Editor's notebook: Midwest milestone

Midwest milestone

GCI’s Guy Cipriano visits a hospitable biennial show staged by a venerable Wisconsin-based company.

Cozy. Folksy. Friendly. Consistent. Adaptable.

A slew of Midwest-inspired concepts were on display during a stop in Waukesha, Wis., for the 22nd Reinders Green Industry Conference. From the domed Waukesha Expo Center, which featured the aroma of coffee and homemade donuts on the mornings of March 11 and 12, to floor staples such as red machinery and Skee-Ball competitions, the biennial event resembled a turf family reunion. In many ways, it was.

Reinders is a family-owned Wisconsin-based distribution company celebrating its 150th anniversary. Think of how many companies in this business don’t last 150 weeks let alone 150 years? Reinders, which started selling general merchandise and groceries at a location outside of Milwaukee, evolved as the business world around it changed. Products recently used on many Midwest golf courses were handled by someone associated with Reinders.

The company, started by John Reinders, is on its fifth generation of leadership. It has weathered prosperous and turbulent times. “We have not stuck to one thing,” says Craig Reinders, the company’s president. “In seeing my ancestors’ history play out, they pursued opportunity where it was and when the time was right.”

Today’s opportunities rest in the green industry. The 160-page turf, irrigation and grounds maintenance catalogue Reinders displayed at the conference included more than 1,000 products. Geographic and product diversity and a mix of revenue originating from the private and public sectors helped Reinders endure recent slides in the golf and landscape markets, according to Craig, who actively started working for the company in 1988. “It forced us into coming to terms with our strengths and weaknesses,” he says. “We were challenged incredibly like a lot of distribution was during 2008-09. I have good friends in the business. … Who would have thought that multi-generational businesses would just collapse overnight? But the market was disappearing underneath them. Had we not been the diverse company that we were, we would have collapsed.”

The current version of Reinders features 205 employees, including many with extensive golf and landscape backgrounds. The people selling products for Reinders know their stuff. “There are no bargains in people. Literally,” Craig says. “I know that’s a cliché, but you have to hire the best people you can get your hands on.”

The first and final speakers in one crowded conference room demonstrated the familial feel to the conference. Michigan State’s Dr. Joe Vargas has presented at all 22 Reinders’ conferences while Jerry Kershasky works for the company. This year, Vargas dispelled pesticide myths and analyzed bentgrass vs. Poa annua characteristics. Kershasky, the former superintendent at Westmoor Country Club and University Ridge, offered do’s and don’ts for green renovations. Many of the attendees listening to Vargas and Kershasky personally knew the pair.

Craig uses a familiar business word to describe the conference. “I think it’s more of an opportunity for us,” he says. “I think we are fortunate to be able to produce a show like this. I don’t know if you can start something like this today and do it.” Or for that matter, start a company and watch it last 150 years.
 

Part of the solution

Superintendent Radio Network isn’t afraid to explore issues away from the course. Tom Werner isn’t afraid to discuss his past problems with alcohol.

As part of SRN’s “Superintendent Health” series, Werner, a territory sales manager for Jacobsen, provides a detailed account about the alcohol troubles he experienced during his career as a Texas superintendent and the decision he made six years ago to live an alcohol-free life. “As you get older, you realize it takes a toll on you,” he says.

To hear more from Werner, enter bit.ly/19ZRRp4 into your web browser. The episode is one of 14 produced by SRN through the first three months of this year. To view the entire 2015 collection of SRN episodes, enter bit.ly/1tETfis into your web browser.
 

Greenkeeping around the globe

Our Bruce Williams identified — and attended — four major industry conferences outside of the U.S. this winter. Besides accumulating thousands of frequent flier miles, Williams filled a notebook with a collection of stories about the events.

Dispatches from his travels can be viewed by entering bit.ly/1HX60RH into your web browser. We’re confident this is the only place to read about conferences in England, Korea, Thailand and China in one click. Even if you never consider attending events such as the SKY72 Winter Seminars and Training Center, you can glean something from Williams’ description of the value Korean management places on employee training. Williams also offers perspective on the condition of the mysterious Chinese golf market.
 

From the feed

Bob Estes is different than many PGA Tour players. The 49-year-old Texan has strong opinions about everything associated with golf, including course conditions. After a brutal, windy start to the Valero Texas Open, Estes questioned whether the PGA Tour should have heeded advance warnings about strong winds and decreased the speed of the slick TPC San Antonio greens. We retweeted Estes’ thoughts and asked our followers whether projected high winds alter how they prepare greens. Estes responded almost immediately.

Bob Estes @BobEstesPGA
@GCIMagazine The Tour knew that the high winds were coming. The greens are probably a ½ a foot to a foot from calling ‘em off the course.

Terry Davio @terrydavio
@GCImagazine @BobEstesPGA not here but membership doesn’t want speeds over 10’, so I maintain around 9’ 6” and let the slopes be the speed.

Bob Estes @BobEstesPGA
@terrydavio @GCImagazine That sounds perfect, Terry!

John Gall @GallJgall4
@GCImagazine @BobEstesPGA Hard to alter ball roll in 12 hours with today’s growth regulators and maintenance methods #turnthedial

Joshua Hicks @AlexandriaSuper
@GCImagazine @BobEstesPGA hard to say what they did to greens this am, However tees and pin locations could have been reviewed to acct 4 wind
 

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