Chapter Executives

President - kyle patterson

Kyle is the Park Services Manager for the City of Roswell Recreation, Parks, Historic and Cultural Affairs department. Since graduating from Penn State, he has spent time at Towson University and Georgia Tech. He has previously served as the Parks and Recreation representative for the chapter and on the national SFMA Board of Directors.

Vice President - Scott Sarratt

Scott is the Turf Supervisor for the City of Roswell Recreation, Parks, Historic, and Cultural Affairs Department. Previously, Scott has been the Assistant Director of Athletic Grounds at Georgia Tech, along with a 7-year run at Georgia State prior to arriving on the Flats. Scott served the past three years as the College Athletics Representative for Georgia SFMA.

Treasurer - Mike Watson

Mike is currently the head groundskeeper for Atlanta United, and has been since their inception in 2017. Prior to relocating to Atlanta, Mike spent time at LSU and the Philadelphia Eagles. Mike has a masters in Turfgrass Management from Penn State. He has previously served as the president of the chapter from 2021-2023.

Secretary - James Rodgers

James is currently an Assistant Groundskeeper at Atlanta United FC. He graduated from Auburn University in May 2023 and has spent time at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium and the Columbus Crew.

BOARD MEMBERS

Jake Hall - pROFESSIONAL sPORTS rEPresentative

Jake has almost 20 years of experience in the professional sports turf industry. After time at the Red Sox, Nationals, and Braves, he spent four years with Atlanta United. He is now the Senior Manager of Turf and Grounds for US Soccer at their new training facility in Trilith. Jake has recently completed the UGA Turfgrass Management Certification Program.

JOe Stumpo - cOLLEGE Athletics rEPresentative

Joe is currently the Director of Sports Turf and Grounds at Georgia Southern University.

Tommy Hewitt - Commercial Representative

Over the past 30 years, Tommy has dedicated himself to refining his expertise as a turfgrass grower within the sports turf and golf industries, currently serving as the Sports Turf Co-Lead for Syngenta. In this role, he focuses on nurturing relationships among Sports Field Managers and enhancing field conditions through networking, education, and support.

Jake Mays - k-12 rEPresentative

Jake is the Grounds and Athletic Fields Manager at The Westminster Schools. Prior to moving to Georgia he was a Minor League Head Groundskeeper and worked in athletic field construction out of Raleigh, NC. A Graduate of Virginia Tech, Jake resides in Atlanta with his fiance Bailie and their dog, Turf. Jake has been recognized as a ‘Rising Star’ in the industry by SportsField Magazine and won the 2024 SFMA Football Field of the Year in the Schools & Parks category.

Matt Ellerbee - Parks and Recreation Representative

Matt is the Equipment Mechanic for the Cherokee County Parks and Recreation department.

Gerald Henry, PhD - Education Representative

Dr. Henry is the Athletic Association Endowed Professor of Environmental Turfgrass Science at the University of Georgia. He is the advisor to the undergraduate Turfgrass Management major and the director of the Athens Turfgrass Research and Education Center.