Greetings, Fellow Green Industry Professional! 

Invitation to Join the PGMS® President 

As the 103rd president of the Professional Grounds Management Society^® (PGMS^®), it is my distinct pleasure to personally invite you to join our dynamic Society.

Our membership is a veritable “Who’s Who” in Grounds Management. The majority of our members are institutional grounds managers, employed by colleges and universities, municipalities, resorts and hotels, theme parks, etc. Others are independent landscape contractors with multiple sites, suppliers to the industry, educators and students.

One of the greatest benefits of membership in PGMS is the ability to meet and network with the other outstanding members of the society. Ours is a group large enough to have national “clout,” yet small enough to get to truly know and interact with each other, particularly on our local branch level. If there is not a local branch near you, our Branch Development Task Force can assist you in establishing one if you are so inclined. This is typical of the dynamic, growth-oriented nature of the Professional Grounds Management Society.

Another outstanding member benefit is the ability to participate in our nationally-recognized certification programs. Our Certified Grounds Manager (CGM®) certification is rapidly becoming a criteria for top employers when hiring new grounds managers, and our Certified Grounds Technician (CGT®) program enables your employees to become certified grounds technicians and to further their own career goals. Our highly respected and anticipated annual Green Star Awards® program recognizes and rewards excellence in grounds and landscape management. We publish our newsletter The Forum six times per year, and our website allows members to have instant access to additional relevant information. We have a number of useful publications, books and guides that are available and free to each member.

Additionally, our strong partnerships within the industry allow us to co-sponsor the largest trade show of its kind, the Equip Expo each year, in conjunction with our annual conference held in Louisville, Kentucky. At the conference, our tailor made School of Grounds Management is conducted and provides the very best in educational opportunities for our members in general and is ideally structured to assist those needing to meet certification requirements. You will get exposure to the latest “cutting-edge” information and technical data in the industry, be inspired by world-class motivational speakers, and network with Green Star Award champions and other leaders in our industry. Come join us, we are leaders for a sustainable future!

Our highly prestigious PGMS Landscape Management and Operations Accreditation program is off and running. The purpose of the program is to determine if a campus landscape/management system is utilizing best management practices. The first part of the evaluation requires the candidate to review their program as they relate to the three principles of the PGMS accreditation program: Environmental Stewardship, Economic Performance and Social Responsibilities. Successful candidates will receive a one-, two-, three-, or four-star accreditation based on their level of meeting best practices. This rigorous evaluation process examines more than just general maintenance of a landscape. It strongly stresses best practices and sustainability procedures and, in all of the program’s test sites situations, it has proven to be a challenging evaluation.

I encourage you to come join us, we are leaders for a sustainable future!

Sincerely,
Michael Gildea, CGM
PGMS President