Jerred Golden to Receive Dr. George Hamilton Distinguished Service Award
Jerred Golden (Director of Grounds, Hershey’s Mill) will receive the Pennsylvania Turfgrass Council’s Dr. George Hamilton Distinguished Service Award on November 15 at the Penn State Golf Turf Conference in University Park. This award is presented to individuals who have exhibited outstanding service to Pennsylvania’s turfgrass industry, and is considered the Council’s highest individual honor.
Jerred has a long and distinguished record of service to the turfgrass industry in Pennsylvania. He began his career shortly after graduating from Penn State’s Two-Year Certificate Program in Golf Course Management in 1976. After serving briefly as Assistant Golf Course Superintendent at the Country Club of Northampton County, he accepted his current position as Director of Grounds at Hershey’s Mill Golf Club.
Those who have worked with Jerred know of his strong commitment to serving the turfgrass industry. Through leadership roles with the Philadelphia Association of Golf Course Superintendents (President, 1992-1993), the Penn State Agricultural Council (President, 1998-2000), and the Pennsylvania Turfgrass Council (President, 2003-2004), he has helped advance the science of turf management, and promote professionalism in the industry. Jerred also served on the Eastern Pennsylvania Turfgrass Conference planning committee for many years. Perhaps his most important contribution was the initiation and development of the Pennsylvania Turfgrass Research Trust. Through his dedication and fundraising efforts with this organization, he and other board members raised over $300,000 for an endowment to fund graduate and undergraduate research in turfgrass science at Penn State.
In 2004, the Pennsylvania Turfgrass Council announced that the Distinguished Service Award would be renamed to memorialize Dr. George W. Hamilton, Jr., a professor in turfgrass management at Penn State, who died after a courageous battle with cancer. Jerred exemplifies the spirit of this award and Dr. Hamilton’s passion for advancing the industry. The membership of the Pennsylvania Turfgrass Council and the Penn State Turf Program congratulate Jerred on being recognized for his accomplishments.