Page 6 - GreenMaster summer 2023

uVIEWPOINTuDUSTIN ZDAN, AGS
Believe in
After being voted in as President in
Vancouver, I was enthralled in the conference. I did not stop and think about what it really means to be the 55th President of the CGSA. After getting home and receiving all the well wishes and congratulatory emails, it had a chance to set in. I started to look at the list of Past Presidents and it is daunting.
I was fortunate to cross paths in my early days with Gordon Witteveen, a founding member and President in 1970. He was writing a book about the history of Greenskeeping in Canada, and he somehow picked me, while I was in Whitehorse, to feature on the Future Generation chapter of our association.
Along the conference trail, I was able to meet him in person and get a signed edition of another one of his books, Practical Golf Course Maintenance. Little did I know that one day, I would be the President of the association that he founded.
A few years later, I said to myself that when I get back down south (south
of 60) I would be involved. I remember sitting in my office, one April morning in 1999, and on the cover of GreenMaster was the new President, Dean Piller, AGS. From that day, I wanted to be President of our great national association. I am finally here. A memorable line from Joe Roberts in his keynote address in Vancouver sums it up, “Believe in Possibility”.
I must thank the Past Presidents that I have been fortunate to work with. James Beebe brought me into the CGSA and was key to turning the CGSA around. I hope I can continue that work and make the CGSA stronger. The current board has dealt with the pandemic, and we emerged even stronger, but there is still work to do.
I am excited with our new additions to the board, Jordan Kitchen, AGS and T-Jay Creamer, AGS who both jumped right into our discussions in Vancouver. I look forward to working with the entire board as we move forward. I started my association work
Dustin Zdan, AGS
CGSA PRESIDENT PRÉSIDENT DE L’ACSG
Board of Directors | 2023-2024
Dustin Zdan, AGS, President Blackhawk Golf Club, AB dustin@playblackhawk.com
Pierre Vezeau, AGS, Past President Cooke Municipal Golf Course, SK pvezeau@citypa.com
John McLinden, AGS, Vice President Ladies’ Golf Club of Toronto, ON john.mclinden@ladiesgolfclub.com
Braydon Gilbert, AGS, Secretary Treasurer and Manitoba Director St. Charles Country Club, MB braydon.gilbert@stcharlescountryclub.ca
Cameron Kusiek, Alberta Director Carnmoney Golf Club, AB cameronk@carnmoney.com
Matthew Blackburn, Atlantic Director Chester Golf Club, NS matt-blackburn@hotmail.com
T-Jay Creamer, AGS, British Columbia Director Olympic View Golf Club, BC tcreamer@golfbc.com
Jordan Kitchen, AGS, Ontario Director Hamilton Golf and Country Club, ON jkitchen@hgcc.ca
Luc Ladoceur, Quebec Director Le Club Laval-sur-le-Lac, QC terrain@clsll.ca
Tyler McComas, Saskatchewan Director Dakota Dunes Golf Links, SK superintendent@dakotadunes.ca
6 • CGSA • GreenMaster