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PRESS RELEASE

Andy Fries Joins Metro Turf Specialists

Metro Turf Specialists, the leading distributor of turf and ornamental plant health products in the New York metropolitan area, is proud to announce the addition of Andy Fries to its sales team. 


Metro’s president, Scott Apgar, along with the Apgar family, is thrilled to have someone with so much turf and ornamental experience come on board. “We learned Andy was looking to start a new chapter in life from a turf management position he proudly held over the years. Knowing his caliber of industry expertise and management qualities, Andy threw out the idea of him trying his hand at what we do from the sales side. The idea was well received, as Andy will now embark on a new endeavor: Connecticut Sales Representative, for Metro Turf Specialists.” 


“We feel so fortunate to be in the right place at the right time,” stated Todd Apgar. “Andy has been a great client of Metro’s, for quite some time. He understands the importance of service, products, and dedication. His knowledge and drive for perfection will help our company continue to be the best independent distributor in the area.” 


From Rich Apgar, “I have had the opportunity of getting to know Andy over the years of being in the industry. Andy has always displayed professionalism, dedication, and willingness to learn while helping others. I can’t wait to see what he brings to our company to make us better in the Connecticut Sales Market. I am beyond excited to have Andy on our team and look forward to watching his success for the next many years!” 


Andy joins the Metro Turf Team Monday, June 2, 2025 and will be on the road starting his sales calls shortly after that! He is excited to hit the ground running and looks forward to helping our clients succeed in every aspect of their profession. We are excited to have Andy on board and look forward to having his years of experience added to our company! 


  

A Note From Andy:

I look forward to working with golf course superintendents and turf care managers in any aspect I can. Helping the next Metro generation expand their amazing business is extremely exciting to me. As a client of Metro’s, I experienced the firsthand service and expertise I will look to provide to clients in the future! Be well and thank you in advance! 

     

Please join us in welcoming   a phenomenal individual to Team Metro: Andy Fries.


All Our Best,

The Metro Turf Specialists Family

FISH HEAD FARMS ANNOUNCES EXCLUSIVE DISTRIBUTION WITH METRO

Metro Turf Specialists has exclusive rights to sell, market, and distribute FISH SH!T in the golf and turf markets in Long Island, New York City, Westchester County, and areas within The Hudson Valley!

Find out more

September 26, 2023 04:49 AM Eastern Daylight Time

EAST PROVIDENCE, R.1.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--


Today, Fish Head Farms, Inc is announcing an exclusive sales, marketing, and distribution agreement with Metro Turf Specialists, for FISH SH!T. The agreement between the companies is for the golf and turf markets in Long Island, New York City, Westchester County, and areas within The Hudson Valley.


Fish Head Farms, Inc manufactures, markets, and distributes FISH SH!T, the most robust beneficial bacteria product available for use in the Agricultural, Golf Course Maintenance, Cannabis and Plant Industries. With over 4,000 specific and distinct species of microbes in every bottle, and billions of microbes in every dose, FISH SH!T is 100% organic, OMRI, CDFA, USDA Bio Preferred, and CFIA certified.


The unique combination of microorganisms in FISH SH!T provides a range of benefits to grasses and soil. The microbes in FISH SH!T are designed to break down complex organic and synthetic matter and release essential nutrients into the soil. FISH SH!T aids grass growth and development by increasing root growth, root diameter, soil water holding capacity, microbial activity, and nutrient availability.


There are over 15,000 golf courses in the United States, with hundreds of courses located in the greater New York City Metro area. FISH SH!T provides a unique opportunity for golf course superintendents to utilize the product on all areas of the golf course and help with improving germination rates, enhancing root zones, boosting nutrient availability, ensuring compliance in areas where NPK usage is not allowed, and providing a product which is safe to use near waterways and aquifers.


Joe Blanchard, Fish Head Farms Chief Revenue Officer, said, "We are thrilled to partner with Metro Turf Specialists, a highly regarded company in the Golf and Turf Industry. Metro Turf Specialists has outstanding relationships in the golf and turf market in the greater New York City Metro Area and has been providing the highest level of support to their customer base for over 50 years."


Todd Apgar, Vice President of Metro Turf Specialists added, "We are very excited to add FISH SH!T to our current offering, as we are confident that this unique and effective product will help improve turf conditions and make our customers days a little smoother."

  


ABOUT FISH HEAD FARMS

Fish Head Farms (www.fishheadfarms.com) is a privately owned business that focuses on using aquaculture, organic processes, and eco-friendly technologies, to bring unique and effective products to the Agricultural, Golf Course Maintenance, Cannabis and Plant industries.

ABOUT METRO TURF SPECIALISTS

Metro Turf Specialists is a family owned and operated turf and ornamental business, which was founded in Westchester County, New York, in 1966.

For inquires please reach out to your Metro Turf Specialists Sales Representative at (203) 748-GOLF


Contacts

Press

Name: Jennifer Desper Phone: 844.234.4483

Email: jen@fishheadfarms.com

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Rutgers Professional Golf Turf Management School

Student Stories

Todd and Richard Apgar, brothers and attendees of the '13 Rutgers Professional Golf Turf Management School's Three Week Preparatory Course, are working to fulfill a family legacy. They are the third generation of Apgars working at Metro Turf Specialists, a leading turfgrass supply company.


Seeking to follow in the footsteps of their parents and grandparents, Todd and Richard needed to deepen and broaden their turf management science skills and credentials.  The Rutgers three week turf certificate program, rather than the full four year turf management degree, was a solution that worked for the Apgars and their family. 


"The best part of this program is the intensity of it," said Todd. "It's just three weeks, but they jam in as much as possible. I think what will help my brother and I the most in the long run is the diversity and comprehensiveness of the program."

 

Todd, who holds a bachelor's degree in business management, was surprised and impressed by the new insights he gained in management and leadership. "I am amazed at the diversity of what the Rutgers three week course had to offer," he said. "Going in, I thought the course was going to be strictly about turf maintenance. I learned so much more. For example, I loved [Instructor] Chris Carson's class on management and people skills."


In the 1980's, Richard Apgar and his wife Jill started their own small business by opening a garden store in Bedford Hills, New York. A quaint operation, they sold hoses, top soil, mulch and other home garden supplies. With the help of their son, Scott, the Apgars expanded their business into an independent turfgrass supply company that acts as the middle man between turf managers and industry manufacturers. Their Connecticut-based warehouse serves golf courses, sports fields and state parks throughout metropolitan New York, Long Island, Connecticut, the lower Hudson Valley and northern New Jersey.


Among the many products the Apgars deliver are pesticides, fungicides, herbicides, insecticides, biostimulants, organic alternatives, seed, topdressings and fertilizers. But, Metro Turf Specialists deliver much more to their customers: they offer advice, recommendations, and most of all, support.

 

"We do a tremendous amount of research on each product / supplier we support and do not agree to partner with them until we are convinced there is a place and value to the end user in our market," said Scott. "We believe in a true partnership between manufacturer, distributor and end user."


Metro Turf often works with Rutgers Center for Turfgrass Science Director, Bruce Clarke, to do soil testing, disease diagnostic identification and other research to find out definitively what the issues are and what products work best in various specific situations. They take pride in their research and ability to give quality advice. They have been known to hand deliver samples to Rutgers to expedite the process for their customers. "With over 50 supply companies now in our territory from which superintendents can choose," Scott explains, "my team knows, our customer service is what distinguishes us from the competition. We have the desire to be the best."


Dedicated to the timeless tradition of quality customer service, the company tagline is, "Customers, Our Top Priority" and in order to continue offering such educated advice and recommendations to their clients, Todd and Rich attended The Rutgers Professional Golf Turf Management School in January of 2013.  


The Three-Week Preparatory Course covers the essentials of turfgrass management, including soil fertility, plant nutrition, botany, turf varieties, establishment and maintenance, preventing and controlling turf diseases, weeds and insects, irrigation, pruning, equipment and more. A great opportunity to gain a solid foundation in the science behind turf management, students working in various golf course careers and turf management jobs come to Rutgers each year. Attendees include grounds managers, irrigation and spray technicians, superintendents, club owners/managers and sales representatives for seed, pesticides, fertilizers, equipment or other turfgrass related products.


Todd and Rich are close in age (22 and 24 respectively) and have already developed an excellent work ethic and tremendous career ambitions. "Our goal is to offer even more than what my grandfather could offer in the early years; build on what our dad has created the last twenty years and take the business even farther in the future. Servicing our customers and creating strong relationships will allow us to expand and grow!"


As is the case in any industry, education is critical. "In order to properly promote and sell a product, you have to know about it inside and out," said Rich. "Where my brother built an agronomic base spending his summers working golf course jobs, I needed a complete background on what we offer. I came to Rutgers Professional Golf Turf Management School to create my own base by learning the specifics of maintaining turf, managing people, differentiating between product  types: what they do, at what rate to use them, how to mix them, and much more. I guess I will call it learning the four W's: When, Why, What and Where."

 

In addition to customer service, Metro Turf Specialists, like The Rutgers Professional Golf Turf Management School, recognizes the importance of people management and leadership skills. 


In discussing what they had learned from instructor Chris Carson (Superintendent of Echo Lake Country Club) about effectively supervising crews, Rich acknowledged, "Dad is a pretty good manager. He demands perfection, but he appreciates and rewards a job well done."


Scott and his wife, Jackie, who also works at Metro, on a part-time basis, have communicated their appreciation for what their sons took away from the Rutgers program. "We couldn't be happier with our financial investment in the program. Each weekend, Rich and Todd would come home and give us a blow-by-blow recap of what they learned," states Scott. The education they received at Rutgers has strengthened Rich's three years of on-the-job training at Metro and complemented what Todd learned in four years of college. "It was just perfect," beamed Scott.


Today, three generations of the Apgar family work together to run the company. And one day, Todd and Rich will take over the family business. The Rutgers Professional Golf Turf Management School is proud to provide the education that helps customer service oriented, hard-working family businesses like Metro Turf Specialists grow and succeed.

Learn More

To see the full article via the Rutgers' website, please follow the link below:

Rutgers' Student Stories
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Andy Fries Joins Metro Turf Specialists

 Metro Turf Specialists, the leading distributor of turf and ornamental plant health products in the New York metropolitan area, is proud to announce the addition of Andy Fries to its sales team.

Press Release

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