Synthetic Turf Council (STC) Announces New Board of Directors

Forest Hill, MD, October 30, 2024 – The Synthetic Turf Council (STC) (www.syntheticturfcouncil.org) announced the 2024-2025 Board of Directors at the Annual Conference on October 28-30, 2024 in Phoenix, Arizona. Themed, "Trade Winds: Navigating Market Shifts", the conference focused on how to navigate the changing trends, disruptions and shifts within the synthetic turf industry.

For the 2024-2025 term, the Board Officers include Chairman Michael Gentile, Co-founder/CEO, Firefly Sports Testing; Vice Chairman George Neagle, CSTI, President, SYNLawn; Treasurer Ed Norton, Partner, HNP, LLC; Secretary Thomas Shay, Principal, Woodard & Curran; Director at Large Larry Ridgeway, President and CEO, PrecisionJet; and Immediate Past Chairman Shaun Garrity, National Sales Manager, The Motz Group.

Remaining Board of Directors include Peter Fariñas, CSTI, Owner, Turf & Vine; Scott Marks, CSTI, Managing Member, Southeast Turf LLC; Michael Mercadante, Regional Sales Manager, Sportsfield Specialties Inc.; Peter Oksanen, National Sales Manager, Schmitz Foam Products; Chip Richardson, CSTI, President, Sweetwater Construction; Matt Riggs, Vice President of Sales-Americas, TenCate Grass; and Matt Ross, Regional Vice President, Shaw Sports Turf.
“We are delighted to welcome our new and returning Board members,” said Melanie Taylor, STC President and CEO. “This team of leaders puts the STC in a strong position to lead, educate and advocate for synthetic turf.”

The 2024 STC Annual Conference featured a comprehensive lineup of educational sessions aimed at addressing critical industry issues and legislative developments. Educational presentations covered topics such as PFAS, water conservation, microplastics, ADA playground surfacing standards, player safety and next generation synthetic turf systems.
The 2025 STC Annual Conference will be held on October 13-15, 2025 in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.

About the Synthetic Turf Council (STC)

The Synthetic Turf Council (STC) is a 501(c)6 non-profit trade association serving the synthetic turf industry. Its mission is to lead, educate and advocate for the synthetic turf industry. Founded in 2003, the STC is a resource for credible, independent research on the safety and environmental impact of synthetic turf, as well as technical guidance on the selection, installation, maintenance, and environmentally responsible disposal of synthetic turf. STC membership includes builders, landscape architects, testing labs, maintenance providers, manufacturers, suppliers, installation contractors, infill material suppliers and other specialty service companies.

For more information, visit www.syntheticturfcouncil.org.