Congratulations to Dr. Unruh from his friends at FTGA! From WFREC: The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) West Florida Research and Education Center (WFREC) is pleased to announce that Dr. Bryan Unruh has been appointed Center Director, effective January 29, 2027. Dr. Unruh brings 30 years of experience, expertise, and dedication to WFREC and is ready to take the reins. After earning three degrees from land-grant universities, he joined the WFREC faculty in 1996. Since then, he has established himself as a national leader in golf course turfgrass management science. Dr. Unruh’s contributions include leading the development of both the Florida and U.S. golf course Best Management Practices manuals. His outstanding service to the industry has earned him numerous accolades, including a Lifetime Service Award from the Florida Golf Course Superintendents Association and the Florida Turfgrass Association’s prestigious Wreath of Grass Distinguished Service Award. The faculty, staff, and students at WFREC look forward to a bright and productive future under Dr. Unruh’s leadership. As Dr. Unruh prepares to step into this role, current Center Director Dr. Wes Wood will retire in January 2027. We extend our heartfelt thanks to Dr. Wood for his exceptional leadership, dedication, and many accomplishments over the past 12 years. His contributions have made a lasting impact on WFREC, and he will be greatly missed. Please join us in congratulating Dr. Bryan Unruh on his appointment and thanking Dr. Wes Wood for his outstanding service to WFREC!

Congratulations to Olesya Malakhova, Maria Cecilia Sanchez Quintanilla and Jaspal Singh, this year's FTRF Scholarship recipients. Meet these future leaders at the 2026 Annual Florida Turfgrass Conference at the award ceremony. L–R: Jaspal Singh, Maria Cecilia Sanchez Quintanilla and Olesya Malakhova