The Ohio Lawn Care Association (OLCA) annual meeting and breakfast was held Dec. 7 in conjunction with the Ohio Turfgrass Conference & Show. More than 90 lawn care professionals and guests participated.
Highlighting the annual meeting was the presentation of research grants, student scholarships and annual awards. Jeff Bisker, Your Lawn, Inc., chairman of the Education, Grants & Scholarships Committee, presented a check in the amount of $2,775 to Susan Everett, Ph.D., Clark State Community College, in support of an “Agricultural Outdoor Classroom” being developed at Clark State. Bisker also acknowledged Parwinder Grewal, Ph.D., OSU/OARDC department of entomology, for his turfgrass research for which OLCA provided an $8,000 grant earlier in 2006. Grewal gave a brief report of his research impacting residential lawns.
The program also included the presentation of student scholarships to three outstanding students pursuing careers in the lawn care industry. The recipients receiving $1,000 each were: Ryan Boston, Columbus State Community College; John Gruneisen, The Ohio State University and Joseph Lachey, The Ohio State University.
President Bill Hoopes presented a Special Recognition Award to Immediate Past President Jeff Bisker thanking him for his many years of service on the OLCA Board.
The annual breakfast meeting also included the association’s annual business meeting and board elections. Nominating Committee Chair Jeff Bisker presented the slate of nominees for Trustee for 2007: Jeff Benton, St. Clair Lawn Care, Inc., Jeff Bisker, Your Lawn, Inc. and Robert Palmer, Weed Pro Ltd. The slate of candidates was approved unanimously by the members present.
The 2007 Annual Meeting and Breakfast are tentatively scheduled to be held in conjunction with the 2007 Ohio Turfgrass Conference & Show, Dec. 4 to 6 in Columbus, Ohio.
The Ohio Lawn Care Association is committed to promoting and protecting the lawn care industry in Ohio. For more information about the Ohio Lawn Care Association, call 800/510-5296; e-mail info@ohiolawncare.org or visit the Web site at www.ohiolawncare.org.