Sports Turf Canada announced that Ray Stukas, Manager of Parks, Toronto and East York District, for the City of Toronto, is the 2014 Sports Turf Manager of the Year.

The award is a prestigious honour which recognizes an individual’s professional ability and contribution to the Canadian sports turf industry and shows appreciation for his or her proactive and progressive efforts within the profession.

With over 30 years experience in parks operations and maintenance, including turf management involving sports fields, Stukas has served in the leadership role organizing Toronto’s new Outdoor Sports Field Improvement Program, involving more than 650 sports fields across the city.

The award is sponsored by the Guelph Turfgrass Institute. “The GTI is honoured to partner with Sports Turf Canada in the creation of this award that will help promote and recognize outstanding sports turf managers in Canada”, said GTI director Rob Witherspoon.

The nomination deadline for the 2015 Sports Turf Manager of the Year is December 1, 2014. Visit the website at  sportsturfassociation.com.