05 April 2023, USA: Golf course superintendents can now apply online for the 2023 Syngenta Business Institute℠ (SBI) professional development program, which will be in-person at the Graylyn International Conference Center in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Dec. 5-8. Golf course superintendents have until Monday, Aug. 21, to apply online.
“We know superintendents are responsible for not only managing course agronomics, but also being exceptional leaders, which is why Syngenta has been committed to this program for 15 years,” said Stephanie Schwenke, turf market manager for Syngenta. “The education by Wake Forest University MBA professors is truly elite. It is refreshing to see the superintendents who complete the program eager to implement the strategies they have learned.”
In partnership with the nationally ranked Wake Forest University Executive Education program, the 2023 SBI curriculum will feature educational courses designed to teach superintendents critical business leadership skills. Superintendents will also be given the opportunity to build valuable connections with industry professionals throughout the week. Upon completion, participants will earn 1.5 GCSAA Education Points. Topics to be covered during this year’s program include
Work/life balance
Negotiations
Leadership/decision-making
Tools for managing employees
Leading across cultures and generations
“Interested in applying for SBI? Go for it,” said Jill Seymour, CGCS, golf course superintendent at Charleston Springs Golf Course in Millstone, New Jersey. “It’s a lot of work, but work that will come back to you tenfold. I met three fellow superintendents all within an hour of me who I have stayed in contact with since.”
Class size for SBI is limited to establish a strong interaction among participants and instructors. Attendees must be employed as a superintendent, director of agronomy or at an equivalent level in the golf course industry in the U.S. to be eligible.
“2023 will mark the 15th year of the Syngenta Business Institute, yet each year we continue to make curricular changes to better reflect the needs of the participants,” said Kerry Shronts, executive director of executive education at Wake Forest University. “For that reason, we worked extensively with Syngenta to integrate additional leadership content into the curriculum to better prepare SBI participants for enhanced leadership roles.”
To apply, visit GreenCastOnline.com/SBI. Superintendents can also contact their local Syngenta territory manager for more information. To be considered, candidates must fill out an application, which includes a short essay on why they should be chosen to attend.
Applications must be submitted online by midnight PDT on Aug. 21. Selected participants will be notified in October.
