Jacobsen Hosts Future Turf Managers in Charlotte, NC

[StephenTucker]

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (June 18, 2007) – Jacobsen®, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, hosted 14 college students from top turf colleges around the country at its annual Future Turf Managers Seminar. The May session was the 31st in the program’s history, and the first at the Jacobsen University training center in the company’s new headquarters.

More than 600 turf students have participated in the Future Turf Managers Seminar since its inception. After a brief hiatus as Jacobsen constructed its new educational training facility, the program is back in full force.

“We started this program in the 1970s to give promising young minds in the industry a glimpse of life as a turf professional,” said Ralph Nicotera, who has been involved in the Future Turf Managers program for nearly 30 years and currently serves as Jacobsen vice president of sales. “Jacobsen has always invested in education and this program has helped hundreds of turf students get a jump start on their careers.”

The program provides participants with an opportunity to learn and interact with turf professionals in an educational environment under the guidance of industry leaders, an experience impossible to duplicate in the classroom.

“We want to give turf students a practical view of the profession, while offering support to the brightest new turf managers in the business,” said Dan Wilkinson, Jacobsen president. “An opportunity to go behind the scenes at some of the premier facilities in the world isn’t something that most other programs can offer, but it’s something Jacobsen feels is a valuable experience that will help these young professionals and the industry.”

The attendees toured Jacobsen’s manufacturing facility and got a chance to use and test some of the company’s latest equipment at Tega Cay Golf Club on the first day of the three-day event. On the second day, the group traveled to Augusta, GA for a tour of Sage Valley Country Club, the E-Z-GO facility and a tour of Augusta National’s maintenance facility.

Jacobsen brought in several high-profile superintendents on the third day to speak to the group about budgeting, fleet management and share knowledge gained from years of experience in the turf industry."

“This program is one of Jacobsen’s best ideas,” said Edward Nangle, a graduate student from The Ohio State University who attended the Future Turf Managers program. “Jacobsen has cutting edge technology, particularly with the environmental aspect of their electric products, and a deep concern about the future of the industry. It’s been impressive to see.”

For more information about the Future Turf Managers Seminar and Jacobsen, visit www.jacobsen.com or call 1-888-922-TURF.