Sports Turf Managers Association to Host 28th Annual Conference & Exhibition

Leading Industry Event Returns to Orlando for First Time Since 2010

(LAWRENCE, Kan.) – Sports Turf Managers Association (STMA) – the professional organization for 2,600 men and women managing sports fields worldwide who are critical to the safety of athletes and coaches – will host its 28th annual Conference & Exhibition January 24-27, 2017 in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

Approximately 1,200 leaders in the sports turf industry will gather at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort for more than 75 hours of cutting-edge sports turf education, dedicated networking functions and exhibitor demonstrations. This marks the first time the event has returned to Orlando since 2010.

Close to 50 educational sessions and panel discussions will feature sports turf managers along with academic and commercial representatives from schools, colleges and universities, parks and recreational facilities, and professional sports stadiums.

With eight educational tracks, sample topics include agronomics, water, professional development, facility management, construction/renovation, industry developments, synthetic, and K-12.

"Each year we look forward to sharing best practices, networking and learning about new industry trends," says Kim Heck, CAE, CEO of STMA. "We’re excited to return to the ‘Sunshine State’ for the 2017 Conference, which will offer comprehensive educational opportunities and inspire sports turf managers to re-energize for the upcoming year."

Laura Katen, President of Katen Consulting, has been tapped as the event's highly anticipated keynote speaker. A New York-based professional development training company, Katen and her team travel nationally conducting seminars for Fortune 500 companies to not-for-profit companies. Katen will address the topic of professionalism, and how communication at an individual and organizational level influences how you are perceived by your peers, employer and community.

New additions to the Conference include Chapter Board Members' Reception, multiple “Fun Run/Walk” times, led by chair Tom Nielsen of the Louisville Bats, and an educational track created specifically for K-12 sports turf managers

Returning for 2017, the always-popular “Seminar on Wheels Tours” will visit Raymond James Stadium, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Practice Facility, Barnett Park, the Citrus Bowl and Disney’s ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.

Conference attendees can also take advantage of continuing education units from the American Sports Builders Association, Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, National Association of Landscape Professionals, National Recreation and Park Association, Professional Grounds Management Society and STMA.

The SAFE Foundation – STMA’s charitable arm enriching communities by championing safe, sustainable sports and recreation fields – will host a variety of fundraising activities throughout the Conference. It also presents awards to the winners of the Student Challenge, a competition between teams of undergraduates in turfgrass programs with two groups taking home $5,000 each.

Registration for the Conference opens Saturday, October 1. Receive complimentary entrance with new membership dues. Be sure to book online before January 6 to take advantage of “early bird” rates.

For more info: www.stma.org, www.twitter.com/fieldexperts, 800.323.3875.