In photo, left to right – Ken Hyatt, Acting Deputy Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade, Rhoda Steiner, Dallas Steiner, Ventrac President, Rebecca Blank, U.S. Acting Secretary of Commerce

U.S. Acting Secretary of Commerce Rebecca Blank presented Venture Products, Inc. with the President’s “E” Award for Exports at a ceremony in Washington, D.C. on may 20, 2013. The “E” Awards are the highest recognition any U.S. entity may receive for making a significant contribution to the expansion of U.S. exports.

“I am delighted to be recognizing this year’s Presidential ‘E’ Award winners for their outstanding contributions to U.S. exports and congratulate Venture Products, Inc. on its outstanding export achievement,” said Acting Secretary Blank.“It is businesses like Venture Products that are strengthening the economies of local communities, creating jobs, and contributing to the worldwide demand for ‘Made in the USA’ goods and services.”

“Exporting has enabled us to diversify our revenue streams and weather changes in the marketplace. It allows us to mitigate risk while boosting our competitiveness and bottom lines,” stated Dallas Steiner, President of Venture Products. He adds, “Our products are exported to over 20 countries, with the strongest countries of export being Sweden, Japan, South Korea and Australia.”

 Randy Kitzmiller, Director of Operations for Venture Products said, “Export sales over the past three years have grown 80 percent. This growth has allowed us to double our work force and build a new manufacturing facility in Orrville, Ohio.”  

 Venture Products, Inc., located in Orrville, Ohio, is the manufacturer of Ventrac compact tractors and commercial grade attachments. Ventrac tractors are unique; the design includes an articulating frame, front-mounted attachments, and all-wheel drive traction in a compact design. Since the first release of Ventrac products in 1998, the company has quickly become a leader in the sub-compact tractor market, with their equipment being used by professionals worldwide. More than thirty commercial grade attachments are built specifically for the tractor that allows operators to quickly change between tasks like mowing, rough cutting, trenching, sod cutting, leaf blowing, aerating, snow removal, edging, and more. Ventrac equipment is sold through a network of dealers and distributors throughout the world and are used in a wide range of markets, including golf courses, professional contractors, municipalities, hospitals, schools, and estate owners.

U.S. exports hit an all-time record of $2.2 trillion in 2012, and supported nearly 10 million American jobs. President Obama’s National Export Initiative, which aims to double U.S. exports by the end of 2014 and support an additional 2 million jobs in the United States, is opening new avenues for U.S. exporters through enhanced export assistance and a strengthened trade agenda that is targeting emerging markets and industry sectors across the globe.

 President Kennedy revived the World War II “E” symbol of excellence to honor and provide recognition to America’s exporters. The “E” Award Program was established by Executive Order 10978 on December 5, 1961. A total of 57 U.S. companies were presented with the President’s “E” Award this year.

 U.S. companies are nominated for the “E” Award for Exports through the Department of Commerce’s U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service office network, located within the Department’s International Trade Administration, which has offices in 108 U.S. cities and more than 70 countries to help U.S. exporters.  Four years of successive export growth and an applicant’s demonstration of an innovative international marketing plan that led to the increase in exports is a significant factor in making the award.

Every fall the course shuts down for 5 days to perform what Apple calls “aggressive agronomic practices.”  This short window of time allows the maintenance team to take that extra step to nurture and care for the greens they have worked hard all year to maintain. They use this time to aerate, top dress and mow down native fescue grasses. Every part of the course will get taken care of from the tees, greens, bank grasses and fairways. Located on steep inclines and sloping terrain, most of the course’s native grass areas only get mowed down a couple times a year and they rely on the Ventrac Tough Cut mower deck and tractor, equipped with dual wheels, to handle the job nicely. The Ventrac Aera-Vator helps out with the aeration process on the rough while core cleanup is easy with the Turbine Blower.  It takes many machines to care for a course this size but they depend on their Ventrac tractors to make the process run like a well-oiled machine.

Watch the video for the full story and see why Ventrac is such an important piece to the puzzle of golf course maintenance. No matter how perfect a golf course, the team at the Pete Dye Course at French Lick always strive for a better one.  Great work guys!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ef-gtO2LWpE