This announcement is one of those bittersweet ones that is quite difficult to make, which is probably why I've been delaying publicizing it as long as I could . Our Turf Care department is saying good-bye to two of the hardest working, dedicated and most determined individuals that I've ever had the pleasure to work alongside.
First off, our Irrigation Technician, Aaron Swail, has accepted a career advancement position elsewhere and will be taking on this new role beginning next week. Aaron, or A-Aron as we call him, arrived here at Quilchena back in 2011 as our first ever AIT (Assistant in Training). We have watched him grow immensely in the past 5 years here, both professionally and as a human being. A-Aron is exactly what every Superintendent hopes for when hiring an AIT. He is an extremely self-motivated individual with an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. A-Aron has experienced many aspects of the turf management industry here at Quilchena and will be a huge asset to his new employer. He has put in many hours on the sprayer and has spent the last 3 seasons as our Irrigation Technician, a role in which he excelled in dealing with the intricate micro-climates of the property along with salinity concerns and the extreme drought and watering restrictions of 2015. A-Aron is well-equipped to shine in his new role as he continues to obtain the remaining necessary skills and experience on his path to becoming a Superintendent.
Next, my right-hand man for many many years, Josh Webb, has also accepted a career advancement position at another facility and will be wrapping up his employment here at Quilchena at the end of this month to begin his new role in early March. Josh, or Jashua as I like to call him, and I began working together 15 years ago in Southwestern Ontario and I was fortunate enough to recruit him to team up with me again back in the spring of 2009, not long after I arrived here towards the end of 2008. Josh began his tenure here as the Irrigation Technician and was promoted to Assistant Superintendent in the spring of 2011. In the 6+ years that Josh has been here at Quilchena, he has experienced every facet of the turf management industry and has gained all of the necessary skills and experience to be a top-notch Superintendent. His new role will allow him to hone his skills as he puts the final touches on mastering his craft. Rest assured, Josh's new facility will greatly benefit from acquiring him and I personally cannot wait to hear about and see firsthand all of his accomplishments.
Working together with these two individuals in this industry that we all share such a huge passion for is undoubtedly my proudest accomplishment as a Superintendent. As I stated up above, I am sad to lose them as two of my most valuable team members, but I am delighted to see them advance in their chosen careers and move one step closer to their ultimate goals of becoming successful Superintendents. All the best guys, you've earned it!
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| A-Aron, myself & Jashua at the 2016 GIS |
