By Sam Bauer
Roger Stewart, CGCS
Courtesy of the Golf Course Superintendent’s Association of America (www.gcsaa.org)
Roger Stewart, certified golf course superintendent (CGCS) at TPC Twin Cities in St. Paul, Minn., has been selected to receive the 2014 President’s Award for Environmental Stewardship by the board of directors of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA).
Stewart will officially receive the award Wednesday, Feb. 5, during the Opening Session at the 2014 Golf Industry Show in Orlando (Feb. 1-6). The Opening Session is being presented in partnership with Syngenta.
A 38-year member of GCSAA, Stewart has accumulated an impressive array of environmental accomplishments at each stop along a nearly four-decade career as a golf course superintendent. Since joining the TPC network of courses in 1996, he has served as a leader and a resource on environmental matters across all 33 TPC courses, and has been equally involved in issues on the local level through leadership in numerous superintendent chapters.
“GCSAA members such as Roger Stewart set a shining example for all superintendents through the positive environmental stewardship he has displayed during his career,” says GCSAA President Patrick R. Finlen, CGCS. “His openness and willingness to share what he has learned with others has been a benefit to our entire industry, and we’re pleased to honor him for his many accomplishments.”
Stewart’s first stop in the TPC system was as the grow-in superintendent at TPC Jasna Polana in Princeton, N.J. He worked diligently throughout the construction process to protect the water sources and native wildlife habitat that surround the environmentally sensitive site. Under his direction, Jasna Polana was certified as both an Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary by Audubon International and a River Friendly Golf Course through the Stony Brook Millstone Watershed Association.
After moving to TPC Twin Cities in 2008, Stewart continued his stewardship efforts. He recertified the property as an Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary. He oversaw work on surface water areas that included stream bank stabilization, the enhancement of wildlife habitat areas and a naturalized planting project. Stewart also focused on the expansion of low-maintenance areas, and the reduction of irrigation water use, and TPC Twin Cities has regularly ranked among the leaders in low energy use among golf courses in the greater Minneapolis area.
The GCSAA President’s Award for Environmental Stewardship was established in 1991 to recognize “an exceptional environmental contribution to the game of golf; a contribution that further exemplifies the golf course superintendent’s image as a steward of the land.” For a full list of past winners, visit www.gcsaa.org/community/awards.
About GCSAA and the EIFG
GCSAA is a leading golf organization and has as its focus golf course management. Since 1926, GCSAA has been the top professional association for the men and women who manage golf courses in the United States and worldwide. From its headquarters in Lawrence, Kan., the association provides education, information and representation to nearly 18,000 members in more than 72 countries. GCSAA’s mission is to serve its members, advance their profession and enhance the enjoyment, growth and vitality of the game of golf. Find GCSAA on Facebook, follow GCSAA on Twitter, and visit GCSAA at www.gcsaa.org. The Environmental Institute for Golf is the philanthropic organization of the GCSAA, and has as its mission to foster sustainability through research, awareness, education, programs and scholarships for the benefit of golf course management professionals, golf facilities and the game. Visit www.eifg.org.