Syngenta champions women in golf with special roundtable
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June 14, 2018
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To celebrate Women’s Golf Month this June, Syngenta talked to five inspirational women in turfgrass management about their careers, advice and more. These roundtable participants are just a few of the many female employees Syngenta is proud to have on its industry-leading team:
- Melissa Barron, territory manager in Orlando, Florida - @TURFmelb
- Lisa Beirn, research and development field scientist in Washington, New Jersey - @iamthelabrat
- Lee Bloomcamp, territory manager in Gainesville, Florida - @LBloomcamp
- Kimberly Gard, territory manager in San Diego, California - @GardKimberly
- Melissa Gugliotti, territory manager in Wells, Maine - @MelGoog
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Lisa Beirn, @iamthelabrat |
Q: How did you begin your career in the golf industry?
Beirn: My career in turf didn’t begin until I was an undergraduate at Rutgers University. I was unsure of what I wanted to do “when I grew up,” but that changed when I took a position as a research assistant in the Plant Diagnostic Laboratory. I became fascinated by the field, and the rest is history.
Gugliotti: I came to Syngenta as an aquatics sales representative, helping lake and pond managers looking for solutions for weeds and algae. With a great portfolio and the opportunity to stay a little closer to home, I never looked back.
Gard: I dabbled in a little bit of turf diagnostics while working for one of the Syngenta legacy companies, but it was a small portion of my job at the time. I ended up being fascinated by the science and agronomics of turf, whether it was insects, diseases or weeds.
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Melissa Barron, @TURFmel |
Q: Why did you fall in love with the industry?
Barron: I absolutely love the superintendents I get to work with, and I enjoy seeing how much work and effort they put into their courses. I am so impressed by how kind and hardworking they all are.
Bloomcamp: It combined my love of the outdoors with scientific knowledge, to help make golf courses and their surroundings a more beautiful and enjoyable place for golfers.
Gugliotti: My father is an avid golfer, and I grew up riding with him on his cart when he went out to play a few holes. The warm summer sunsets, being surrounded by nature and spending time with my dad on the course are some of my most lasting memories.
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Kimberly Gard, @GardKimberly |
Q: How has the industry evolved since you began your career? Barron: I came into the golf side of the industry at the height of the 2008 economic downturn, so I saw many courses struggle to stay afloat and maintain business. Luckily, I have seen so many positive changes since then, and it seems like the courses are making a turn for the better these days.
Gard: There has been a lot of innovation. Many new products have been registered, and there’s pressure to bring new chemistries to the market faster than ever before.
Beirn: Technological advancements in the past few years have been dramatic. Remote monitoring systems and drones are some examples, but there have also been developments in DNA-based applications. I wouldn’t be surprised if one day we are sequencing entire golf courses, similar to how we are sequencing humans to learn about ancestry and diseases.
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Lee Bloomcamp, @LBloomcamp |
Q: Condition. Perform. Recover. is about healthy turf and a healthy you. What do you do to Condition. Perform. Recover. yourself? Bloomcamp: Lots of yard work, yoga, horseback riding and canoeing. North Florida is a great place to be active year-round.
Gard: I’m trying to get all my steps in every day, especially when I’m competing with a team of coworkers. You don’t want to let anyone else on your team down. I better get off the couch!
Barron: One of my passions is yoga. I have consistently practiced for more than a decade, and I teach multiple classes in Orlando every week. Yoga has conditioned my body and, more importantly, has helped me perform mentally in all of the work and life challenges that I face.
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Melissa Gugliotti, @MelGoog |
Q: What advice would you give to a woman interested in pursuing a career in the golf industry?Beirn: Seek out great mentors. I was and am still surrounded by wonderful individuals who always encouraged and supported me along the way.
Barron: I highly encourage women to pursue a career in the golf industry! Everyone treats me with respect and professionalism as a female, and I believe any woman can have the same experience if she knows her worth and believes in herself.
Gugliotti: Just be yourself, and know your stuff better than anyone else.
For more information about maintaining your best self and your best turf, visit
www.ConditionPerformRecover.com.
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