2024 FEATURED SPEAKERS
Our featured speakers are some of the brightest individuals across the country in turfgrass management and research. These high-profile speakers will present top trends impacting the turfgrass industry. Learn more about each featured speaker by scrolling over their image and selecting their bio.
2024 SESSION SPEAKERS
The following individuals represent turfgrass institutions and industry professionals from across the state of the Iowa. Learn more about these individuals by scrolling over their image and selecting their bio.
Chava McKeel
GCSAA Director, Government Affairs
Matt Giese
Syngenta, Turf & Landscape Division
Ben Pease,
Ph.D.
The Andersons
Jeff Iles,
Ph.D.
Iowa State University
Nick Christians, Ph.D.
Iowa State University
Todd Loecke
Syngenta
Zac Reicher,
Ph.D.
Envu Green Solutions Team
Paula Sliefert
The Toro Company
Nic Mitchell
Corteva
2024 SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES
James Manske
James Manske started his entrepreneurial journey at the age of 10 and by 15, he launched a well-known lawn and landscape company. With over 18 years in the Green Industry, James has grown his company to 7 divisions and over 70 internal team members. James has additionally built multiple businesses including a real estate investment company, and an innovative equipment and fabrication company. He shares through his Amazon best-selling book, Thinking Horizontally, his signature talks, and his coaching programs, successfully proven processes to help others expand their businesses and lives. His creative but simplified thought process and unique ability to envision industry-leading transformations make James an encyclopedia for all entrepreneurs and those that want to excel in their industry.
Sam Schmidt
Sam founded Above Par Tech of Iowa in 2018 with the goal of providing GPS spray solutions to the turf market. Since 2018, the product lines have expanded along with the geographical area in which you can find Above Par Tech’s products. He graduated from Iowa State University in 2012 with a degree in Agricultural Systems Technology. Following graduation, he spent 5 years in a role testing competitive technology for John Deere Intelligent Solutions Group. After John Deere, he worked for the sprayer equipment startup company, MaggrowTec. It was during this time that Sam discovered the benefits the turf market could realize from the use of GPS technology.
Adam Thoms, Ph.D.
Adam Thoms, Ph.D., is an assistant professor in the department of horticulture at Iowa State University. He earned his B.S. in horticulture with the turfgrass option from Iowa State University, a master’s in plant science in the turfgrass option from the University of Tennessee and his Ph.D. in plants, insects and soils from the University of Tennessee. His appointment allows him the opportunity to be involved with extension, research and teaching. Thoms’ research focuses on the performance of turfgrasses subjected to various management techniques.
Ben McGraw, Ph.D.
Dr. Ben McGraw is an associate professor of Turfgrass Science at Penn State University, specializing in insect pest management. He obtained a Bachelors of Science from the University of Maine, his Master of Science degree in Entomology from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and a doctorate in Entomology from Rutgers University. Dr. McGraw’s appointment at Penn State includes teaching, research, and extension. His research program focuses on understanding insect ecology and behavior to develop sustainable turf pest management practices.
Chave McKeel
Chava McKeel has been with the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America since December 1997. She currently serves as the Director, Government Affairs. From 1997 to 1999, she was the Communications Coordinator for the association. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Geography from the University of Kansas. In college, she interned in the Kansas State Senate. As part of her job responsibilities, Chava directs all activities of the Government Affairs.
Jeff Iles, Ph.D.
Jeff serves as Professor and Chair of the Department of Horticulture at Iowa State University (Ames, IA). He teaches, conducts applied research, and provides Extension programming in the areas of landscape plant establishment and maintenance, woody plant (mostly trees) evaluation, and nursery and garden center management. He received his B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in horticulture from Michigan State, Penn State, and Iowa State, respectively. Between degrees, Jeff worked in the retail garden center/landscape installation segment of the green industry, first in suburban Detroit, Michigan, and later in Littleton, Colorado.
Zac Reicher, Ph.D.
Zac Reicher has been a Technical Specialist on Envu’s (formerly Bayer) Green Solutions Team since March of 2015, covering all states west of the Mississippi. He also now serves as manager of that team since Nov 2023. He spent the 19 years prior to Bayer/Envu as a professor of turfgrass science at Purdue University and Univ. of Nebraska. He’s been working in turf since 1980 when he started killing greens at Dyersville (Iowa) Golf and Country Club at the tender age of 15.
Matt Giese
Matt is a Technical Service Rep with Syngenta Professional Solutions in the turf & landscape division. He holds a Masters degree in Turfgrass Management and a Bachelors degree in Agronomy, both from the University of Nebraska. He provides agronomic consulting and solutions to turf managers in 16 states across the Midwestern US. He collaborates with academic and industry scientists to test and develop new and existing products through field testing. In his free time, he enjoys working at the local golf course on the weekend maintenance crew. Matt resides with his family in Kansas City.
Nick Christians, Ph.D.
Nick Christians is a Professor of Horticulture at Iowa State University, specializing in Turfgrass Science. Nick received his Ph.D. and M.S. degrees from Ohio State University in Agronomy and his B.S. from the Colorado State University School of Forestry. Between his B.S. and M.S. degrees, Nick was employed as an assistant golf course superintendent at Flatirons Country Club in Boulder, Colorado and as a golf course superintendent in Pueblo, Colorado. His awards include: the 1998 Iowa Intellectual Property Law Association Inventor of the Year Award, the 1996 R & D 100 award for the development of new technology, Outstanding Undergraduate Educator Award from the American Society of Horticultural Science, ISU Outstanding Advisor Award, Iowa Turfgrass Institute Meritorious Service Award, Nebraska Turfgrass Foundation Presidential Award and Iowa GCSA Distinguished Service Award.
Wayne Horman
Graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, BS in Soil Science and Horticulture with a Major in Turfgrass Management. Wayne has served on a number of boards, including the Wisconsin Turfgrass Association, serving as past president, former board member of STMA.
More recently served as a consultant with Scotts – MLS/MLB. My current role with Landmark Seed is the Director of New Product Development
Quincy Law, Ph.D.
Dr. Quincy Law is an Assistant Professor of Turfgrass Science at Iowa State University. Previously, Dr. Law worked as an Assistant Professor of Invasive and Noxious Weeds at North Dakota State University, and he earned his bachelor’s degree at Iowa State University and his master’s and PhD at Purdue University, under the guidance of Dr. Aaron Patton. Dr. Law teaches various turfgrass courses and conducts turfgrass research on weed biology and control, reducing inputs, and soils. Quincy spends his free time playing golf and catching fish.
Paula Sliefert
Paula Sliefert joined The Toro Company in 2007 and currently serves as senior manager in the company’s Commercial Business. In her role, she has responsibility for supporting a number of Toro’s key industry relationships – in addition she develops and implements strategies targeted at growing the Sports Fields & Grounds market segments, which represents professional and collegiate sports, educational institutions, and government including federal, state and local entities.
Ben Pease, Ph.D.
Pease is currently serving as agronomist for The Andersons. Pease comes to The Andersons from Iowa State University, where he most recently held the position of research scientist. Prior to his time in academia, he served as an assistant superintendent for Cherokee Country Club and Whistling Straits golf courses. Pease earned his doctorate in turf and turfgrass management from Iowa State University, and he holds both a master’s degree and Bachelor of Science from the University of Wisconsin. He currently resides in Ames, Iowa, with his wife and two daughters.
Todd Loecke
After graduating from Iowa State University with a bachelor’s in agricultural studies, Loecke started his career in 1991 with a Syngenta legacy company as a crop protection territory manager. He began with Syngenta Professional Solutions in 1998 as a territory manager. In 2007, Loecke became the Midwest district sales manager for turf and ornamentals, a position he held until he began his new role this last year as Syngenta’s head of key accounts.
Nic Mitchell
Nic received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in Turfgrass and Landscape Management. In December of 2019, he received a Master of Science in Horticulture with an emphasis in Turfgrass Science and Weed Science from Kansas State University. In September of 2020, became the Territory Manager for the Pennsylvania/New Jersey Territory where he calls on distribution and end-user’s customers making product recommendations and diagnosing agronomic problems.
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