People Announcements: Staff and Member News from Around the Industry

DALE AMSTUTZ NAMED ARBORSYSTEMS REP. Dale Amstutz has joined the ArborSystems team as manufacturer representative for Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas and Oklahoma. Amstutz provides distributor recruitment, training and sales support. He is also working with university extension departments on research and testing of ArborSystems’ Wedgle Direct-Inject tree injection unit and Direct-Inject chemicals. Of particular interest in the Texas area is ArborSystems Shepherd Fungicide (commonly known as Alamo) in control of oak wilt, which has been devastating live oak trees in the South.

For more than 20 years, Amstutz owned and managed Northern Lawns, which booked more than 30 percent of its annual revenue from tree care services and used the ArborSystems Wedgle Direct-Inject system and chemicals. Amstutz now lives in Horseshoe Bay, Texas. He welcomes distributor and university inquiries by e-mail at dale@arborsystems.com.

AGROTAIN HIRES RESEARCH & AGRONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MANAGER. Agrotain International announced recently the addition of John Hassell as research and agronomic development manager. Based in West Lafayette, Ind., John will be responsible for the development and communication of Agrotain International’s product line research to the agronomic community, including researchers, agronomists and extension agents.

“We are excited that John has decided to come on board,” says Allen Sutton, vice president, business and product development. “Formerly the director of the Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC), he comes to us with a wealth of knowledge and expertise which will help us develop products which will help farmers in the form of affordable, integrated management solutions.”

Hassell says he looks forward to being part of the Agrotian team. “This is a great company at the forefront of Stabilized Nitrogen research and I am pleased to be able to bring my experience to the team to help develop and grow this great range of products,” he says.

Mike Stegmann, president of Agrotain International, is equally enthusiastic. “We are elated to have John on the Agrotain team. A critical element of our strategy is to work proactively to insure that academia and the entire research community accurately understand how the Agrotain line of nitrogen efficiency products fits into a profitable, efficient, and environmentally sound plant nutrition program. John’s background and passion for sound agronomic practices makes him the perfect person for this position.”

TURFGRASS ASSOCIATION SAYS GOODBYE TO CHARTER MEMBER. Jesse Owre, charter member of the Penncross Bentgrass Grower’s Association, passed away Nov. 18, 2005. A resident of Broadacres, Ore., Owre was 83 years old.

As a charter member of the Penncross Bentgrass Grower’s Association, Owre was one of the first growers authorized by Penn State University to receive breeder stolon planting stock for production of commercial seed. As a direct result of using only authorized growers, the quality and integrity of Penn bentgrasses remained supreme.

Prior to farming, Owre proudly served in World War II as a member of the 8th Air Force, 857th Squadron, 492nd Group.

In honor of his contributions to the Penncross Bentgrass Grower’s Association, as well as the unselfish sacrifices he made on behalf of his country, Tee-2-Green, Corp. is donating $500 to Legacy Hospice in McMinnville, Ore.