Riverside Turf Launches Sod Production Services, Hires Al Hunter to Join Staff

Riverside Turf, headquartered in Charles City, Virginia, proudly announces the launch of Sod Production Services, a division of Riverside Turf. The new division will lead the company’s efforts to fund research for and market new turfgrass varieties, to license sod producers nationwide to grow these proprietary grasses, and to offer a community approach to agronomic consulting services in the turfgrass industry. Al Hunter has joined the Sod Production Services staff as Director of Business Development. The first grass in the Sod Production Services portfolio is PremierPRO Bermuda Grass, supported by Team PremierPRO.

About Al Hunter
Al Hunter will work alongside well-known turfgrass industry expert, Brian Walker at Riverside Turf, to achieve the company’s mission to create a new business model in the turfgrass licensing segment‚one that focuses on a team approach to sod production, sales and distribution with a dedication to science-based claims, customer support and agronomic consultancy.

Wells Hula, president of Riverside Turf, said bringing in Al Hunter will help Sod Production Services to quickly expand and explore the company’s mission to approach turfgrass licensing and support in a new way.

Al Hunter has nearly a decade of turfgrass experience. He’s spearheaded nationwide programs to successfully distribute sod through wholesale and retail outlets. He understands the needs of the sod producer, and of the end-user, and is able to plan and implement programs and procedures that benefit everyone involved in the success of a turfgrass variety. His innovative approach will be a great benefit to Sod Production Services, to our grasses and to our customers. … Wells Hula, president of Riverside Turf

Hunter is a graduate of the Turf Management Program at NC State and holds an MBA in Business from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He has held strategic positions at Buy Sod and Scotts/Miracle Grow.

About PremierPRO Bermuda Grass
PremierPRO Bermuda Grass is a dense, fine-bladed bermudagrass developed by Dr. Milt Engelke, Prof. Emeritus Texas A &M, and Dr. Virginia Lehman, that is scientifically proven to have superior traffic tolerance and wear tolerance, suitable for use on sports fields, golf courses and lawns. PremierPRO Bermuda Grass is ranked #1 by the University of Arkansas for traffic tolerance, and #1 for High Quality Turf Rating by the National Turfgrass Evaulaution Progam (NTEP). PremierPRO Bermuda Grass is currently available for shipping throughout the United States through sod producers in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic states. Current licensed producers are: Turf Connections, Cheraw, SC; Central Sod Farms of Maryland, Centerville, MD;Bass Sod Farm, Gladys, VA; Riverside Turf, Charles City, VA; Quality Turf, Burgaw, NC;Carolina Green Corp., Indian Trail, NC.  PremierPRO is marketed through Sod Production Services, a division of Riverside Turf.

About Team PremierPRO
The Team PremierPRO concept was launched in 2015 and brings together the power of world-recognized researchers, sod producers, superintendents, sports turf managers and professional athletes whose combined efforts to share information about the grass are mutually beneficial. A portion of royalties produced from the sale of PremierPRO Bermuda Grass goes to university turfgrass research in the states where the grass is grown.

Brian Walker and I had talked many times about the need to help sod growers with a variety of services. Whether it be sales leads, new turf products, new production methods, logistics, university research, cooperative buys on seed, chemicals, or equipment. Through Sod Production Services, our main objective is to be supportive of the sod growers and their needs. Sod farmers all have challenges, whether it is having the right products for their market, having adequate inventory, having the right pricing, having proper trucking, or accounts receivables. We are able to share information with growers that would be beneficial to all concerned. … Al Hunter