Source: Golf Course Management [2017-10-31]
Frank Rossi, associate professor in the Horticulture Section of the School of Integrative Plant Science, and one of the world’s leading experts on turfgrass science, has been selected to receive the 2018 President’s Award for Environmental Stewardship by the board of directors of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA). Rossi, 55, will officially receive the award Tuesday, Feb. 6, during the Opening Session of the 2018 Golf Industry Show in San Antonio (Feb. 3-8).
The GCSAA President’s Award for Environmental Stewardship was established in 1991 to recognize “an exceptional environmental contribution to the game of golf; a contribution that further exemplifies the golf course superintendent’s image as a steward of the land.”
“Dr. Rossi’s passion and hard work have helped drive the golf industry to a more environmentally focused future,” says GCSAA President Bill H. Maynard, CGCS. “He has not only been at the forefront of sustainability in the golf industry, but as a former superintendent himself, he has been a great source of information and support for superintendents around the world. We are pleased to honor him for his accomplishments.”
Rossi says, “Of course I am filled with gratitude to the GCSAA and all my colleagues and students over the years. I am quite humbled receiving this award. While I’ve spent my career working in the environmental area, I never thought or imagined it would ever be recognized.”
Among Rossi’s accomplishments, he served as a consultant for the 2002 and 2009 U.S. Opens at Bethpage Black, and developed sand and grass specifications for the 2016 Olympic Golf Course in Rio de Janeiro. He has also done consulting work for Central Park, the New York Yankees and the Green Bay Packers.
“I am very fortunate to work in a field where every day there is a new challenge,” Rossi says. “Of course, these high-profile venues and events leave little margin for error, but when you work closely with professional golf and sports turf managers, you know you have expert problem solvers — can-do individuals who, when they commit to something, will make it happen.”
