2026 OGCSA Annual Meeting Recap

The Oregon Golf Course Superintendents Association (OGCSA) held its Annual Meeting on May 20, 2026, with members gathering for a productive day of association business, educational updates, and celebration of excellence within our industry.

The meeting kicked off with the association’s annual business meeting featuring officer and committee reports, followed by Board of Directors election results.

Committee & Financial Reports

President Stephen Purdy opened the business meeting with a comprehensive report on the state of the association. He reviewed a busy calendar filled with events held to support and serve OGCSA members. Purdy encouraged members to mentor the next generation of professionals and reach out to new faces and ones we haven’t seen in a while within the industry to expose them to the value of association involvement and events. Planning for an exciting Centennial celebration is currently underway as the association looks forward to celebrating 100 years of service to the industry.

Vice President and Education Chair Josh Loy highlighted the continued success of the 2025 and 2026 educational programs. The Pest Management Webinar Series remains a highly successful virtual educational opportunity for members. In 2025, the program expanded through partnerships with the Idaho GCSA and Inland Empire GCSA while continuing its partnership with the Oregon Landscape Contractors Association (OLCA).

Secretary/Treasurer Steven Beyer provided a positive financial report, noting the association’s continued strong financial position thanks to solid membership support and valuable industry partnerships. Beyer also acknowledged another record-breaking year for rounds donated to the Rounds 4 Research Auction, which helps fund OGCSA scholarships, including the new National Golf Day Scholarship introduced in 2026, while continuing the association’s support pledge to the Oregon Turfgrass Foundation.

Beyer then transitioned into the Environmental/BMP Committee Report, encouraging members to complete BMP facility adoption. He highlighted GCSAA’s newly launched and improved BMP tool, which simplifies the adoption process and allows members to complete updates directly from their phones, including easier access for uploading course photos.

Golf & Tournament Committee Chair Sean Watts provided updates on upcoming events, including an exciting new tournament scheduled for June 16 at the new Shortland Golf Club. The event will feature five-player teams competing on the par-three course, along with an optional chipping contest following play. Watts also announced that the 2026 Crew Tournament dates are set, with events returning to Arrowhead Golf Club in August and Quail Run Golf Club in September.

Assistant Liaison Caleb Smith reported that the annual Assistants Meeting will once again be held later this year in November at Eugene Country Club.

Board Election Results

All incumbent Board officers were re-elected to their positions for a second term:

• President — Stephen Purdy, Superintendent at Willamette Valley Country Club
• Vice President — Josh Loy, Superintendent at Stewart Meadows Golf Course
• Secretary/Treasurer — Steven Beyer, Superintendent at Illahe Hills Country Club

There were no open Superintendent Director positions this year. Incumbent Affiliate Director Sean Watts with Simplot Turf & Horticulture was re-elected to a second two-year term as Affiliate Director.

Please join us in welcoming back these leaders to the Board. Their leadership and service to the association and industry are greatly appreciated.

Scholarships & Awards Presentations

Following the business meeting, Awards & Scholarship Committee Chair Kyle Watt and Assistant Liaison Caleb Smith recognized this year’s OGCSA scholarship recipients.

Legacy Scholarships were awarded to graduating high school senior Payton Freitag of Mountain View High School, daughter of David Freitag, Director of Agronomy at Pronghorn Resort, and Kai Kiyokawa, student at the OHSU School of Dentistry and son of Gordon Kiyokawa, CGCS, Superintendent at Royal Oaks Country Club. Both recipients were awarded $1,000 scholarships to assist with their pursuit of higher education.

The 2025 PACE Turfgrass Management Course Scholarships were awarded to John Dollens of Tetherow Golf Club and Joe Rogers of Reserve Vineyards & Golf Club, covering full registration to the Oregon State University Turfgrass Management Program.

It is always an honor to recognize the hardworking assistants and superintendents within our association through the Assistant Superintendent of the Year and Superintendent of the Year Awards. Nominated by their peers, Brian Amble of Grants Pass Golf Club was named Assistant Superintendent of the Year, while Shane Hadwick of Orchard Hills Golf & Country Club was named Superintendent of the Year.

Another special recognition moment came with the presentation of the Richard Malpass Distinguished Service Award to Brian McDonald. Steven Beyer presented the award while reading heartfelt nomination letters submitted by the Awards Committee, Alexis Wenker, Executive Director, and retired Oregon State University Turfgrass Professor Tom Cook. Brian is an invaluable asset to the Oregon State Turfgrass Program and the turfgrass industry as a whole, and it was a privilege to honor him with the 2026 Richard Malpass Distinguished Service Award.

Concluding the awards ceremony was a special recognition honoring longtime affiliate member Randy Rider, who will retire from Syngenta this August after more than 30 years in the industry. Randy has been a longstanding supporter of both the OGCSA and Oregon Turfgrass Foundation, and we greatly appreciate his many years of contributions and support.

Educational Program

For the educational portion of the meeting, members welcomed Dr. Mike Richardson from the University of Arkansas. Dr. Richardson, who has deep roots in Oregon, expressed excitement about reconnecting with the Oregon turfgrass community.

His presentation focused on artificial intelligence (AI), how seamlessly AI has integrated into many aspects of our daily lives, and how golf course superintendents can utilize AI tools to improve operational efficiency and decision-making.

Following Dr. Richardson’s presentation, Dr. Chas Schmid, Turfgrass Professor at Oregon State University, provided updates regarding staffing and position changes within the university while also sharing valuable information on current turfgrass research and academic programs. Members were encouraged to save the date for the upcoming Summer Turfgrass Field Day scheduled for August 27 at the Lewis Brown Farm in Corvallis.

A unique and special opportunity also took place earlier this month as four OGCSA members attended National Golf Day in Washington, D.C. Josh Loy attended through the OGCSA National Golf Day Scholarship, while David Phipps, Caleb Smith through the GCSAA EXCEL Leadership Program, and Nolan Wenker, CGCS through the GCSAA Government Affairs Committee also represented the association.

The group participated in advocacy meetings with Oregon senators’ and representatives’ staff members, took part in a community service project, and experienced the significance of representing the golf industry on a national level. They encouraged continued participation from OGCSA members in future National Golf Day events, emphasizing the value and impact of the experience.

The day concluded with an optional round of golf for those who stayed to enjoy the beautiful weather and experience Colwood Golf Center. Members were treated to a perfect sunny afternoon to cap off the busy day.

Special thanks to John Ball, Director of Golf for the City of Portland, and the entire Colwood staff for hosting this year’s meeting.

We are grateful to all OGCSA members who attended. We also extend our sincere appreciation to our presenting partner, POGO, for their continued support of the association and its members.