This-N-That
In Memoriam: Norris Legue, Founder Of Synthetic Surfaces
Norris Legue, founder of Synthetic Surfaces and “Guru of Glue,” died May 29, 2022 at the age of 85. Norris was a great friend of Parks & Rec Business (PRB) magazine joining us for the first time in the October 2004 issue and showing up each month thereafter for nearly 20 years.
His monthly email with updated ad materials (appearing like clockwork), always started the same formal way… “Dear Rodney” and ended with “Very truly yours,” Norris Legue. It was more like receiving a letter in the mail than an email and always made me smile.
Likewise, he would send me a thank-you email each time we sent him a small gift of appreciation for all his years working with us. The last one we received read: “We want to thank you for thinking of us and sending the lovely chocolate bar. We will have it today for our afternoon snack.”
The thought of him and the rest of his team sitting around having an afternoon snack warmed my heart—and got me thinking. Do people do this? Should I do this? It’s a cool idea, isn’t it?
I know it sounds mundane, but the regular, professional, somewhat formal communication from Norris always left me feeling important and welcome in his world. Of course, meeting him in person at industry shows always left me laughing and feeling good in a different way. I suspect it was the same with everybody in his orbit.
I found out a few things I never thought to ask from Norris’s obituary:
He was born on New Year’s Eve in New Orleans, but spent most of his life in Scotch Plains, N.J.—his house just a short drive from his office. Norris loved visiting new places and seeing new things. His personal philosophy was that life was to be enjoyed. He believed if you like your job, your efforts are rewarding instead of boring. If your earnings from your hard work exceed necessary expenses, spend a lot of it on fun and other things that please you. Norris lived by that rule, loved his job, and worked pretty much up to the day he died.
He graduated from Seton Hall University with a degree in Chemistry. He spent years developing adhesives in the basement of his home, and testing samples by placing them through a window onto the rooftop, and then left them there through all the seasons and weather conditions, to assure their durability. Soon after, he knew he was onto something, and became the founder, president, and owner of Synthetic Surfaces Inc. In about 1969, he developed the first one-part urethane adhesive used successfully to glue down a synthetic-turf football field. He owned six patents. His company’s new generations of NORDOT Adhesives are used to install synthetic turf more than other adhesives in the world. Hence, the reason that his peers dubbed him the “Guru of Glue.”
Norris married Dorothy “Dotty” Samuelson in 1959, and the two were life-long companions until Dotty’s death in 2014. The NORDOT brand name is a combination of Norris’s and Dotty’s name. He is survived by his children Robin Harabin (Robert), Kirk Legue (Peggy), and Karen Hoag (Kevin); his three grandchildren Nancy Verdic, Alyssa Hanly, and Brian Legue; his great-grandson Dylan Verdic; and as well as his aide of four years, Zita, who was by his side at the time of his passing.
SiteOne Offers Intuit QuickBooks Integration
Roswell, Ga.—SiteOne Landscape Supply account holders who utilize the QuickBooks system for billing can easily download the free SiteOne Sync App from the QuickBooks App Store to quickly connect accounts. Once connected, landscape professionals can quickly and easily bring purchases from SiteOne into QuickBooks to see product details and fee breakdowns for each transaction. These can then be categorized individually, reducing manual entry and resulting errors while also gaining access to more important purchase details—including product descriptions, item costs, delivery fees and sales tax for each transaction. For more information, visit SiteOne.com/BMS.
Field Notes
CROFT & Associates announces the promotion of Earl Smith, a 37-year veteran of the industry, to the position of vice president. In this role, he will continue to serve as the business unit director for CROFT’s Local Government Market where he leads operations and overall project performance.
Munro, a manufacturer of pumps, pump controls, and pump stations for the turf irrigation market, has named Missy Johnson as its new Inside Sales Representative. Missy will work closely with the company’s Regional Account Managers and network of professional distributors to provide industry-leading support.
Arborjet | Ecologel, a provider in plant health care, appointed Zachary Peterson to Midwest Regional Sales Manager, Mark Andrews to Director of Commercial Sales, Nicole Speros as in-house Sales and Marketing Associate, Taylor Grant as Business Development Associate, and Jennifer McLaughlin as Administrative Assistant in the company’s Ocala Headquarters.
Terrence “Terry” Horan has been named President and CEO of STIHL Incorporated. He is responsible for the management of the STIHL Group’s largest market and subsidiary.
ASV Website Offers Branded Swag
Grand Rapids, Minn.—ASV Holdings Inc., a manufacturer of all-purpose and all-season compact track loaders and skid steers, offers a merchandise website, shopASV.com, to give ASV’s loyal customer base an easy way to get branded gear, apparel and other items.
On ShopASV.com—powered by Norscot—customers can choose from a variety of branded items, including apparel such as shirts and beanies, office supplies like pens and magnets, and vehicle upgrades such as branded license plate frames and keychains. The website also includes a selection of dealer décor.
To view available merchandise, click the “Stocked Items” tab.
Letters:
Crisis Creates A Stir
Ron,
Your article “In The Eyes Of A Crisis” was riveting. You are a writer extraordinaire! I’m still feeling the impact of your article. The power of a look, a smile, recognition, encouragement. It’s not to be taken for granted. Thank you for sharing your harrowing COVID experience. I’m glad you were determined to push through that terrible night and then tell about it in such detail. Thank you.
Linda Adams, CPRP
Recreation Program Director
Cicero Youth Bureau, Parks & Recreation
Cicero, NY
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I just read your article about your COVID experience. I'm adding you guys to our prayer list and hoping you both mend quickly and have zero residual symptoms. Lord have mercy on us!
-Suzette Simms
AGS Designs Miniature Golf Course At St. Louis Adventure Park
Traverse City, Mich.—What do you do to complement a four-story outdoor Aerial Adventure Tower with 110 unique elements ranging from an easy sky-bound walk to full-fledged daredevil obstacles? For Ryze Adventure Park in Maryland Heights, Mo., the answer was to have Adventure Golf & Sports (AGS) design and install an 18-hole ADA compliant Modular Advantage miniature golf course!
“There’s just so many things about miniature golf that we love and it fits what we do,” says Greg Hoffman, owner of the adventure park. “We’re here to help people build relationships and enjoy each other’s company outside in a safe environment.”
Having previously owned an indoor family entertainment center for 11 years that included a miniature golf course, Hoffman says, “We found out that, other than laser tag, it was our number two attraction consistently over the years. And it was such a good attraction because when families came, it was something they could all do together … [It] was a nice thing where multi-generation families could have fun together. It’s relational. It’s relaxing. It’s competitive.”
“We call it a championship golf course,” says Hoffman, “because it’s more like real putting. We want to appeal to adults and golfers.”
Unlike concrete built courses, AGS uses flexible, permeable, patented panels with their Modular Advantage system to create the look and feel of concrete without the disadvantages of concrete.
For more information about custom-designed miniature golf courses from AGS, visit www.AGSGolfandSports.com.
Penn State Extension Offers Online Landscape Courses
University Park, Penn.—Penn State Extension has launched two new online courses, “Plant Identification and Usage: Vines” and “Plant Identification and Usage: Groundcovers” for landscapers, horticulture professionals, and avid gardeners.
In the “Groundcovers” course, landscapers learn to identify the most important genera and species of groundcovers used in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic states, the cultural requirements of groundcovers, common insect and disease problems, basic pruning requirements and timing, and how to select groundcovers with resistance to common problems.
In the “Vines” course, participants learn identification features of climbing vines of the Northeast and understand their botanical names and landscape usage, learn the cultural requirements of vines, understand the usage of climbing vines, and describe the basics of common insect and disease problems associated with vines.
Both courses qualify for Pennsylvania Certified Horticulturist (PCH) continuing education units (CEUs). These courses are ideal for people seeking employment in landscape design, installation, and maintenance and landscape businesses who want to provide additional training to experienced employees.
More information, visit https://extension.psu.edu/landscape-professional-development.
Pine Hall Permeable Pavers Used In Award-Winning Project
Winston-Salem, N.C.—A project that used Pine Hall Brick Company clay pavers took home an award at the 2021 Brick Industry Association’s (BIA) annual Brick in Architecture competition.
The Silver Award, in the Paving & Landscaping Category, was handed down to the Ambler Square Park project in Ambler, Penn.; landscape architect Gilmore & Associates; masonry contractor GoreCon Inc.; brick distributor Church Brick Company and brick manufacturer Pine Hall Brick Company.
The project made use of Pine Hall Brick Company’s StormPave permeable pavers in Full Range, Dark Accent and Gray The pavers effectively slow water runoff and promote innovative and sustainable stormwater solutions in a public park setting.
For more information, visit www.pinehallbrick.com.