8 SportsTurf | February 2017 www.sportsturfonline.com
FIELD SCIENCE
F
or the third consecutive year, STMA members elected someone raised on
a farm. There must be something about growing up in an environment that
requires a strong work ethic and dealing with Mother Nature that breeds
leadership traits.
Tim Van Loo, CSFM, was officially installed as STMA's 24th President at
last month's Annual Meeting in Orlando. Tim is Manager of Athletic Turf
& Grounds for Iowa State University in Ames. SportsTurf emailed Tim
some questions late last year:
SportsTurf: Where did you grow up and what were your
interests then?
Van Loo: I grew up in a small town in Michigan, Gregory, and I
graduated from Fowlerville High School in 1997. My interests
were mostly basketball and golf. School was simply a way to
compete in sports!
ST: What things did you learn from your parents that still
stick with you?
Van Loo: I am blessed with fantastic parents; I am who I am
because of them. My mom is a giver/care taker. She deeply
loves people and wants to serve. I learned
the value of volunteering
your time to things
Tim
Van
Loo,
CSFM
MEET
24TH PRESIDENT
OF THE SPORTS TURF
MANAGERS ASSOCIATION
"
Tim is very thorough and professional in everything that he does, and likes to make sure every
angle to a discussion item has been fully vetted. Tim wants everyone to have looked outside the
box for the full picture. These qualities will serve him well as the next President of STMA.
"
— Jeff Salmond, CSFM, STMA Immediate Past President