Synthetic Turf Council (STC) Announces New Board of Directors

Forest Hill, MD – The Synthetic Turf Council (STC) (www.syntheticturfcouncil.org) announced the 2025-2026 Board of Directors at the Annual Conference on October 13-15, 2025. Themed "Play Unlimited", this year's conference reflects the industry's unstoppable drive to break boundaries in performance, accessibility, safety and sustainability.

For the 2025-2026 term, the Board Officers include:

• Chairman Stratton Kirton, Vice President, Government Affairs, Liberty Tire Recycling
• Vice Chairman George Neagle, President, SYNLawn
• Treasurer Peter Fariñas, Owner, Turf & Vine
• Secretary Peter Oksanen, National Sales Manager, Schmitz Foam Products
• Director at Large Chip Richardson, President, Sweetwater Construction LLC
• Immediate Past Chairman Michael Gentile, Co-founder/CEO, Firefly Sports Testing

Remaining Board of Directors include:

• Cab Bramlett, Director of Operations, Shaw Sports Turf
• Adam Coleman, VP of Marketing and Innovation, The Motz Group
• Brad D'Agnillo, Market Director of Engineering, Sportworks Design
• Joel Eaton, Director of Sales, Covia
• Todd Ford, Site/Civil Discipline Leader, Woolpert, Inc.
• Adam Hambarian, President, OxyTurf
• Matt Riggs, Vice President of Sales-Americas, TenCate Grass

“We are thrilled to welcome our new and returning Board members,” said Melanie Taylor, STC President and CEO. “This exceptional team of leaders positions the STC to lead, educate, and advocate for synthetic turf systems.”

The 2025 STC Annual Conference featured a comprehensive lineup of educational sessions aimed at addressing critical industry issues and legislative developments.

Educational presentations discussed:

• How synthetic turf benefits communities, schools, and families across the country, unlocking access to play and creating safe and reliable spaces for all.
• How STC members remain committed to rigorous testing and safety, and how multiple independent studies of synthetic turf systems and PFAS testing in communities reaffirmed safety for kids and players.
• A test field designed to significantly decrease infill migration, which was developed by the Silkeborg Municipality and the Danish Football Association.
• The latest global market trends for synthetic turf in Europe, Middle East and Africa; and
• How FIFA and the FIFA 2024 Test Manual set testing requirements and focus on player performance and safety.

The 2026 STC Annual Conference will be held on October 26-28, 2026 in San Antonio, TX.

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, 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.