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IGCEMA CEO Stephen Tucker stated, "Roland embodies what our profession is all about. While Roland took his idea to production he has done what many in our profession do every day and that is try to improve things with what we are given. I can't think of a more deserving winner of the 2014 Edwin Budding Award than Roland." 

 From his nomination package:

“Roland serves as the turf tech at the Azalea City Golf Course but had the inspiration to build the Turf Tamer, a concept to aid the Turf Technician in the proper rebuilding of rollers.

Although the need to properly rebuild rollers has been a constant it hasn’t been until now that Roland took the concept thru extensive engineering and finalized a commercial product all thru his personal effort.  This product serves as nothing short of a “third hand” and proves invaluable to the roller rebuilding procedure.

We feel he didn’t contemplate past history and was inspired to develop his own concept as a benefit for Turf Technicians worldwide and deserves the recognition for his continuing and past effort.”

IGCEMA President Mike Kriz stated, "I am pleased with the announcement of Roland McPhearson as this year’s winner of the Edwin Budding Award.  In the many years of presenting this award I have not met anyone more excited and honoured to win this award than Roland.  Roland is truly genuine and represents the Turf Equipment Technician and Equipment Manager in an outstanding manner.  It will be a pleasure to present him with this award."

Roland will be presented with the award next year at the Golf Industry Show in San Antonio, Texas.

About the Edwin Budding Award

The IGCEMA introduced The Edwin Budding Award in 2007 to honor technicians in the golf sector who have made a major contribution to our industry. After contacting all the Manufacturers and asking many industry leaders for names of these types of people, only one came to mind: Edwin Budding was a pioneer who invented the reel mower in 1832, as well as the adjustable spanner/crescent wrench. Edwin was an engineer who thought ‘outside the box’ and created the machine that came to define our industry and which remains a constant to this day.