KYSFMA Vendor Spotlight: Jack Grissom Winstead Turf Farms

Title / Role: Dir. of Project Management and Business Analysis

1. How did you get started in the turf or sports field industry?

I personally got started in the turf industry through a summer job while in college. Although I didn’t

major in a turf related field of study, I played football in college, love being outside, and found turfgrass

interesting while working at Winstead in the summers, so being a part of this industry, especially on

the sports field side, is just how things worked out.

2. What led you to a career in sales?

My career, as well as Chance’s career (Winstead’s General Manager), is not solely focused on sales

at all. The both of us occasionally work in a sales related role when it comes to our ready play, sports

field Matrix product, but our day to day work life is not that of a salesman. Mainly, we genuinely enjoy

creating relationships with people like those in the KYSFMA as well as getting to grow our Matrix

product to new customers.

3. What do you enjoy most about working with sports field managers?

Although this may not be the most professional answer, I mainly enjoy working with sports field

managers because the vast majority of the ones I’ve met are just cool guys. I love the sports world,

have learned a lot from the sports managers I’ve worked with, and I love to see the application of

natural sports field products that we all work so hard to make perfect.

4. What problem do you most enjoy helping your customers solve?

The problem I most enjoy helping customers solve is the need for a quick, quality solution to hardships

created by natural wear and tear of sports fields. Whether it be athlete driven deterioration, concerts,

or any other sports field wear we see today, I really enjoy getting to help customers by providing a

product that can help in a pinch as well as last for years at a top notch standard.

5. What makes your approach or perspective unique in this industry?

I think what makes our approach and perspective unique in this industry is that we offer a product

unlike anything else on the market. As for my personal perspective, the fact that I didn’t necessarily

come up through the turfgrass or agriculture pipeline is a bit different, but I think the best way to

answer this question is through the fact that we offer a totally unique product.

6. Favorite food?

My favorite food is sushi, although a good hamburger is a close second.

7. What are you listening to right now? (music, podcast, audiobook)

At the moment, I’m listening to the voices of people talking in the shop behind me and cars going by

on the road outside. The last thing I listened to that fits the description, though, was “Silverado for

Sale” by Morgan Wallen; that and some elevator style hold music on the telephone.

8. Fun fact about you:

My favorite movie is O’ Brother Where Art Thou, and I’ve watched it at least 20 times.

9. Why do you choose to support KYSFMA?

We choose to support the KYSFMA because we like to support positive organizations outside of those

with which we are directly related. Although we are from Tennessee, the surrounding states and our

customers within them are just as important as the ones right in our back yard.

10. Pro tip for turf or field managers:

While I’m on the young side and a bit more knowledgeable in business than in turfgrass, I’ll make my

“Pro Tip” something I learned while in college and that has still had an effect on me today. That is: It’s

better to be prepared and not get a chance than to get a chance and not be prepared.

How can members connect with you:

Email: Jack@winsteadturffarms.com & Chance@winsteadturffarms.com