Chris Rakowski - turf management - Sugar Mill Country Club

Work Preference

Job Search Status

Not actively looking

Desired Job Title

Assistant SuperintendentSpray Techniciansports turf foremanSuperintendent

Summary

Sports turf and golf course turf manager with excellent leadership and management skills. Highly effective at promoting positive relationships and overseeing various projects. Excellent multitasking and time management skills. Highly motivated and ambitious person that loves working at Sugar Mill Country Club and really wants to become the Superintendent when Dennis retires.

Overview

23

years of professional experience

Work History

Assistant Superintendent

Sugar Mill Country Club

New Smyrna Beach, FL

08.2005 - Current

Tasked with scheduling and assignments for all 1st second and 3rd daily jobs for 15 -20 employees.
In charge of weekend and holiday scheduling.
Organize, manage and carryout all projects tasked by Superintendent
Analyze new potential employees for hire
Train all employee on operation of equipment such as walk/riding greens/tee/fairway mowers/ rollers and all other tractors or machines.
Assist spray tech in spraying whenever necessary
Dig up, Diagnose and fix Irrigation issues
Coordinate with Superintendent to diagnose, treat or prevent disease or insects on golf course
Performed Job of spray tech for 2 years when we were without one.
Memorized hundreds of Irrigation codes to run irrigation system on all three nines.
Coordinate yearly with Superintendent to discuss aerification for summer and organize and carry out plan for that specific year.
Do yearly reviews on any employees that I specifically hired. "Anyone hired by Dennis gets done by him"
Decide and assign what spray tech will spray and landscape manager needs to focus on whenever Superintendent is not present
Check pump houses on red and blue course first thing every morning to check for problems and record how much water we used previous night.

Spray Technician

Spruce Creek Country Club

Port Orange , Florida

01.2002 - 08.2005

Equipment operator was able to run any piece of Equipment on golf course
Obtained commercial pesticide license and was promoted to spray tech
Sprayed greens, tees, fairways as well as sprayed selective and non selective herbicides on golf course and in all plant beds on golf course property
Able to perform any task needed to maintain golf course

Golf Course Maintenance /Greens Keeper

Crane Lakes Country Club

Port Orange , Florida

03.2000 - 01.2002

Mow greens/tees /fairways
Rake Bunkers
Mow rough
All manual labor tasks needed

Greens Keeper3

Riverbend Country Club

Ormond Beach, FL

01.1999 - 01.2000

Walk mowed old g13 greens daily
Raked bunkers
Edge cart paths
Trim mow
Rough mow

Education

Associate of Science - Turfgrass Management And Golf Course Operations

Daytona State College

Palm Coast, FL

03.2002

High School Diploma -

Niagara Wheatfield Senior High School

Weatfield New York

09.1998

Skills

Extremely reliable " 17 years at Sugar Mill and never called in sick or missed work " there at 5:15 am and lock up everyday after last person leaves
Skilled at coordinating, managing and getting along with 20 plus employees and navigating their differences in personalities which allows assignment of tasks with little to no problems For example: Deciding which people should work alone and which people are better at working together with others and who should do what and when Some people are more flexible on their job skills and how much supervision is needed
Excellent at utilizing potential of employees by acknowledging Their strengths and harnessing them to everyone's benefit while personally helping them to improve on their weaknesses if there is something someone is not good at for example
20 years experience expert operator of all equipment on golf course Very good at diagnosing and fixing things from cell phones and computers to golf course equipment

I'm very good at getting everything done whatever it may be and whoever may not be at work that day It doesn't matter because ill do it myself and will stay as late as necessary and always have
Extremely knowledgeable on fertilizers and chemicals including calibration of sprayer and fertilizer equipment and have commercial pesticide license renewed just last year
Skilled at organizing, planning, scheduling and executing all duties pertaining to golf course maintenance with staff of 20 with little to no input from Superintendent needed
Enjoy problem solving and critical thinking and thrive under pressure

Additional Information

I've been in the golf business since I moved to Florida from Buffalo New york in 1998. I Decided I wanted to be a Superintendent while working at riverbend golf course in 1999 when i fell in love with the game of golf. I was hired at Sugar Mill by Dennis in 2005 to be his second Assistant Superintendent and I really loved the place. I remember seeing the first tee on number 1 white nearly immaculate and said to myself this is the place for me. I was promoted to 1st Assistant when the position became available and always hoped to get the Superintendent position when Dennis retired. I live 12 minutes from Sugar Mill and my parents live in Venetian bay So i really love being close to my wife and daughter and my parents if anything happens.

My goal was always to become a Superintendent. The truth is being the Assistant at Sugar Mill is a better position than being a Superintendent at most other country club's so i was happy working for Dennis until he retires.

Timeline