Golf course superintendents seeking to enhance their business acumen can now apply for this year's Syngenta Business Institute.
In its 15th year, SBI is an intensive four-day program designed to grow the professional knowledge of golf course superintendents and assist them with managing their courses. Through a partnership with the Wake Forest University School of Business, the program provides graduate school-level instruction in financial management, human resource management, negotiating, managing across generations and cultural divides, impact hiring and other leadership- and professional-development skills.
The four-day event is scheduled for Dec. 5-8 at the Graylyn International Conference Center in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Deadline to apply is Aug. 21.
"We know superintendents are responsible for not only managing course agronomics, but also being exceptional leaders, which is why Syngenta has been committed to this program for 15 years," said Stephanie Schwenke, turf market manager for Syngenta. "The education by Wake Forest University MBA professors is truly elite. It is refreshing to see the superintendents who complete the program eager to implement the strategies they have learned."
The 2023 SBI curriculum will feature educational courses designed to teach superintendents critical business leadership skills. Superintendents will also be given the opportunity to build valuable connections with industry professionals throughout the week. Topics to be covered include:
> Work/life balance
> Negotiations
> Leadership/decision-making
> Tools for managing employees
> Leading across cultures and generations
"It's a lot of work, but work that will come back to you tenfold," said Jill Seymour, CGCS, golf course superintendent at Charleston Springs Golf Course in Millstone, New Jersey. "I met three fellow superintendents all within an hour of me who I have stayed in contact with since."
Class size for SBI is limited to maximize participation. Attendees must be employed as a superintendent, director of agronomy or at an equivalent level in the U.S. golf course industry to be eligible.
"2023 will mark the 15th year of the Syngenta Business Institute, yet each year we continue to make curricular changes to better reflect the needs of the participants," said Kerry Shronts, executive director of executive education at Wake Forest University. "For that reason, we worked extensively with Syngenta to integrate additional leadership content into the curriculum to better prepare SBI participants for enhanced leadership roles."
To apply, visit GreenCastOnline.com/SBI. Superintendents can also contact their local Syngenta territory manager for more information. To be considered, candidates must fill out an application, which includes a short essay on why they should be chosen to attend.
Applications must be submitted online by midnight PDT on Aug. 21. Selected participants will be notified in October.