Syngenta and Wake Forest Unite to to Transform Leadership in the Golf Industry

There are many opportunities for golf course superintendents to take courses that cover topics on how to manage turf and eradicate weeds.

“What they also need – and what is not as readily available – is leadership development,” said Kerry Shronts, Executive Director of the Executive Education department at the Wake Forest University School of Professional Studies.

The Executive Education department has partnered with Syngenta to fill that gap.

The Syngenta Business Institute (SBI) is an annual event that offers innovative business development programming tailored to the golf course superintendent. Attendees must apply, and every year, approximately 25 are selected. According to Kerry, part of what makes this event so unique is that the focus remains entirely on leadership development.

“There’s no sales or product pitch the entire time,” Kerry stressed. “Syngenta wants these superintendents focused on curriculum and personal/professional development.” 

SBI takes place at the Graylyn Estate near the Wake Forest University campus in Winston-Salem, and has been held since 2009.   Since then, they have honed their partnership to create a unique and seamless experience for superintendents across the country. 

“Syngenta is committed to excellence in supporting the industry, and we’re committed to excellence in developing leaders and giving them the tools they need to excel. So in that sense, we work very well together,” said Kerry.   

The SBI curriculum goes through slight enhancements from year-to-year based on attendee feedback, but the cornerstone of the program remains focused on leadership. Over three days, the Executive Education faculty presents five half-day sessions covering topics such as executive decision making and multicultural leadership. In recent years, the program added a session on work/life balance facilitated by Dr. Julie Wayne, who was the 2024 recipient of the Rosabeth Moss Kanter Award for Excellence in Work-Family Research. 

“Adding the work/life balance session was a major hit,” Kerry explained. “These are professionals who work extremely long hours, especially during peak seasonal playing times. It’s an important topic for them, and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.”

Having a consistent curriculum with knowledgeable, engaging faculty is part of what makes SBI a success. The Executive Education faculty members are business experts who show up prepared to lead interactive sessions. This reliability is foundational to the Syngenta-Wake Forest Executive Education department partnership.  

“At this point, they know what to expect from us. They know we will represent and support them exceptionally,” said Kerry. 

Open communication and continuous improvement have also been key in making this partnership successful. As an example, in 2024, they officially made the switch to Canvas, an online platform, to house all SBI materials. 

“With Canvas, we can easily get all the pre-reading materials out to attendees so they can access it on their own. Then, after leaving, they can access course materials or videos from anywhere,” explained Kerry. “It’s easy to use, straightforward, and serves as a repository if they lose anything.”

Looking at upcoming SBIs, Kerry does not see major curriculum changes on the horizon because the event has a reputation in the industry that “lives and breathes on its own.” People know what to expect at SBI, and it goes beyond educational sessions with expert faculty. It also includes numerous networking opportunities and lively roundtable discussions on topics such as recruiting and retaining employees that allow attendees to collaborate and learn from each other.

“It’s one of those few programs where we wrap up on a Friday, and by Monday we are already securing the conference facility and getting faculty schedules lined up for the next year,” said Kerry.

“SBI is something special, and anyone who has been lucky to attend will tell you that.”