T.A. Barker, CGCS, superintendent at Fore Lakes Golf Course in Taylorsville, Utah, makes his first remarks as 88th president of GCSAA. Photo by GCSAA
T.A. Barker, CGCS, the superintendent at Fore Lakes Golf Course in Taylorsville, Utah, was elected to a one-year term as president of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) at the association’s annual meeting Feb. 6, which was held in conjunction with the GCSAA Conference and Trade Show in San Diego.
Barker is the 88th president in the association’s history and served as vice president of the association in 2024. He has been a member of the association’s board of directors since 2018. A 21-year member of GCSAA, Barker is also a past president of the Utah GCSA.
Barker joined the grounds crew at Fore Lakes in 1995 and has been superintendent since 2006. A third-generation superintendent, he became exposed to GCSAA at a young age when his father, GCSAA member Todd Barker, would take the family to the GCSAA Conference and Trade Show each year.
Barker has an advanced turfgrass certificate from Penn State University World Campus.
“This is one of the greatest honors of my life,” Barker said. “This organization is my professional home. The collective strength and passion of our members is what makes GCSAA exceptional.”
In addition to Barker, chapter delegates elected Paul L. Carter, CGCS, superintendent at The Bear Trace at Harrison Bay in Harrison, Tenn., as vice president, and Marc E. Weston, CGCS, superintendent at Indian Hill Country Club in Newington, Conn., as secretary/treasurer.
Board members Steven J. Hammon, CGCS, superintendent at Traverse City (Mich.) Country Club, H. Scott Griffith, CGCS, director of agronomy at the University of Georgia Golf Course, in Athens, and Gregory B. Jones, CGCS, MG, director of agronomy at Champions Run in Omaha, Neb., were re-elected to serve on the board, while Ryan S. Kraushofer, CGCS, superintendent and general manager at Westminster National Golf Course in Westminster, Md., and Brian J. Roth, CGCS, superintendent Oquirrh Hills Golf Course in Tooele, Utah, were newly elected to join the board as directors.
Jeff L. White, CGCS, director of agronomy at Indian Hills Country Club in Mission Hills, Kan., will serve one year as immediate past president, while Kevin P. Breen, CGCS, superintendent at La Rinconada Country Club in Los Gatos, Calif., retires from the board. Doug Dykstra, CGCS, director of agronomy and facilities at White Mountain Country Club in Pinetop, Ariz., resigned his position on the GCSAA Board for personal reasons after serving on the board since 2020.
In addition to the board election, the membership also approved a dues increase to support GCSAA efforts in workforce development, advocacy, environmental programs and professional recognition.