Mississauga, ON - The Canadian Golf Superintendents Association (CGSA) is pleased to  announce R. Marie Thorne as CGSA’s first female John B. Steel Distinguished Service Award recipient for 2021.

The CGSA John B. Steel Award commemorates the CGSA's first President, who was also the first superintendent to be inducted into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame. This award is presented annually to an individual, chosen by the CGSA Board of Directors, who has made an outstanding contribution to the advancement of the profession of Golf Course Superintendent. The recipient is presented with an original soap stone carving designed and carved by Bill Fach, retired Master Superintendent and a past CGSA President.

Marie will receive an “All-Access” registration to The Canadian virtual Golf Course Management Conference from March 1-3, 2022, and she will be presented with the prestigious John B. Steel Award on Thursday, March 3, 2022, at 1:30 pm.

Marie is a well-known leader and mentor in the Canadian turfgrass industry who shared her expertise and knowledge frequently along with delivering exceptional customer service as a Senior Turf Specialist. She has been a CGSA member since 1983 and has been involved in the turfgrass industry since 1981 after graduating from the University of Guelph with a Bachelor of Science and Agriculture major in Plant Protection. Upon graduation she was one of the few women in the industry leading the way for the numbers we see today. She continued her education and placed first in the class at the University of Guelph Turf Managers' Short Course in 1994 and graduated from the Penn State University World campus Turfgrass Management Program in 2004.

During her career she gave to the industry spearheading several partnerships within the Canadian golf course management profession, supporting both CGSA and a number of regional groups across Canada. She was heavily involved with the Ontario Turfgrass Research Foundation’s fundraising golf tournament over the years. Most importantly Marie was known as a friend to so many across Canada and everyone looked forward to catching up with her during one of the many industry events she participated in over the years.  Marie retired in April 2018 from Syngenta Canada Inc.

"Marie Thorne is well-known and respected in our profession. Her long career included many speaking engagements for CGSA along with many other associations. It was no surprise to find out that the late Gordon Witteveen who was one of Marie’s mentors contacted her after writing the book Practical Golf Course Maintenance, asking her to review a chapter about spraying for accuracy. There’s no question Marie has had a profound impact on many in our industry!” John C. Scott, AGS, CGSA President.

“When John called to tell me that I was the recipient of this prestigious award, I was shocked, delighted and humbled all at the same time. I am very grateful to the CGSA Board, and to all Golf Superintendents across Canada that I had the privilege of working with during my 37-year career,” said Marie Thorne.

On behalf of the Board of Directors, staff, and members of the CGSA, please accept our congratulations to Marie on her selection as the 2021 John B. Steel Distinguished Service Award winner.

John. C. Scott, AGS
CGSA President
c: (514) 977-7432
e: john.scott@summerlea.com

The CGSA represents golf course superintendents, assistant superintendents, equipment technicians, and others involved in golf course management across Canada. CGSA was founded in 1966 and has approximately 1,000 members. Its mission is to promote excellence in golf course management and environmental responsibility through the continuing professional development of its members. For more information, please visit www.golfsupers.com.