Doug Witten, has been appointed plastic sales manager ?EUR??,,????'??? north for Contech Construction Products, Inc. In his position, Witten will be responsible for the plastic pipe marketing as well as sales in New York, New England, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois,

Steve Meschke, of Mustang Manufacturing Co., Inc., has been promoted to customer support manager, a newly created position heading the manufacturers new customer service department, Team Mustang. Meschke is a former sales coordinator for Mustang.

Matt Hurst, has been appointed national sales and marketing manager for Solo, Inc. Hurst will be responsible for the sales of sprayers, blowers, chain saws, string trimmers, hedge trimmers and other outdoor power equipment products. Hurst came to Solo after working for six years with Echo.

Renuka Dharmadhikary, has joined BioSafe Systems as a laboratory technician. She holds a master?EUR??,,????'???s degree in microbiology and a master?EUR??,,????'???s degree from the University of Massachusetts ?EUR??,,????'??? Dartmouth in biology.

Brad Allmand, of Allmand Bros., Inc., has announced promotion to marketing manager. Allmand will be in charge of the company?EUR??,,????'???s marketing strategy. He has been with the company since 1985.

Ronald Gilbert, who introduced the concept of pressurized irrigation around the world, is the recipient of the Irrigation Association Crawford Reid Memorial Award for 2005. Gilbert was instrumental in developing irrigation in Ecuador, Guatemala, Venezuela, Spain.

Gregg Breningmeyer, has been appointed director of commercial segment marketing for John Deere Worldwide Commercial and Consumer Equipment (C&CE) Division. Breningmeyer will be responsible for growth of the John Deere commercial mowing and golf and turf business.

More People in the News

• RISE (Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment) governing board elected Stephen P. Briggs as chairman. Briggs is director of the BASF Specialty Products Department based in Research Triangle Park, N.C. RISE is a national trade association representing the manufacturers, formulators, distributors and other industry leaders involved with specialty pesticide products and fertilizers.

• Kevin Trotta, head groundskeeper at North Rockland Central School District in Rockland County, New York has been presented with the ?EUR??,,????'??*Excellence in IPM Award*?EUR??,,????'?? from the New York State Integrated Pest Management Program. The program is part of Cornell Cooperative Extension.
• Gene Maples announced that he is retiring as president of the Turfgrass Council of North Carolina, effective February 28. Maples has been involved with the Turfgrass Council since 1990. The council has also elected to move the association headquarter to Raleigh, N.C.
• BASF Corporation has hired John Bresnahan as sales representative for its New England territory. Bresnahan comes to BASF after owning and operating his own consulting firm for the past 10 years. Bresnahan will work with distributors, superintendents and lawn care operators to help them select efficient, science-based solutions for turf.
• Ariens Company announced a new partnership with green industry training expert, Jim Paluch, signing on as a major sponsor of the JP Horizons educational events.
• David Warman has joined AgraQuest Inc., as their new turf and ornamental business manager. Warman will oversee all turf and ornamental business in the United States focusing on expanding Rhapsody Biofungicide in ornamental markets.
• Sean Casey has been named Nufarm Turf & Specialty?EUR??,,????'???s vice president of sales. Casey has held various sales and marketing management positions in the organization for more than 15 years. Casey was most recently the national sales manager for the turf division.