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Category: Industry

Published: Thursday, 09 February 2012 16:04

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In 35 years as a golf course superintendent, Mark Fuller, CGCS at Connecticut Golf Club, has worked with a few equipment managers. None, he says, have measured up to Jim Kilgallon.

The winner of last year’s TurfNet Technician of the Year Award, presented by The Toro Co. , Kilgallon exhibits all the characteristics a superintendent would want in his head mechanic.

His skills include the ability to fix aging equipment that had been earmarked for replacement, mentoring other area golf course techs, training all employees on safe and proper equipment handling procedures, and developing and implementing an exhaustive preventive maintenance program.

If this describes your equipment manager, then nominate him (or her) for this year’s award. The winner receives the Golden Wrench and a weeklong training session at Toro's Service Training University at the company's headquarters in Bloomington, Minn.

Criteria on which nominees are judged include: crisis management; effective budgeting; environmental awareness; helping to further and promote the careers of colleagues and employees; interpersonal communications; inventory management and cost control; overall condition and dependability of rolling stock; shop safety; and work ethic.

Previous winners include Herb Berg, Oakmont (Pa.) Country Club (2010); Doug Johnson, TPC at Las Colinas, Irving, Texas (2009); Jim Stuart, Stone Mountain (Ga.) Golf Club (2007); Fred Peck, Fox Hollow and The Homestead, Lakewood, Colo. (2006); Jesus Olivas, Heritage Highlands at Dove Mountain, Marana, Ariz. (2005); Henry Heinz, Kalamazoo (Mich.) Country Club (2004); Eric Kulaas, Marriott Vinoy Renaissance Resort, St. Petersburg, Fla. (2003). No award was given in 2008.

Nominations can be made online here or by completing the downloadable PDF form and emailing it to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it." . Be sure to include the name and phone number of the tech; golf course at which he or she works; why they deserve to be considered; and your name, phone number and e-mail address.

Deadline for nominations is April 1. Finalists and the winner will be profile on TurfNet later this year.