Paul McGinnis, PebbleCreek’s Director of Golf Course Maintenance
Pat Ingalls
The Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) plans to bestow one of its highest honors on Paul McGinnis, CGCS (Certified Golf Course Superintendent) at a ceremony February 9 at the association’s annual Golf Industry Show in San Diego.
McGinnis, Director of Golf Course Maintenance for PebbleCreek, is one of three honorees slated to receive the association’s 2016 Colonel John Morley Distinguished Service Award for “outstanding, substantive and enduring contributions to the advancement of the golf course superintendent profession.”
GCSAA President John O’Keefe said of the award recipients: “They have made significant contributions to the game of golf and have dedicated themselves to the advancement of the superintendent profession through teaching and leadership.”
McGinnis, a GCSAA member for 38 years, served on GCSAA’s Board of Directors for nine years, as its national president in 1997, and as three-time past president of its Arizona chapter. He was inducted into the Arizona Golf Hall of Fame in 1998 and is a nationally sought-after speaker on golf course maintenance.
He has channeled his passion for the role superintendents play in environmental stewardship by having served on a Governor’s Panel for Water Conservation and is currently a GCSAA Grassroots Ambassador, a program that seeks to link superintendents with members of Congress to improve communication on behalf of the golf industry.
“Having been on the GCSAA board and knowing firsthand what they are looking for makes this really special,” McGinnis said. “I am incredibly honored and humbled. I am not sure what I did to deserve this, but I will sure enjoy it.”
At PebbleCreek, McGinnis ensures that his staff is well trained and up to date on the latest technology and expertise in golf course maintenance. He supervises yearly improvement and renovation projects, working closely with other management team members, the director of golf and the HOA Golf Committee, as well as golfers, vendors, suppliers, golf professionals, golf course architects and others in the golf industry. In addition, he informs community groups and especially golfers about golf course and turf-grass management through Golf Course Updates (on the HOA website), community meetings and notices in the PebbleCreek Post.
“Paul’s expertise and innovative contributions to our community are unmatched,” said Bill Barnard, PebbleCreek’s general manager. “He has been serving in his role here at PebbleCreek since 1999 and we are indeed fortunate to have someone of his caliber as part of our professional staff. I hope all PebbleCreek residents who know or see Paul will join the HOA Board and staff in congratulating him on this extraordinary achievement.”
McGinnis and his wife Kendra live in Peoria and have four daughters and 14 grandchildren.
Since 1926, GCSAA has been a top professional association for the men and women who manage golf courses in the United States and worldwide. From its headquarters in Lawrence, Kansas, the association provides education, information and representation to nearly 18,000 members in more than 78 countries.