State Tech CT&G building, driving range open with celebration

By Neal A. Johnson, UD Editor
Posted 9/21/22

State Tech employees, friends of the college, students, and industry partners gathered on Thursday for a ribbon-cutting to celebrate the opening of the newly constructed Commercial Turf & Grounds …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

E-mail
Password
Log in

State Tech CT&G building, driving range open with celebration

Posted

State Tech employees, friends of the college, students, and industry partners gathered on Thursday for a ribbon-cutting to celebrate the opening of the newly constructed Commercial Turf & Grounds building and driving range.

“As I often say, rarely does a day go by that State Tech has not impressed me, and this day is no different,” said State Tech President Dr. Shawn Strong. “Our goal is to provide students with the best technical education available. We’re having yet another great year.”

This is the fifth straight year in which the Linn college has set an enrollment record and the fourth consecutive year being named number one in the nation by Forbes.

“Two other buildings are under construction, with this one just completed and two more in the design phase,” said Dr. Strong. “These are truly exciting times at State Tech. It takes a team to pull off any building project. Everything from the support of our elected officials for which we are grateful, industry who are committed to hiring the best graduates, exceptional faculty and staff who live and breathe technical education, and students who are so committed to their profession. We have retention and graduation rates most schools envy. It’s great to see students, which of course, is the reason we are here, joining us at this ribbon cutting. “

Dr. Strong called the culmination special. “This building will be a special place where memories will be made, and our mission of preparing students for profitable employment and a life of learning will be carried out every day,” he added.

In the fall of 2019, the board of the Osage Country Club approached State Tech about taking over ownership of the country club, which occurred on May 1, 2020. “Shortly thereafter, we started working on the design for the replacement of the clubhouse and academic building to house our Commercial Turf and Grounds Management Program,” said Dr. Strong. “It didn’t take too long to figure out we did not have enough real estate to do everything we wanted to do.”

In November 2020, the faculty mentioned this property could possibly be for sale and would be a great place for a driving range. State Tech approached Mary Bryan about purchasing the 21.8 acres upon which the new building sits, and the State Tech Foundation stepped in to assist the college and closed on the property in January 2021. 

At about the time of the closing, Dr. Strong sent an email to the architect.

“We have been thinking about the academic program space and driving range on the new property,” he wrote. “I’m going to throw out an idea for a prefab metal building with a shed roof as oriented below with the low side towards the road. Hold the exterior wall in 15 feet in the front and 15 feet in the back. In the front, they can store and showcase equipment under the overhang. In the back would be an elevated and covered driving range. To get to the driving range, you would go through the middle of the building and up the steps, which would also be the atrium. On one side of the atrium, you would have classrooms; on the other, shop space with minimal conditioning. We may be able to place a shed roof-style greenhouse attached or perpendicular to block the view of the house. Total footprint of the building is in the 8,000-foot range. You may come up with something totally different, but I wanted to give you something that helps with vision. Paragon Architects hit that vision pretty darn close. This is a 10,000 square-foot building with just about everything on our wish list.”

In May 2021, Regent Shanda Trautman asked if staff knew about TopTracer Golf. “Once we checked it out, we were hooked and now have one of the nicest TopTracer ranges in the country,” said Dr. Strong, noting it uses the same technology as that in top golf and on the PGA tour. “I think we are going to create a little buzz here in Linn.”

Dr. Strong added, “Verslues Construction did an outstanding job of bringing this project home even when we had all sorts of supply chain delays. I want to thank Frank Verslues, Cody, our project manager, Jake, the job superintendent, and the entire Verslues team and subcontractors for making this one of our smoothest projects to date.”

He noted that Chief of Staff Amy Ames and Facility Director Brad Crede have done as much as any two people can do to accommodate his endless requests. “We had EDS faculty and maintenance out here setting 50-foot poles and stringing nets,” Dr. Strong said. “Matt Fick has spent nearly every day here the last six months moving dirt. Thank you to all State Tech employees for helping stretch every dollar.”

Golf Course Superintendent Joe Miloro has shaped up the Osage Country Club. “Unfortunately, this was not a great summer for growing grass,” said Dr. Strong. “In spite of contractors hitting water lines all summer, 100-degree heat, an irrigation system to install, and a golf course to maintain, he has managed to make the driving range look pretty presentable. Thank you, Joe, for all you do.”

He added that State Tech has a “pretty incredible turf and grounds program,” noting that Nick Rackers and Ryan Klatt have built this into a program with a growing national reputation.

“We’re super excited to get out here with the students, and the students are excited to get into the classrooms,” said Klatt. “We commute between the golf course and the campus now, but when we get out here, we have lots of plans.” 

As the project progressed, people started to notice what State Tech was doing, and Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe brought Missouri Golf Association Executive Director Scott Hovis out one morning. “That started to open some doors, and quickly we had several sponsors for this project,” said Dr. Strong.

VP for Advancement Shannon Grus spoke of industry support for the project. “I want to thank our partners who have helped us by providing support for State Tech and our commercial turf and grounds program and the driving range,” she said.

Toro will provide equipment and training valued at about $1.2 million over the next three years. “We love this partnership, and we hope to see it grow as we grow this program and facility,” said Grus. “We’re also fortunate to be partnering with the Missouri Soybean Association. I like to call it the magic bean. I’ve learned a lot about soybeans. With their gift, we were able to purchase SYNLawn turf for the facility and the clubhouse area when we get to that point. We also know this is just the start of our broader relationship with the Missouri Soybean Association. And we are so pleased to have CEO Gary Wheeler with us tonight to celebrate this blooming partnership.”

State Tech Regents President John A. Klebba said it didn’t feel like he was in Osage County when he walked into the driving range the first time. “This is a facility that not only we can be proud of in this community, but I think all of central Missouri and frankly, throughout the state,” he added. “I want to thank everyone, first of all, all of you who were able to join us this afternoon for this celebration, and for everyone who was involved in putting this together, building it, raising funds for it, and all of those who will be able to enjoy it in the future.”

Dr. Strong said projects like this are a favorite. “In the case of the driving range, last month we hired Renee Braun to direct the new Event and Entertainment Center Project just east of here,” he said. “She has been thrown in the fire and probably wonders what she has gotten herself into but has stuck with it. Thank you, Renee, for helping to get this open without anyone knowing about any of the hiccups or glitches.”

Instead of a traditional ribbon cutting, State Tech went a different direction. “I hope you can all agree this is an amazing facility,” said Dr. Strong. “This facility is about enabling an academic experience for our turf and grounds students that are top of the class. This driving range is about recruiting students and giving them another thing to do in Linn, and this is also about giving back to central Missouri. I want to thank you all for coming out and participating in this ribbon cutting. If you didn’t know it, we rarely cut ribbons at State Tech. This won’t be any different. We are going to hit a few balls to signal the official opening of the driving range.”

Joining Dr. Strong and Klebba in the bays were Hovis, Braun, Miloro, Grus, Klatt, Rackers, State Tech Student Government Association President Mason Zollman, Wheeler, Frank Verslues, and Jefferson City Chamber of Commerce President Gary Plummer.