June 2017
An in-house publication
From the President's Desk...

We are pleased to announce that the STC 2017-2019 Strategic Plan is now final. Thank you for your feedback throughout the process, including completing the most recent membership survey.

Members may download the STC 2017-2019 Strategic Plan from the Members Only page, here


Without your valuable input, developing this plan would not have been possible. Specifically, we would like to thank the following STC members who participated in the strategic planning session in January 2017:

  • Jake Alexander, Genan, Inc.
  • John Baize, Act Global
  • Kevin Barker, Controlled Products, LLC/Synthetic Turf International
  • Phil Barlow, Shaw Sports Turf
  • Brad Borgman, USGreentech
  • Amy Brackin, Liberty Tire Recycling, LLC
  • Zach Burns, The Motz Group
  • Mike Cobb, InnovaNet
  • Stefan Diderich, Mattex
  • Catherine Eiswerth, Binnie & Associates Ltd.
  • John B. Giraud, Target Technologies International, Inc.
  • Craig Honkomp, Sportsworks Field Design
  • Donna Kent, Foreverlawn, Inc.
  • Joe Motz, The Motz Corporation
  • David Nardone, Stantec Sport
  • Ryan Paris, Astroturf 
  • Tom Peeples, Universal Textile Technologies Inc.
  • Laith Ross, RossTarrant Architects
  • Heard Smith, SYNLawn/Astroturf
  • Robert Thomas, ProGrass 

Thank you for your continued support and participation in the STC.

Sincerely,

Dan Bond, CAE
President & Chief Executive Officer
The  mission  of the STC is to serve as the global forum to promote, develop, grow and advocate for the synthetic turf industry. Our  purpose  is to be the voice of the industry by promoting the benefits of synthetic turf.
IMPORTANT REMINDERS

 

2017 STC Annual Membership Meeting 

Oct. 16-18, 2017


REGISTER EARLY and save $100 per registration!

 

Nashville Community Service Project: We need your support!

 

STC members are installing a turf softball field at the Andrew Jackson Police Youth Camp. Click here to learn more.

 

STC Member Logo Usage & Guidelines

 

We encourage all members to download the STC Member logo and usage guidelines from the Members Only site.

 

To report a logo misuse or violation, please contact an STC staff member who will forward the logo usage policy, guidelines, and membership information.


STC STAFF:

Dan Bond, CAE, President & Chief Executive Officer
Melanie Taylor, Director of Operations
Maria Donovan, Member Services Coordinator
STC UPDATES
Call for Member Donations
Beneficiary: Andrew Jackson Police Youth Camp
We are calling on ALL MEMBERS to support this project by donating a needed product, service or cash donation (to cover additional expenses such as freight) for a synthetic turf softball field and amenities to be used for softball and kickball by the children of Andrew Jackson Police Youth Camp. To donate, please send the  2017 Donation Form  to Maria Donovan, STC Member Services Coordinator at  maria@syntheticturfcouncil.org .
Recycled Rubber Infill Resources
As the season kicks off, you or your customers may be asked questions about the safety of using crumb rubber infill in synthetic turf fields. As you know, the STC has taken a leadership role in promoting sound science and research with respect to crumb rubber. We wanted to continue to make you aware of the updated Recycled Rubber Infill Resources webpage to help answer any questions you may receive.
Volunteer Guidelines are Now Available
STC volunteers play an key role in achieving the mission of the association. These new STC Volunteer Guidelines were developed to recognize manager our volunteer resources and recognize STC volunteers. We are very grateful for the time and talent of our STC volunteers and leadership! 
New Membership Dues Renewal Schedule
The new 2017-2019 STC Strategic Plan includes the alignment of the STC annual budget, fiscal year and membership dues renewal year. Starting on October 1, 2017, based on their current annual renewal schedule, all current STC members will be invoiced for membership dues through December 31, 2018. This will place all members on a January 1 - December 31 annual renewal schedule, starting January 1, 2019. 

Click here for more information about the new dues schedule starting on October 1, 2017.  If you have questions, please contact our staff at office@syntheticturfcouncil.org or 443-640-1067 x.137.
MEETINGS & EVENTS
REGISTER NOW: STC 2017 Annual Membership Meeting
The 2017 STC Annual Membership Meeting will be held at the Loews Vanderbilt Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee  on October 16-18, 2017. The meeting will attract over 225 synthetic turf industry leaders and will include educational sessions on the latest turf industry topics.  The meeting will feature:
  • Golf Event at Hermitage Golf Course-General's Retreat (rated Top Public Course in Tennessee)
  • Welcome Reception at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in downtown Nashville
  • Keynote Address and Meet & Greet with Keith Bulluck, former Tennessee Titan and NFL ProBowler
  • Presentation by Richard Kent, PhD on Playing Surfaces and Their Role in the Prevention of Head and Lower Limb Injuries in Elite Athletes
  • Exhibitor Showcase & Lunch featuring the latest innovative products and services in the synthetic turf industry
Register Early and Save $100 per registration!
Special Thanks To our Annual Meeting Sponsors

Gold Sponsor
 

Would your company like to sponsor an STC meeting or event? There are several sponsorship opportunities at different levels. Download the 2017-18 STC Sponsorship Package today!
STC to Exhibit at FSB 2017 in  Cologne, Germany
STC will be exhibiting at FSB Cologne, the international trade fair for architects, planners, operators and investors from around the world looking for solutions for playgrounds, sports and amenity areas. 

Visit the STC Exhibit at Hall 10, Level 2, Aisle A, Stand 041.  Also exhibiting, are STC members:
  • Covermaster Inc.
  • Forbex
  • Gezolan AG
  • Gill Athletics, Inc.
  • Kiwa ISA Sport B.V.
  • Labosport International
  • Mattex
  • NIK-Tufting BV / Signgrass
  • Perpetual Machine Company
  • SMG Sportplatzmaschinenbau GmbH
  • Textile Rubber & Chemical Co.
  • Trocellen GmbH
STC Spring Membership Meeting Recap
Steve Coleman, Essential Elements Guidelines Task Force Chair (left); Matt Riggs, Membership Committee (right)
The 2017 STC Spring Membership Meeting attracted 232 attendees including 200 STC members and 32 non-member guests. As a reminder, available 2017 Meeting Presentations are posted in PDF format to members only (login required).

New photos have been uploaded from the Las Vegas meeting -- and be sure to check out our past meeting photos in the   Member Community Photo Album, as well

See you in Nashville !
STC at AMI's Grass Yarn & Tufters Forum 2017 in Madrid, Spain
STC President and Chief Executive Officer Dan Bond, CAE presented on "Advancing the artificial turf industry's interests" during the general session of the AMI's Grass Yarn & Tufters Forum 2017 held on March 27 - 29, 2017 in Madrid, Spain. STC served as the exclusive sponsor of the opening reception.  AMI's Grass Yarn & Tufters Forum 2018 will take place on the April 9-11, 2018 in Barcelona, Spain. 
Industry Calendar: Where is STC? 


2017 STC Annual Membership Meeting
October 16-18, 2017 
Loews Nashville Hotel
Nashville, TN USA
STC to Exhibit
FSB International Trade Fair for Amenity Areas, Sports and Pool Facilities
November 7-10, 2017 
Cologne, Germany  
STC to Exhibit 
Sports Turf Managers Association Conference & Exhibition
January 16-19, 2017
Fort Worth, TX USA

2018 STC Spring Membership Meeting March 12-14, 2018
Westin Mission Hills 
Rancho Mirage, CA USA

2018 STC Annual Membership Meeting
October 22-24, 2018
Westin Cleveland 
Cleveland, OH USA


Where will your company be in 2017? Send us your trade show calendar!
INDUSTRY NEWS
One-Turf Concept Adopted: Guidelines should accommodate field hockey, soccer and rugby on the same field
STC European Committee, May 2017
Sport governing bodies FIFA, World Rugby and FIH, have agreed on what a multi-use long pile community field should achieve when it is tested. Will this be another boost to the industry...
What's in the name (change)?: FIFA updates it football turf programme
STC European Committee, April 2017
Synthetic turf pitches for soccer have to abide by the quality criteria defined in FIFA's 'Handbook of Requirements'. The latest version of this handbook became compulsory in January this year. This article will discuss the most important additions and changes to this handbook...
Sports Labs USA Achieves ISO 17025 Lab Accreditation
BOW, NH (SPORTS LABS USA) JUNE 23, 2017
Sports Labs USA, based in Bow, NH, has achieved the indigenous third party verified ISO 17025 accreditation for an extensive list of both Lab and Field testing services for sports surfaces.
Brock USA & US Soccer Foundation Making Safe Places To Play
BOULDER, CO (PRWEB) MAY 05, 2017
The US Soccer Foundation chose Brock USA as its exclusive shock pad provider for synthetic fields in the Safe Places to Play Program. The program provides grants for underserved communities to update unsafe play spaces to state-of-the-art soccer fields.

Read more
Infill Samples Make a Positive Impact
USGreentech, March 10, 2017
USGreentech has partnered with Clovernook Center for the Blind & Visually Impaired to provide more learning and skill-building tasks for their employees. These full time employees package 90% of samples sent out and have become an extension of the USGreentech team. 

SportsEdge Releases ShockWave Turf Underlayment Throughout the U.S and Canada
(SPORTSTURF) 2017
SportsEdge, a division of ABT, has released a new drainage and shock underlayment pads for synthetic turf. SportsEdge has partnered with EnPlast Technologies of Houston to exclusively offer these products in the US and Canada for athletic field applications. 

MEMBERSHIP
Welcome, New STC Members in 2017!
Interested in STC Membership? Join online today!
Would your company make a great addition to the STC? Contact Denise Kennedy, Membership Committee Chair at  denise@dkenterprises.us or, Maria Donovan, Member Services Coordinator at  maria@syntheticturfcouncil.org to request a membership application package. 

Join Date Company Name Key Contact Membership Category
6/13/17 Global Turf Phil Pirro Builder/Installer
6/2/17 ARL Logistics Jordan Reber Specialty Mfrs./Svcs.
5/31/17 Turf Tech Pros Peter Hernandez Reg. Landscape Inst.
5/19/17 Landscape Solutions, B.V., Royal Grass Freek Verhoeven Builder/Installer
5/17/17 Gill Athletics Darren Clare Specialty Mfrs./Svcs.
5/15/17 Plush Grass Joseph Downs Builder/Installer
5/11/17 ARCHCO Genevieve Grant Builder/Installer
5/9/17 TurfSol Leonardo Sessa Specialty Mfrs./Svcs.
4/21/17 J&E Sports John Gennip Builder/Installer
4/3/17 Mecklenburg Cty. Parks & Recreation
Winston James Buyer/End-user
3/23/17 Centaurs Group Ptf Ltd. Lambert Power Buyer/End-user
3/7/17 Clark County School District Alan Paulson Buyer/End-user
3/6/17 Miroad Rubber USA Chuck Toth Material Mfr./Supp.
3/6/17 St. Andrews Turf and Landscape Floyd Goodson Reg. Landscape Inst.
3/6/17 SYNLawn Canada Mike Holdenreid Reg. Landscape Inst.
2/27/17 Forbex Cliff Poker Material Mfr./Supp.
2/16/17 Kiwa ISA Sport Gert-Jan Kieft Testing Lab
2/16/17 Milone & MacBroom, Inc. Kevin Fuselier Ind. Prof./Cons.
2/8/17 Ingle Sales Associates Vince Ingle Material Mfrs./Supp.
1/17/17 Gale Associates Inc. Carlyn DuBois Ind. Prof./Cons.
1/11/17 GMB Architecture + Engineering Matthew Heidloff Ind. Prof./Cons.
We Value Your Input
Jeffrey Graydon, Princeton University, and Devin Conway, Verde Design, were winners of a dinner gift certificate to Flemings Prime Steakhouse. Jeffrey and Devin's names were drawn from the list of those who completed the STC Spring Meeting Survey.  

Thanks to all who completed the survey! If at any time you have ideas or suggestions to improve STC programs and services, please contact our staff team at office@syntheticturfcouncil.org.
John B. Giraud's Milestone 45 Years with Target Group
Target Technologies International Inc., a subsidiary of QUIKRETE is pleased to announce John B. Giraud's milestone 45 years of service on July 4th with the Target Group of Companies.John acted as an employee, then owner/director with the Target Group of Companies and now Managing Director of Target Technologies on behalf of QUIKRETE. John's many accomplishments include his participating on the board of the Synthetic Turf Council and two year position as Chairman.
Follow the Bald Eagle on the Appalachian Trail
STC Board Director Phil Barlow is back on the Appalachian Trail for the summer. When we last heard from Phil during the June 20 Board meeting, he was trekking through the morning fog near Tyringham, Massachusetts.


Keeping up with Norris
Synthetic Surfaces Inc. (SSI) has a new website with a fresh look that is clean, orderly, easy to navigate, and offers an expanded variety of information....One thing that hasn't changed is the SSI website address. It is still www.nordot.com. After 44 years, Norris Legue is still active in new adhesive development and technology. He is now developing a new NORDOT® "Killer Turf Adhesive" to introduce to the market next month.
If you have news you would like for the STC to post on its website and noted in this e-newsletter, please add Melanie Taylor, melanie@syntheticturfcouncil.org to your distribution list. Thank you for your interest!
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