Shelia Finney to step down from senior director of member programs role with GCSAA

Shelia Finney, senior director of member programs for the Golf Course Superintendent Association of America (GCSAA) , will step down from her position and begin a new role as manager, CGCS, beginning Aug. 21.

Finney said the experience of caring for her son James, in the last year of his life, before his death in February, made her reevaluate her work-life balance.

“I truly love my current role and GCSAA, but I need to step back and make some time for all of the other things in my life,” Finney said. “I am really excited that I now have the chance to stay with GCSAA and focus on helping members achieve certification.”

Before joining the GCSAA staff in 2016, Finney, a 34-year GCSAA member, was superintendent at Gaylord Springs Golf Links in Nashville, Tenn., for 25 years and served as executive director of the Tennessee GCSA and the Tennessee Turfgrass Association. As a member, she served on several GCSAA task groups and committees, was a GCSAA Grassroots Ambassador and was a chapter delegate for 11 years.

As senior director of member services, Finney oversaw three programmatic areas: membership, chapter services and learning and career development. She is also involved in the First Green program and has been crucial to growing GCSAA’s relationship with FFA.

As manager, CGCS, she will oversee the certified golf course superintendent program and continue involvement in FFA and GCSAA women’s initiatives.

“Shelia has been an incredible asset to GCSAA, first as a highly engaged member and later as a dedicated team member,” Rhett Evans, CEO of the GCSAA, said. “We fully support her decision to put more focus on her life outside GCSAA and we are happy that we were able to find a way to have her stay with the team while giving her the balance she needs.”