Deep South Turf Expo announces speakers

The Deep South Turf Expo is moving into its third year, and will be held Nov. 7-9, 2017 in Biloxi, Mississippi. The conference and trade show will take place at the Mississippi Coast Convention Center. Showcased at the Expo will be an all-star education program with Bruce Williams, CGCS as keynote speaker.

Williams is owner of Bruce Williams Golf Consulting, which provides a variety of services to the golf industry, including business development, strategic planning, meeting facilitation, executive search, career planning, writing and speaking. He has served as director of business development for ValleyCrest Golf Course Maintenance and director of golf courses and grounds for the Los Angeles Country Club. His presentation will be on "Leading your way to success!"

Williams believes that successful managers must, "Shift the mind set from managing people to leadership. The key is to focus on leading a team, rather than managing staff. Turf managers have a difficult job, and there is an everyday need to inspire those who work with them to produce a better product. The best teams are those who are trained properly and fully understand the goals, objectives and missions of their club."

Another criteria for being successful turf managers is "managing up" and "managing laterally." Williams said, "Too often turf professionals see their jobs as managing turf, but that is the easiest part of it. Managing 'up and laterally' applies to interacting with colleagues such as the golf pro, club house manager, club board of directors and club members. Important components in your plan should be developing business acumen, leadership and communication skills."

Williams is prepared to help attendees hone all those skills at the Deep South Turf Expo. He is a graduate of Baldwin-Wallace University and the golf course management program at Michigan State University. Holding major leadership positions in the golf industry for many years, Williams has served as president of four chapters of GCSAA and is also a board member and past president of GCSAA. He is currently a director of the California Alliance for Golf, an honorary director of the PGA of America, a USGA green committeeman since 1993 and vice president of the Musser International Turfgrass Foundation.

In addition to Williams, the "best and brightest" from the constellation of Turfgrass agronomists, extension specialists and industry partners in the Southeast will bring a well-rounded program with five breakout sessions in golf, lawn care, sports turf, sod production and landscape. To see a complete program of the Expo, or to register on-line go to DeepSouthTurfExpo.org.

Activities planned around the core of the conference and show include a highly popular golf tournament at The Preserve Golf Club in Vancleave, Mississippi; a skeet and trap tournament at Coastal Rifle and Pistol Club in Biloxi; and a sports field tour with Ken Edwards, CSFM that features Gulfport Sports Complex, Goldin Sports Complex and the Biloxi Shuckers Stadium. There will also be a dinner at MGM Park - home of the Biloxi Shuckers. In addition to a band, attendees will compete in a softball game.