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Category: Industry

Published: Tuesday, 10 May 2016 11:59

Written by GCSAA

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3 finalists have been selected...

It's time to choose GCM's Most Valuable Technician, presented in partnership with Foley United. Please review the information below on each of the finalists and vote for the one you believe deserves the title of 2016 Most Valuable Technician.

Voting closes June 10. Stay tuned this summer for the announcement of the winner.

Finalist No. 1
Donald Crossway
Kapalua Golf Club, Lahaina, Hawaii

Overseeing the equipment maintenance at one of Hawaii’s best-regarded golf facilities and his creation of a program that trains new employees on equipment operation and safety are just two of the accomplishments that earned Donald Crossway a spot as one of the finalists for the 2016 Most Valuable Technician Award. “Donald has been one of our best new hires here at Kapalua,” says Joseph Cuneo, Kapalua’s superintendent, “and has just been awarded Associate of the Month at the club for going above and beyond on a daily basis.” In addition to his day-to-day work and his self-designed training program, Crossway has developed a strong reputation for shop organization and financial management. He’s also been a key player in Kapalua’s Audubon International recertification and the club’s work with the ePar environmental management tool.

Read Crossway's nomination »

Finalist No. 2
Yvon Jeaurond
Victoria (B.C., Canada) Golf Club

A former service manager for Ford Canada, Yvon Jeaurond adapted quickly to the world of golf course equipment maintenance when he came to Victoria Golf Club a decade ago. So much so, that his nominating superintendent for the 2016 Most Valuable Technician Award, J. Paul Robertson, says, “In my 30 years as a golf course superintendent, I have never met or worked with a more qualified and hardworking service manager.” A recognized leader in the business who has consulted with numerous other clubs in their hiring processes for new equipment managers, Jeaurond also shares his expertise outside the business, volunteering to teach automotive maintenance classes at a local college. He also led the effort to design and build the club’s new state-of-the-art maintenance facility, and conducts tours of that facility for local superintendents and equipment managers on a regular basis.

Read Jeaurond's nomination »

Finalist No. 3
J.R. Wilson
Noyac Golf Club, Sag Harbor, N.Y.

From his many accomplishments around the maintenance facility to his service as a local volunteer firefighter, J.R. Wilson brings a host of talents to his duties as the equipment manager at Noyac Golf Club. “I cannot say enough about how vital J.R. is in keeping the daily operations running smoothly and on-task at the golf course,” says Noyac superintendent Brian Goleski, who nominated Wilson for the 2016 Most Valuable Technician Award. Wilson is a talented parts fabricator who invented a modified blower cart last year that has been met with wide industry acclaim. He brings strong electrical skills to the shop, and also is adept at irrigation design and maintenance. And when he’s not at the golf course, Wilson serves as a member of the Sag Harbor Volunteer Fire Department, where he is a trained first responder, skills that bleed over into his work at Noyac, where he trains new employees on equipment use and safety.

Read Wilson's nomination »