The awards continue to pile up for Andrew Jorgensen, CGCS.
Jorgensen (right), the director of community maintenance operations for On Top of the World Communities in Ocala, Florida, recently was named the recipient of the Florida GCSA Distinguished Service Award. He received the award July 19 during the association's annual meeting held at Sailfish Point Golf Club on Hutchinson Island near Stuart.
The award is presented annually to a member "who has performed outstanding achievements as a golf course superintendent and who has given his time unselfishly in promoting golf course management and unification of the Florida GCSA."
Jorgensen serves on the Florida GCSA committee, but was caught by surprise during the meeting when he was named the DSA winner.
"I was very surprised and humbled to receive the award," Jorgensen said in a news release. "You never serve thinking you’re going to get awards, you do it because it's the right thing to do."
Before being named director of community maintenance operations in 2022, Jorgensen had been director of golf course maintenance operations, overseeing 81 holes of golf for On Top of the World Communities since 2005.
Jorgensen earned an associate's degree in 2000 from Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in Tifton, Georgia, and a certificate in turfgrass management from the University of Georgia in 2013. He has been a superintendent since 2002 with stints at Southern Woods Golf Club (now Citrus National) and Sugarmill Woods Golf Club, both in Homosassa, Florida, and World Woods Golf Club (now Cabot Citrus Farms) in Brooksville, Florida. He immersed himself in service almost immediately, hosting a Seven Rivers GCSA meeting and golf outing.
"That was my first foray, and I quickly realized the value of being involved and it just grew from there," he said. "Serving has been especially helpful to my career. Getting to know as many people as I have, if I have an issue, I know help is just a phone call away."
A past president of the Florida GCSA, Jorgensen was the 2020 recipient of the Florida Turfgrass Association Wreath of Grass Award, presented annually to someone who has shown "outstanding service to the FTGA and to the turfgrass industry."
He also earned the GCSAA President’s Award for Environmental Stewardship in 2022, and the Environmental Leaders in Golf Award in 2014 and 2017.
"Andy is as dedicated to his profession and his colleagues as you can possibly be," said Jennifer Bryan, Florida GCSA executive director. "I really don’t know of anyone who devotes more of their time and energy to the golf course superintendent profession as a whole. And he always does with a smile and encouragement for those around him."
In other happenings at the meeting, Jason Zimmerman, CGCS director of greens and grounds at The Nest Golf Club in Bonita Springs, was elected the association's president. Zimmerman, a Michigan State graduate who has been at The Nest since 2006, takes over from Parker Ferren, CGCS at Copperleaf Golf Club, also in Bonita Springs. Ferren will serve a term as immediate past president. Ryan Swilley, CGCS at The Dye Preserve Golf Club in Jupiter, was elected vice president. Dustin Plemons, superintendent at municipal Cleveland Heights Golf Club in Lakeland, is new secretary-treasurer.