Newly elected GCSAA President John R. Fulling Jr., CGCS, left, acknowledges the 2020 GCSAA Board of Directors near the conclusion of the Annual Meeting on Thursday at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla. Fulling is the association’s 84th president. Photos by Montana Pritchard
As GCSAA Annual Meetings go, the one that transpired Thursday at the Orange County Convention Center was relatively uneventful.
John R. Fulling Jr., CGCS, was elected president, and Mark F. Jordan, CGCS, was elected vice president in balloting among the assembled delegates. Fulling is superintendent at Kalamazoo (Mich.) Country Club and a 30-year GCSAA member; Jordan, natural resources leader at Westfield Country Club in Westfield Center, Ohio, is a 34-year association member.
In the only contested GCSAA Board of Directors officer race, Kevin P. Breen, CGCS, was voted into the role of secretary/treasurer. Breen is superintendent at La Rinconada Country Club in Los Gatos, Calif., and a 29-year GCSAA member.
Kevin P. Sunderman, CGCS, who was edged out in balloting for secretary/treasurer, joined the ballot and was chosen to another term on the board.
Douglas D. Dykstra, CGCS, then won the voting to join the board for the next two years. Dykstra is the superintendent at White Mountain Country Club in Pinetop, Ariz. The final board domino fell when Rafael Barajas, CGCS, assumed his board slot as immediate past president.
T.A. Barker, CGCS, Paul L. Carter, CGCS, and Jeff L. White, CGCS, all have one year remaining on their two-year terms on the board.
Vowing to work tirelessly to move GCSAA forward, Fulling graciously took the gavel from Barajas and gave his thanks to Barajas and 2019 immediate past president Darren J. Davis, CGCS, for their guidance.
“This organization is in great shape,” Fulling said, before motioning to the board assembled behind him, “and with these guys behind me, it’s in great hands.”
In brief addresses, both Davis and Fulling encouraged the assembled delegates to continue to serve and to consider a role in leadership.
“You will get, personally and professionally, exponentially, back what you put into it,” Fulling said.
Before handing off the gavel, Barajas — GCSAA’s 83rd president and its first Hispanic president — thanked GCSAA members and staff, his co-workers and his family for their support. But he promised he wasn’t finished advocating and working for the golf course maintenance industry.
“The next 12 months are going to be a little less challenging for me,” he said, “but I look forward to staying in service and advancing the profession.”
More moments from the Annual Meeting:
Andrew Hartsock is GCM’s managing editor.