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Perhaps you?EUR??,,????'?????<???EUR?ve noticed in previous issues of Landscape Superintendent and Maintenance Professional, the tag line for the Professional Grounds Management Society ?EUR??,,????'?????<??oe ?EUR??,,????'?????<?We Grow People.?EUR??,,????'?????<?
That, more than anything else, is the mission of PGMS; to help develop better grounds management professionals, so that they, in turn, can better serve their employers and thus enhance the environment for all of us to enjoy.
One of the most constructive ways in which PGMS is seeking to meet its mission is through its highly recognized Certified Grounds Manager (CGM) program. Initiated in 1981, this dynamic recognition program has finally begun to blossom with a greater number of professionals entering the program each year. In the immediate future, for instance, it is expected that the American Public Works Association (APWA) will adopt and endorse the PGMS CGM program to its thousands of members.
?EUR??,,????'?????<?The PGMS certification program is a personal and professional commitment towards achieving excellence,?EUR??,,????'?????<? says John Van Etten, CGM, Landscape Manager, Hoffman Landscape and Design, Albany, NY. ?EUR??,,????'?????<?It challenges the grounds manager to refine his or her skills and continue to grow and learn new technology and methodology.?EUR??,,????'?????<?
Donald Bottger, CGM, the Assistant Facility Manager of the expansive San Diego Convention Center, adds, ?EUR??,,????'?????<?The CGM program is the preeminent certification program for the professional grounds manager. It has become the benchmark for the industry and employers are beginning to recruit individuals with the certification because it substantiates comprehensive expertise in the field.?EUR??,,????'?????<?
And, Ellen Newell CGM, Assistant Director of Grounds Services at Arizona State University, says, ?EUR??,,????'?????<?Going through the process of earning my CGM helped me to organize my job, learn some new skills, refresh old skills, and promote a professional image to my crew and administrators.?EUR??,,????'?????<? She noted that in the last year she was able to make a significant career move, in part, because of her CGM status.
For those interested in becoming a Certified Grounds Manager, there is a simple but specific prescribed procedure. A candidate must either:
Once a candidate is deemed eligible?EUR??,,????'?????<???(R)?EUR??,,????'?????<???(R)and it?EUR??,,????'?????<???EUR?s quite obvious that the CGM program is a measurement of an individual?EUR??,,????'?????<???EUR?s experience, rather that ability to study and test?EUR??,,????'?????<???(R)?EUR??,,????'?????<???(R)the candidate enters into the examination process which consists of two parts. Part one is administered by a PGMS approved proctor (generally another CGM) and covers a core of basic principles of grounds management, consisting of one hundred true/false and multiple choice questions. The applicant taking the examination is required to answer these particular questions without referring to notes or reference materials. A minimum passing grade of 70% is required.
The closed book test contains questions on: insects and diseases, soils, trees and shrubs, turfgrass, chemicals and fertilizers and general management principles.
Part two of the CGM examination process is an open book exam. This is a newly revised take home examination to be completed by the applicant based on personal experience and the local situation. Candidates have one year to complete this component for review by the PGMS CGM committee.
The open book test consists of: site inventory, operations inventory, turf management, trees, shrubs and ground covers, irrigation, pavings, management skills, budgets and finances.
The application and examination fee for PGMS members is only $150.
Further information on the PGMS CGM program can be found online at www.PGMS.org
Francisco Uviña, University of New Mexico
Hardscape Oasis in Litchfield Park
Ash Nochian, Ph.D. Landscape Architect
November 12th, 2025
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