Episode 190: Toro Grounds Leadership Podcast Tour- Wendell Hutchens

The highlight of our travels was checking in with one of our former students from the Brentsville Turf Toro Grounds Academy, Julie Kessler, Field Manager for CPKC Stadium the home of the KC Current. It is something truly special to see where she started in our classroom to see her at the highest level! We are so proud. You do not want to miss it!

We are beyond lucky to be able to stop in and see our great friend Travis Hogan at Arrowhead in Kansas City. It was great to catch up on all things Chiefs and growing grass in the transition zone. We also have the honor of speaking together at this years SFMA Conference. Be sure to catch this episode today!

Our next stop on the road brings us to Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. We had the honor of interviewing one of the one of the greatest groundskeepers of all time, Trevor Vance, the Head Groundskeeper of the Kansas City Royals. An incredible conversation of how sports field management has changed from the early years to today, while diving into his passion of coaching baseball and how it ties into his success as a professional. Also, just one of the most authentic people you will ever talk to! You do not want to miss this one!

The one that we all have been waiting for is this podcast with one of our good friend, Mr. Jordan Netzel of the Lawn Tools. We were able to make a trip out to a very special place of where the new Headquarters will be for the Lawn Tools where they are making something truly special! We also dive into the journey of how it all came to be and how we met along the way specifically, the impact that he has had on our program. Truly an incredible episode you do not want to miss!!

Be sure to check out our most recent podcast from our tour with one of our industry's future bright minds, Kennedy Ellis. It was so great catching up with her as she is spending the summer at the turf research center for her internship. You can tell how passionate she is about her research and her future as an educator. Be sure to check it out!

Our first stop on the 2025 Toro Grounds Leadership Podcast Tour was in Fayetville, Arkansas where we sat down with the Assistant Professor of the Arkansas Turf Program Wendall Hutchens. Great time catching up with one of the best people in the industry you will ever meet. We toured the research farm and all of the incredible work of the turf staff and students. An Episode you do not want to miss.

We are back with an awesome episode with a young industry professional, Whitney Mesi of Oklahoma Softball. She has an incredible story that has led her to this industry with a promising future. She also has awesome insight into taking risks and living your life to the fullest! Truly an incredible human being who I am so excited to see her future!

Be sure to check out our latest episode featuring newly named Dr. Travis Roberson from the Syngenta Company. We are thrilled to partner with the Syngenta Company, where we will be installing Spiio sensors throughout our facility at Brentsville. We were able to have Travis out to discuss the work he is doing with this innovative technologies and the impact that they can have on how we manage our turf. We also go the chance to reminisce on our days at Virginia Tech where we were students together. Awesome conversation with an even better person. Be sure to listen.

Talk about an episode that everyone needs to listen to. The incredible insight that Josh gives on his experience and how he operates at ASU is something that we all can benefit from. The culture that he has been able to create among his crew is something that is special and should be used throughout the industry. His priorities to himself, family, and crew members are truly inspiring. This is an episode that everyone needs to listen to.

We had the honor of having Andi on the podcast fresh off of her first trip to the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, where she received the incredible Allan MacCurrach Jr. Award. This is a great, authentic conversation with one of the most motivated industry professionals on the podcast with her unique journey to this point in her career. This is an episode you do not want to miss.