal Poly Pomona University won the annual GCSAA Collegiate Turf Bowl Competition, which was presented in partnership with John Deere Golf. It was the first win in the school’s history, and the first winning team to feature female competitors. (Link to https://www.golfindustryshow.com/education-conference/student-activities/turf-bowl)
About GCSAA and the EIFG
The Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) is a leading golf organization in the United States. Its focus is on golf course management, and since 1926 GCSAA has been the top professional association for the men and women who manage golf courses in the U.S. and worldwide. From its headquarters in Lawrence, Kan., the association provides education, information and representation to nearly 19,000 members in more than 78 countries. The association’s mission is to serve its members, advance their profession and enhance the enjoyment, growth and vitality of the game of golf. Visit GCSAA at www.gcsaa.org, or find us on Facebook or Twitter. Visit our industry-leading magazine at GCMonline.com.
The Environmental Institute for Golf is the philanthropic organization of the GCSAA. Its mission is to foster sustainability through research, awareness, education, programs and scholarships for the benefit of golf course management professionals, golf facilities and the game. Visit EIFG at www.eifg.org, or find us on Facebook or Twitter.
Contact:
Angela Hartmann
Director, Marketing and Communications
Phone: 800-472-7878, ext. 3647 or 785-393-1361 (cell)
ahartmann@gcsaa.org
Mike Strauss
Manager, Media Relations
Phone: 800-472-7878, ext. 5164
mstrauss@gcsaa.org
