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Northeastern IPM News

The Northeastern IPM Center recently awarded 29 grants totaling more than $1 million through the Northeast Regional IPM Competitive Grants Program and the IPM Partnership Grants Program. Both programs focus on addressing real-world IPM challenges through research, outreach and education. The Northeast Regional IPM Competitive Grants Program supports projects that develop individual pest control tactics, integrate tactics into IPM systems, or develop and implement extension and education programs. The program favors projects that address IPM stakeholder priorities, benefit the Northeast region, involve environmental stewardship and show a high likelihood of success.

Kubota and Land Pride Announce Alliance

Kubota Tractor Corporation and Land Pride have announced a strategic alliance to market Land Pride implements that are performance-matched to Kubota tractors. Participating Kubota dealerships in the U.S. will offer Land Pride implements to sell with Kubota tractors—particularly three-point implements such as Land Pride rotary cutters, grooming mowers, rotary tillers, rear blades and more—to add to Kubota loaders, backhoes and Kubota-branded implements.

Sunair Acquires Howell Environmental

Sunair Services Corporation announced that it has acquired the assets of Howell Environmental, Inc..\ Founded in 1982 and headquartered in West Palm Beach, Fla., the company will be integrated into the Sunair’s wholly owned subsidiary, Middleton Lawn & Pest Control. Howell Environmental Services, Inc. provides lawn and shrub care, subterranean termite and pest control services to customers throughout Palm Beach, Martin, Broward and Dade counties. Sunair Services Corporation, with headquarters located in Orlando, Fla., provides pest control and lawn care services to both residential and commercial customers. Middleton provides essential pest control services and protection against termites and insects to homes and businesses.

News From RedMax

RedMax/Zenoah America, Inc., Lawrenceville, Ga., has added marketing/sales support, marketing services, customer service and technical personnel to its expanding management team. Jeff Bohr and David Dalton have joined the company as regional managers. Dalton will be the west regional manager, and Bohr will be the east regional manager. Bohr has over 30 years’ experience in the outdoor power equipment industry, primarily with Echo, Inc. Dalton, also a seasoned outdoor power equipment professional, has 20 years of experience in the industry.

Andrew Kuczmar has been named director of product service and corporate training. Kuczmar, who has established a reputation in the outdoor power equipment industry and is internationally recognized, will begin initiating technical and customer support programs, not only for Zenoah RedMax, but also for distributors and dealers throughout North America.

Justin Wallace

Sod Solutions Adds Director of Communication

Sod Solutions, Inc., an international turfgrass development company, has hired Justin Wallace as director of communication. In this position, he will primarily work in Charleston, S.C., and will be responsible for providing strategy, planning and execution for the company’s public relations and media visibility activities. Wallace is a graduate of Florida State University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in political science. Prior to joining Sod Solutions, he spent 12 years in television broadcasting. He was a sports anchor for CNN Headline News in Atlanta, KMID TV in Midland, Texas, and most recently, for WCBD TV in Charleston, S.C.

Saints Players Team Up With Charity Wines

New Orleans Saints star quarterback Drew Brees and Saints legendary quarterback Bobby Hebert have teamed with Charity Wines to raise substantial funds for two local charities. For every bottle of these charity wines sold, $1.25 will be donated to Drew Brees’ Operation Kids initiative to continue the rebuilding process stemming from Hurricane Katrina, or to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation of New Orleans. Charity Hop, a sports marketing firm that helps athletes raise money for their favorite charities, coordinated program management.

Restructuring Advanced Sensor Technologies

Advanced Sensor Technologies, Inc., a provider of wireless soil-sensing technology, is operating under new ownership, having recently been purchased by a Pennsylvania-based venture capital group with primary holdings in the technology sector. The company will continue to be led by AST founder Walt Norley. The company will continue to offer RZ Wireless, a wireless rootzone monitoring system, and its remediation product RZ Aer, for subsurface aeration, and will continue to support and look for ways to increase U.S.-based customers, as well as expand international product distribution. As part of the restructuring effort, Advanced Sensor Technologies moved its headquarters from North Palm Beach, Fla., to King of Prussia, Pa.

Weathermatic Acquires Ecologic

Weathermatic, a landscape irrigation manufacturer, has acquired Ecologic, developer of the RainBrain line of rain and rain/freeze sensors. Ecologic’s manufacturing operations will move into the Weathermatic production facility in Dallas, Texas.

World’s Longest Baseball Game

Two teams from the men’s senior baseball league, St. Louis, Mo., broke the previous Guinness World Record for the longest baseball game ever played. The game, played by the St. Louis Browns and the St. Louis Stars, lasted 32 hours, 29 minutes and 25 seconds. The Browns beat the Stars 119-81 in 92 innings. The event raised over $100,000 to support the academic, athletic and social programs of Gene Slay’s Boys’ Club of St. Louis.

FieldTurf Tarkett Welcomes Pipe

FieldTurf Tarkett has hired Kevan Pipe as a consultant handling soccer in Canada and the world for the artificial turf company. He will interface with FIFA and coordinate worldwide FIFA Goal projects for FieldTurf Tarkett. Pipe has a bachelor’s in physical education and has been a part of the Canadian Soccer Association for over 25 years.

Warren Evans

ZIPPER Mowers Names Evans National Sales Manager

ZIPPER Mowers has named Warren Evans national sales manager. Evans has more than 20 years of experience in the lawn mowing industry. Most recently, he held the position of national sales manager at Dixie Chopper for 15 years.

Harold Joins Jacobsen

Britton Harold has been named product manager for parts and accessories at Jacobsen. Harold previously worked at Husqvarna as a product-marketing manager and as the business unit manager for parts and accessories within the professional outdoor power business sector. He has a master’s degree in business administration.

Eastman Industries News

Eastman Industries has purchased California Trimmer’s assets. Eastman is moving all of California Trimmer’s inventory from Fresno, Calif., to its manufacturing facility in Portland, Maine. The purchase will enhance Eastman’s current line of mowers, garden tractors and accessories.

Smith Joins The Scotts Co.

Cameron Smith has joined The Scotts Co. as territory manager for northern California, Hawaii, northern Nevada and Utah. His primary responsibilities will include developing new end-user accounts, as well as maintaining existing accounts.

Smith, based in Davis, Calif., has extensive experience in specialty chemical sales within the greenhouse, nursery, landscape and turf industries. His most recent position was as a territory sales manager for Chemtura Corp. in Davis. Prior to his tenure with Chemtura, Smith served as a territory sales manager for BioWorks, Inc. Smith holds a bachelor’s degree in agricultural and environmental science and management from the University of California-Davis.

Patton Receives 2007 Musser Award

The Musser International Turfgrass Foundation has selected Dr. Aaron J. Patton of the University of Arkansas as the recipient of the 2007 Musser Award of Excellence. The award carries a stipend of $20,000.

Patton is an assistant professor and extension turfgrass specialist in Arkansas’ Department of Horticulture. He earned his doctoral and master’s degrees from Purdue University after completing his undergraduate studies at Iowa State University.

Patton was selected based on his excellence in turfgrass science, as well as his work in the field and the classroom.