The Syngenta Business Institute has been helping superintendents become stronger leaders for almost two decades.
The application period for this year's Syngenta Business Institute is now open. Scheduled for Dec. 2-5 at the Graylyn International Conference Center in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, SBI is a four-day program conducted by the Wake Forest University Executive Education department that provides superintendents with graduate-level business instruction in the following areas:
- Leadership/decision-making
- Work/life balance
- Negotiations
- Leading across cultures and generations
The deadline for applying for this educational and networking event is Aug. 11.
"We're proud to offer this valuable opportunity to superintendents for the 17th year," said Stephanie Schwenke, turf market manager for Syngenta. "We recognize the increasing demands they face including business management, labor shortages and the need to uphold turf quality. The insights provided by the professors from Wake Forest University are remarkably valuable for helping them navigate these challenges. Participants leave the program equipped with fresh strategies to elevate their golf course management."
Class size is limited and applicants must be a current GreenTrust 365 participant and employed in the U.S. as a golf course superintendent, director of agronomy or similar position.
Click here to apply. Superintendents can also contact their Syngenta territory manager for more information. To be considered, candidates must fill out an application that includes a short essay on why they should be chosen to attend.
"I would tell anybody to do it," said 2024 SBI attendee Cody Sander, superintendent at Wilmington (Delaware) Country Club. "I've done several professional-development experiences before, and this is by far the best one that I've been a part of. It really shows that Syngenta is committed to bettering us and that they put the financial side separately. It also shows their commitment to creating better superintendents and getting back to us as the end user."
Applications must be submitted online by midnight Pacific time on Aug. 11. Selected participants will be notified in October.