GCSAA revives relocation process

LAWRENCE, Kan. - The Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) has kicked its headquarters relocation process back into gear after putting the decision-making process on hold earlier this year at the association’s annual meeting in Atlanta.

The GCSAA has created a Headquarters Location Resource Group made up of association members to study relocation issue. The group met with GCSAA officers and consultant FPL and Associates in June to discuss the process and criteria and will make a presentation at the chapter delegates meeting in September at GCSAA headquarters here.

“We are putting in place a process that has proven to be successful in the past and that is to get an independent group of members together to tackle a complex strategic issue like the headquarters location,” said GCSAA CEO Stephen F. Mona.

Since the GCSAA removed a vote on the articles of incorporation from the annual meeting in Atlanta this winter (GCN, March 2003), it must now win approval from its membership on the relocation of its headquarters. A Golf Course News Poll, conducted in March, showed that 50 percent of members approved of the relocation.

“The membership will now make the decision if it comes down to that,” Mona said.

Before a recommendation can come in, however, Mona said the resources group needs to develop a research process.

At the chapter delegates meeting in September, the resource group will outline its process and criteria. Once those details are finalized, the group will begin to conduct research. The group will have access to all the research done by the board of directors, and they will be able to study cities beyond the board’s short list of Phoenix, Orlando and Jacksonville.

According to Mona, if a headquarters change is recommended it would be at least 2005 before the move would be brought to the members because the board of directors would then move to assess deals in the recommended location. Once a deal is in place, the relocation decision would be voted on by the members.

“If we are going to have a vote on this, members are going to demand details to describe what the situation would look like in the new city,” Mona said.

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Members of the Headquarters Location Resource Group are: Pat Finlen, CGCS, chairman; Tom Mason, vice-chairman; Bob Alonzi, CGCS; Ray Davies, CGCS; Kevin Downing, CGCS; Mark Esoda, CGCS; James Fitzroy, CGCS; Keith Ihms, CGCS; Todd Lupkes, CGCS; Sandy Queen, CGCS; and Bob Randquist, CGCS.