It was a cold February Saturday in
1992 when 24 mechanics huddled in the maintenance building at “The
National”. Fraser Barratt had called the mechanics to meet and
maybe form an association. After a lively meeting, the Golf Equipment
Technicians Association of Ontario was formed, for the benefit of all
golf course mechanics.
A board of directors was voted in,
with Fraser Barratt being the President, Eddie Konrad as Treasurer,
Scott Thompson, Todd Clark and John Kinch as Directors.
This first Board of Directors
hammered out a Charter and some By-Laws, the most important one
being:
Purpose and
Objectives
This Association is primarily for
the benefit of the technician, who deals with all phases of turf
equipment in the golf industry, and for the betterment of the golf
industry. To educate, inform, and assist all members of the
association.
To improve communication between
manufacturers, golf course superintendents and members of the
association.
This Association shall not become,
affiliate or support a labour union.
Ten years have since passed and the
Association has seen some tumultuous times. It has had to overcome the
prejudice of some Superintendents who thought GETAO was a labour union.
1995 saw the membership dwindle and almost fold when Eddie Konrad quit
as director because board members were pursuing their own interests
rather than those of the Association.
Fortunately Ray Joyce came forward
with a vision and set things on the right track again. The new board
included Eddie Konrad again as Treasurer and soon GETAO was growing once
more true to her Charter, supplying information and education to her
members.
Many changes to our profession as
well as producing a professional image have come about by the
Association working with the industry. Today, member mechanics are
sought after to fill the growing requirements in the industry because of
their up-to-date education and knowledge, unfortunately there are more
jobs than there are good mechanics available.
Every second month the REEL-GRIND
magazine arrives at the members house or place of work, supplying
information about the newest developments in our industry. There are
Tips and Tricks, Service Bulletins, Health and Safety issues, News
Releases from various Ministries and articles written by other mechanics
dealing with issues concerning us all. Once a year in September we come
together for our Mechanics Tournament and the first week in December is
reserved for our Seminars, mostly “hands-on” and supported
by various manufacturers and teaching professionals.
If you would like to be part of this
Association because of what it can give to you, or what you have to
offer to it, please join and become a link in a membership, which grew
from 24 to over 100 over the years. We have members from all walks of
the industry including manufacturers, dealers, suppliers, colleges,
teachers, and of course mechanics from coast to coast.
