The Ohio Lawn Care Association (OLCA) Annual Meeting and Lunch was recently held in conjunction with the Ohio Turfgrass Conference & Show.
Highlighting the Annual Meeting was the presentation of Research Grants, Student Scholarships, and Annual Awards. Scott Huvler, TD Landscape, Chairman of the Education, Grants & Scholarships Committee, reported that in 2007 OLCA donated research grants to John Street, Ph.D. and David Gardner, Ph.D., The Ohio State University (OSU) Department of Horticulture & Crop Science; and Parwinder Grewal, Ph.D., OSU/OARDC Department of Entomology, for research projects specifically benefitting the lawn care industry.
Street and Gardner are collaborating on two research projects: 1) Control of Crabgrass and Environmental Fate of Preemergence Herbicides Applied as a Single Versus a Split Application; and 2) Postemergence Control of Crabgrass Using Four Herbicides Alone and in Various Rate Combinations and Rates.
Grewal’s research project is titled “Assessing Nitrogen and Phosphorous run-off from Turfgrass Lawns Established on Subsoil or Topsoil”.
The Annual Meeting 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: Bobby Gene Hunsaker, Clark State Community College; John Schillinger, OSU/ATI; and Jonathon Scott, Columbus State Community College.
2007 President Dave Winter, Advanced Turf Solutions, presented Special Recognition Awards to Immediate Past President Bill Hoopes, Grass Roots Training and Trustee Joyce Pelz, NaturaLawn of America, thanking them for their many years of service on the OLCA Board.
The meeting also included the association’s annual business meeting and board elections. Nominating Committee Chair Bill Hoopes presented the slate of nominees for Trustee for 2008: Scott Huvler, TD Landscape was nominated to serve a second 3-year term as Trustee; Mark Barker, Oasis Lawn Care and Matt Ellis, Grass Masters, Inc. were nominated to serve 3-year Trustee terms. All terms begin March 1. The slate of candidates was approved unanimously by the members present.
The 2008 Annual Meeting and Lunch are tentatively scheduled to be held in conjunction with the 2008 Ohio Turfgrass Conference & Show, Dec. 8-11 in Columbus.
For more information about the Ohio Lawn Care Association, call 800/510-5296; e-mail info@ohiolawncare.org or visit our website at .