Professional Fertilizer & Pesticide
Applicator Re-Certification Class  

2021 Turf Recertification Class

Speaker Biographies

 Judy McGowan – MD Department of Agriculture

• Urban Nutrient Management Specialist

Kelly Love – MD Department of Agriculture

• Agricultural Inspector Supervisor

Andrew Kness – Harford County Cooperative Extension Service, University of Maryland

• Agriculture Extension agent
• MS Plant Pathology, Univ of DE, 2015
• Pesticide license (PVT, 1A, 10)
• Instructor in pesticide safety for 5 yrs in Extension

David Boniface – Agronomist & Turf Specialist, The Mill

• BS in agronomy & Environmental Science
• Delaware Valley College, 1989
• CCA Certified Crop Advisor and Nutrient Management Planner
• 25+ years turf management as a golf course superintendent and agronomist

John Vinson – Regional Turf Specialist, The Mill

• 1987-1989 Harford Community College A.A. Degree Business Management
• 1989-1991 B.S. Degree Towson State University Business Management Graduated Cum Laude
• 1991-1993 University Maryland College Park Agronomy Turf Management Graduated Highest Honors
• 1996-2001 Assistant Superintendent Bidderman Golf Club Wilmington DE
• 2001- 2021 Superintendent Maryland Golf & Country Club Bel Air Maryland
• GCSAA (Golf Course Superintendents of America) Class A Member 33 years
• MAAGCS (Mid Atlantic Association of Golf Course Superintendents) 33 years
• Certified Commercial Pesticide Applicator Maryland 30 years
• Professional Fertilizer Applicator Maryland

Murray Wingate – Director of Sales at Solu-Cal USA

• 30+ years in the turfgrass industry with roles in domestic and international sales, marketing, and new product development
• Grew up on a dairy farm in the Finger Lakes region of New York and has worked in agriculture or horticulture his entire life
• Degree in Agronomy from SUNY Cobleskill and a Certified Turfgrass Professional from the University of Georgia
• Developed training programs for distributors and end users throughout the US and internationally for maintaining high quality turfgrass systems with lower inputs
• Active involvement in supporting the Green Industry
• 2016 - President of the Atlantic Seed Association
• President of the Alliance for Sustainable Turfgrass for four years
• For the last eight years, he has been a member of the board of Project Evergreen, a national non- profit promoting the benefits of Turfgrass and other plants to help benefit the environment. Project Evergreen has completed park and sports field renovations all over the country, including one on Liberty Island in the NY harbor after Hurricane Sandy damage. Project Evergreen also manages Green Care for Troops, which connects Lawn Care professionals with families of deployed service members to provide free lawn care during their deployment.

Rob McCoy - Global Sales Manager, Holganix

• Adjunct Professor Penn State University
• Former licensed applicator in PA, MD, DE, NJ, VA
• Holganix, a revolutionary firm in the green industry, is focused on the future of soil health. After attending Penn State, Rob went into lawn care where he quickly made a name for himself as an industry leader, building and selling one of the largest privately owned lawn care companies spanning 5 states. In 6 years at Holganix, he has worked with MLB, NFL, PGA, and thousands of lawn and landscape professionals. He is currently brokering deals in the U.S., Europe, and Africa to revolutionize how the world grows.

Howard Vlieger - Contact Organics USA

• Managing Director of Contact Organics USA
• Experienced Crop & Livestock Nutrition Adviser since 1992 working with producers across the US & Canada
• Primary Coordinator and coauthor of a first of a novel scientific study on pigs consuming Non-GMO & GMO feedstuffs diets.

 Brian Hoff - Business Manager, WinField United

• The Pennsylvania State University, Agriculture Business Management, 1988
• CCA Certified Crop Agronomist

Robert Brown – Product & Sales Manager, Lebanon Turf

• Adjunct Faculty, Harrisburg Area Community College –2011-2014 - Instructor for Landscape Management & Maintenance
• 2003 – Self Employed partner in a full service landscape company with PA Pesticide certifications and since has been involved in the turf management positions with multiple companies.

Ben Hushon, Partner since 2003, The Mill

• Manager of The Mill Agronomy Division
• CCA Certified Crop Advisor, 1998.
• Pennsylvania 4R Advisory Board member
• Supports sustainability and natural resource improvement through better NUE on farms, turf and yards.

The Mill’s Turf Recertification Class – 12/14/2021

Attendees are approved by PDA and MDA to receive credits for the following:

MD Fertilizer / NM Credits:

3 credits for Nutrient Management for MD fertilizer applicators.

MD Pest Control Categories (8 Credits Approved) for the following categories:

3. 3. Ornamental & Turf
4. A. Ornamental – Exterior (e.g., insect, disease, control on plants in the landscape, and weed control in plant beds and around ornamental plantings)
5. Turf (e.g., weed, insect or disease control to lawns)
6. 6. Right-Of-Way and Weed (e.g., treatment of roadsides, utilities, railroads, non-croplands, fence lines, structural perimeters, or similar areas)
7. Regulatory (NOTE: Only issued to employees of a public agency responsible for enforcement of government mandated programs e.g., noxious weeds, gypsy moth)

PA Pesticide Credits:

The morning session will provide nutrient management credits for MD applicators. If pesticide credits are not needed, participants may leave after the 11:00 session. You are welcome to stay for lunch and then leave. For pesticide credits, you will need to attend from 11:00 to 4:00. Coffee, donuts, and lunch will be provided. There is no cost to attend, we just request an RSVP by 12/10 to provide adequate seating and food. Please provide your applicator license numbers when registering. We will submit all paperwork to MDA and PDA following the class so that you will be assigned your points.