Application live for 2019 Syngenta Business Institute

Superintendents can now apply online for the 2019 Syngenta Business Institute (SBI).

“Superintendents work hard to make sure their turf is conditioned to perform at its best and recover quickly from stress,” said Stephanie Schwenke, turf market manager for Syngenta. “But we know the turf is not the only thing they are managing. Every day, they make important business decisions and are responsible for leading their teams. At Syngenta, we don’t want to just provide products that help them take care of their turf. We want to continue to offer opportunities like SBI, where they can learn skills that will help them grow professionally and improve their golf courses.”

The program will be held Dec. 3-6, 2019, in Winston-Salem, N.C. Approximately 25 superintendents will be selected to attend from those who apply on or before Aug. 13, 2019.

For more than a decade, Syngenta has partnered with the faculty at the nationally ranked Wake Forest University School of Business for the three-day program that focuses on topics such as financial management, navigating generational and cultural differences, leadership skills, effective communication and negotiation tactics.

Since its inception, more than 250 superintendents have graduated from SBI and many recently attended a reunion event at the Golf Industry Show in San Diego.

“I had an idea of what I thought I would get out of the Syngenta Business Institute and it was more — it exceeded my expectations,” said Robert Alonzi, superintendent at Fenway Golf Club, in Scarsdale, N.Y., who attended SBI in 2018. “The sessions really help you break down barriers and get you out of your comfort zone, and it was encouraging to hear that other superintendents from across the country are facing the same challenges as me. You will get a lot more out of SBI than you may think, both professionally and personally.”