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Candidates for the Parks & Recreation Director
Stephen Crockett, CSFM
City of Union City, TN
Stephen C. Crockett, CSFM is Director of Turf Management and Athletic Facility Operations for the City of Union City, TN, a position he has held since 2005. He directs a municipal department that operates a 12 field sports complex; a municipal baseball stadium as well as a school complex. Previously he was the Director of Parks and Recreation for the City of Dresden, TN.
He was certified as a Sports Field Manager in 2008 and has been a member of STMA since 2003. He serves on the STMA Membership Committee. He also is very involved in his chapter, serving as its current president, president elect in 2008 and was the West District membership chairman for three years.
Stephen holds a B.S. in Education from the University of Tennessee at Martin. He is a member of the American Baseball Coaches Association, Rotary International, Union City Youth Athletic Alliance and is on the Education Committee for the Tennessee Turf Grass Association.
Vision for STMA:
From my departmental mission statement to my philosophy of “extreme” turf management, I have dedicated myself to the improvement of the industry on a state and local scale. I feel that this philosophy can carry over well to the national board.
While we are in a time of challenging conditions and situations in our profession, our society and in our personals lives, we must work to keep STMA both fiscally sound and a necessary asset to its membership. STMA must be a dynamic organization that serves its membership through these difficult times. The organization must work to continue to reach all areas of turf management, especially maintenance divisions within the intermediate and small parks and recreation systems. I know that many individuals in this area of the industry feel intimidated, or that they are left out of STMA. There are also directors who do not place value on field maintenance, and we must work to educate them on the importance of proper management programs. We need to work to educate everyone within the industry that while they may not have adequate funding, it is knowledge and work ethic that lead to safe and playable fields. As an organization, we must inspire all of our members, as well as non-members. Everyone who I have met in this industry who is inspired is highly successful and does an outstanding job, regardless of the resources available to them. There is a tremendous opportunity for growth as an organization as high field standards become the norm rather than the exception. STMA has the resources and support to continue to raise and set these standards. As an organization, we must also focus on our student members and students in turf management to promote municipal job opportunities in that they are both rewarding personally and financially.
It is my personal vision to be an active part of STMA; it is an organization that creates excitement, outstanding networking, excellent educational opportunities and where members all seek inspiration in our profession, from other professionals.
vs.
David Pinsonneault, CSFM, CPRP
Town of Lexington, MA
David Pinsonneault, CSFM, CPRP has been the Public Grounds Superintendent for the Town of Lexington since 2000 and has been working with athletic fields in the municipal setting since 1990. His current responsibilities include the overall operation of the Park, Forestry, Streetlight and Cemetery Divisions within the Public Works Department, which encompass approximately 600 acres of land, 75 acres of athletic fields, four cemeteries, more than 3,000 streetlights and approximately 10,000 street trees. He supervises a staff of 22 full-time employees.
David holds a Bachelor of Science in Forestry from the University of New Hampshire. He also graduated from the Park Maintenance and Management School sponsored by the National Park and Recreation Association and North Carolina State University. He attained the STMA CSFM designation in 2007, and is a Certified Arborist, Certified Playground Safety Inspector, Certified Aquatic Facility Operator, and Certified Park and Recreation Professional. He is a member of numerous associations and a past President of the New England Sports Turf Managers Association (NESTMA). He has worked on the NESTMA Board of Directors for more than 10 years. During his presidency he led the affiliation of NESTMA into the STMA chapter network.
Vision for STMA:
STMA should continue to be the leader and the unifying voice in the sports turf industry. The current Vision Plan that the Board is working on is well thought-out and puts the focus on communication, professionalism and education. Given the current economy, STMA needs to remain viable, visible and supportive to all members. People working in the sports turf industry and the people using sports turf facilities need a strong national organization that they can turn to for advice, support and guidance. STMA should be the authoritative source on sports field maintenance and field use to provide credibility and stability for the industry. Education is a major focus not only to the sports turf manager to help them do their job better, but to field users and decisions-makers to help alleviate the misinformation, lack of understanding and knowledge out in the field. Continuing to deliver quality conferences, regional shows and educational materials is very important to member professionalism. Partnerships should continue to be made in order to enhance the programs and opportunities offered to the membership. STMA should continue to strengthen and enhance the CSFM Program, which helps to validate us as professionals at all levels. The direction for the future remains bright and positive, and we should continue to move forward and make STMA an organization that people are proud of, want to be members of and be associated with.