Guelph Turfgrass Institute Director, Rob Witherspoon, is retiring from the University of Guelph, on September 1, 2015. Rob has served the University and the turf community in the capacity of Director of the Guelph Turfgrass Institute and Director of the Associate Diploma in Turfgrass Management since 1998 and he has been employed by the University of Guelph in various capacities for 28 years. Rob is also an undergraduate and graduate alumni of Guelph.

Rob's dedication to the turfgrass students and the industry has been outstanding and his guidance of the Turf Manager's Short Course and Superintendent in Residence activities have put the Guelph on national and international stages. He has been in the centre of a number of changes in the GTI. Especially in the past few years, his leadership in the discussions of the relocation of the GTI has been critical. His steadfast enthusiasm for all things turf will be sorely missed.

Rob has indicated that there are some avenues that he would like to pursue outside of the University. We wish Rob well in these new ventures and are sure that he will keep up his longstanding connections with people at Guelph. We look forward to hearing about and from Rob in the future.