Bayer announces Plant Health Academy class of 2015

Environmental Science, a division of Bayer CropScience LP, named the 12 superintendents who will attend the third annual Plant Health Academy at a reception during the 2015 Golf Industry Show in San Antonio. The selections were made by Bayer in association with the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America’s (GCSAA) Environmental Institute for Golf (EIFG) to enhance superintendents knowledge of plant health research.

The class of 2015 come from 10 different states and includes the following superintendents:

• Ryan Bourne, Terradyne Country Club, Andover, Kan.
• Rodney Crow, CGCS, Touchstone Golf Management – Battleground Golf Club, Deer Park, Texas
• Jamey Davis, Peninsula Golf & Racquet Club, Birmingham, Ala.
• Anthony Gustaitis, CGCS, Whitemarsh Valley Country Club, Lafayette Hill, Pa.
• Brian Haines, CGCS, Westchester Country Club, Boynton, Fla.
• Sean Hoolehan, CGCS, Wildhorse Resort, Pendleton, Ore.
• Nicholas Janovich, Oglebay Resort, Wheeling, W.Va.
• Tray Maltby, Reunion Resort, Davenport, Fla.
• Jay Neunsinger, Tilden Park Golf Course, Berkeley, Calif.
• Brent Racer, Awarii Dunes, Axtell, Neb.
• Alex Stuedemann, TPC Deere Run, East Moline, Ill.
• Jeff White, CGCS, Indian Hills Country Club, Mission Hills, Kan.

“We were blown away by the high caliber of candidates we received this year,” says David Wells, golf business manager for the turf and ornamentals business at Bayer. “It says a lot about our industry that we have so many bright, ambitious leaders and we are proud of their commitment to continuing education and their passion to advance their knowledge of plant health and turf management.”

The group will meet twice as part of The Plant Health Academy’s education and training curriculum. From April 20-22, 2015, they will descend upon GCSAA headquarters in Lawrence, Kan. for classroom training. Their next meeting will be from Sept. 23-25, at the Bayer Training and Development Center located in Clayton, N.C., for the in-the-field training portion of the academy.