It was a much different world in 1965 when Wayne Evans, IAA’s 2019 Distinguished Alumni, stepped foot on the University of Maryland campus to join the IAA’s inaugural class. “We were an experiment,” he told the audience at this year’s graduation, and although he and his classmate didn’t really know what they were getting into, they went to classes, completed their course work, and launched their careers.
For Evans and many of his peers, however, their schooling and careers were interrupted by the Vietnam War. After graduating from the IAA with his certificate in Turfgrass Management, Evans worked one year as the Assistant Superintendent at Tantallon Country Club before he served on the U.S. Navy Carrier Yorktown.
He eventually made his way back to the golf industry where spent 18 years as a superintendent, then 16 years as the Golf Irrigation Manager with G.L. Cornell Co., and 8 years with John Deere Golf, Finch Services, before retiring in 2012. Evans is distinguished not only by his long career and commitment to the golf-turf industry, but also by his dedication to community and professional service. For nearly 50 years he has actively engaged with professional associations, and continues to volunteer with community organizations. Named 2019 Volunteer of the Year for Mt. Airy, Evans encouraged the IAA graduates to use their skills to help in their communities.
By all accounts, the experiment from 54 years ago turned out just fine. Congratulations to R. Wayne Evans on being named IAA’s Distinguished Alumni for 2019.
