Matt Radatz, CTEM, equipment manager at Hawks Landing Golf Club in Verona, WI, started at the age of 15 working on a golf course for his dad, who was the superintendent. Matt quickly learned the ropes on equipment. He worked through EMCP levels one and two. He earned certified turf equipment manager status this summer. He is the first father and son team to both be certified. His dad Neil Radatz is a certified golf course superintendent. His dad is his mentor and they have a great relationship.
Transcript
Trent Manning: 0:05
welcome to the reel turf techs podcast for the technician that wants to get reel follow along. As we talk to industry professionals and address hot topics that we all face along the way we’ll learn tips and tricks. I’m your host, Trent. Manning let’s have some this episode are real turf techs on golf course industries Superintendent radio network is presented by Foley county a strong supporter of equipment technicians and golf course maintenance departments everywhere Foley county offers a proven solution for above and below the turf for turf professionals To learn more about Foley company’s line of real grinders bed knife grinders and the air to G2 family of products or to find a distributor visit www dot Foley C o.com Foley Ready for play Welcome to the real turf text podcast. Episode 84 today, we’re talking to Matt Raddatz. CTM equipment manager at Hawks land and golf club. And Verna Wisconsin. Ox landing is a private 18 hole course with a 13 hole par three course. Matt is the loan technician in the shop. Let’s talk to Matt. welcome Matt to the Real Turf Techs podcast. How you doing today?
Matt Radatz: 1:32
good. Yourself?
Trent Manning: 1:33
I’m doing great. Thank you so much for, uh, being here. Like I tell everybody, we’re gonna have a lot of fun. It’s always fun. I love, uh, hearing people’s stories tell us how you got into the turf industry.
Matt Radatz: 1:46
I started working for my dad at Hawksley Golf Club when I was 15. fell in love with working with my dad and, uh, I did youth apprenticeship for two years in automotive. Decided I didn’t like it and I wanted to follow my dad’s footsteps. So I started kind of training as a second assistant and our mechanic left, put us two weeks in and showed up one day. And, and, uh, my dad came up to me, said, you know, you have some mechanical background. You wanna try to step up to a plate. Here’s a 18 year old not knowing how to do anything. And I said, yeah, sure, let’s give it a try. So I got thrown right into the hot seat pretty quick.
Trent Manning: 2:29
That’s awesome though. Yeah, why not? And did you think you knew everything at 18? I know I did.
Matt Radatz: 2:36
no,
Trent Manning: 2:37
No. Okay. All right. I thought I knew it all.
Matt Radatz: 2:40
it, it was a big shock coming into the shop and. not knowing how to grind. And you know, I, I was shown once, but we had an old Neri that was probably from the nineties, so it was all manual adjustment. So I really had to learn quick on how to do everything and it was kind of scary.
Trent Manning: 3:02
Oh yeah. Yeah, for sure. But that’s awesome. And so how long have you been turning wrenches?
Matt Radatz: 3:08
Uh, so I was 18 and I’m 25 now. So
Trent Manning: 3:12
Okay.
Matt Radatz: 3:13
years?
Trent Manning: 3:13
Yeah, Yeah, yeah, You got a, you got a good start under your belt for sure. How is it working with your dad?
Matt Radatz: 3:22
I love it.
Trent Manning: 3:23
Okay.
Matt Radatz: 3:24
We get along so well and, you know, he’s just a wealth of knowledge and I learned so much from him. So I’m, I’m very happy that I get to work with my old man every day.
Trent Manning: 3:34
No, that’s so cool. That’s so cool. I don’t know that I could work with my old man every day just because maybe we’re too much alike. I don’t know what it is.
Matt Radatz: 3:44
We, we butt heads, but you know, we, we really get along and it’s just a great experience.
Trent Manning: 3:51
That’s awesome. Yeah. And that’s something you’ll, uh, appreciate your whole life, I’m sure.
Matt Radatz: 3:55
Yeah.
Trent Manning: 3:56
Do you relief grind
Matt Radatz: 3:58
Uh, yes, I do once in the winter.
Trent Manning: 4:00
once in the winter. Okay. Are you a Foley guy?
Matt Radatz: 4:04
Yes.
Trent Manning: 4:04
All right, good. Good to
Matt Radatz: 4:06
got a, we just got a 6 53 a couple years ago, and I love it.
Trent Manning: 4:11
So how, yeah. How are you liking that machine?
Matt Radatz: 4:13
I love it. It’s so much, so much easier than having to measure everything, do all the math,
Trent Manning: 4:20
Right. Right.
Matt Radatz: 4:21
It takes a lot of stress off of it.
Trent Manning: 4:23
What did you have before that?
Matt Radatz: 4:25
Uh, it was an old neary, I forget the, I forget the name of it.
Trent Manning: 4:30
I didn’t know if you had an upgrade between the Neri that you were learning on, but I guess not in five years. Uh, because grinders, uh, I know my grinders, they only get replaced every 25 years, So it’s, uh, it’s a solid unit and, uh, has a good service life, which, I mean, that’s a good thing. Maybe it’s not for the grounder manufacturers, but if the technology’s not changing, why update your.
Matt Radatz: 4:56
I, I think it was good that I got to learn on a bare bones machine to start off with.
Trent Manning: 5:02
Oh yeah, I’m sure. So with that machine, could, was it capable of doing relief?
Matt Radatz: 5:08
It was, but it wasn’t, we never could get it set up cuz we, I think we had to take everything apart cuz the main shaft had to come up then we had to put a separate wheel on.
Trent Manning: 5:18
Oh, okay. I gotcha.
Matt Radatz: 5:20
Yeah.
Trent Manning: 5:21
Yeah. That would, uh, not, probably not be worth it. Yeah, I understand that. Well, tell us something you’ve fabricated lately.
Matt Radatz: 5:30
We don’t really fabricate. Hopefully I’m trying to get a welder in the shop. But my next task is to make a old bean sprayer our new mix tank.
Trent Manning: 5:40
Okay? Yep. That’ll be nice.
Matt Radatz: 5:42
So that will be our next project this winter.
Trent Manning: 5:46
Very cool. I took, uh, it was actually an old Cushman vac and turned it into a water trailer for water in, you know, small areas aside where you lay down, you know, four or five pieces or something. You don’t want to hook up a, a donut to water that every day. And it’s been so handy and basically no money went into it. Uh, we, I used a two inch trash pump that we had on the shelf and. you know, some paint and then we got a 300 gallon, uh, you know, chemicals came in it or whatever, those bulk containers and mounted it on there and some hoses and. It’s like their favorite piece of equipment. It’s crazy. how, you know, something that small and Yeah. And it was just, I don’t remember. It was our superintendent’s idea, I guess. He’s like, we need a portable water trailer. I’m like, okay, I’ll build one This’s Winter so it’s funny how that stuff turns out. What’s your favorite tool?
Matt Radatz: 6:50
Oh, I love all my Milwaukee tools, but I think my favorite one is probably my electric grease gun.
Trent Manning: 6:56
Oh yeah. Yep. Hands down. That’s, that one’s hard to beat.
Matt Radatz: 7:00
It’s such a time saver.
Trent Manning: 7:02
So do you use it on all your grease fittings?
Matt Radatz: 7:07
pretty much. I, I’m careful when I do the reels I know John Deere doesn’t like it. They said that it blows out the seals and the reels, so you kind of have to be careful with it.
Trent Manning: 7:18
Yep. Yep.
Matt Radatz: 7:19
but yeah, for the most part, I use it on everything.
Trent Manning: 7:23
I’m thinking on all the cutting units. I mean, especially the QA series, cutting units, they all have a vent, right? For the barren housing.
Matt Radatz: 7:35
Yep.
Trent Manning: 7:36
but your vent could get clogged up. I could see if you’re not. greasing on, uh, not you personally, but one if, uh, you’re not greasing on a regular basis. I have had, uh, those get clogged up and I guess that could blow some seals
Matt Radatz: 7:50
Yeah.
Trent Manning: 7:51
but like you said, long as you’re paying attention to what you’re doing, not that big a deal. I know I don’t really like, uh, my guys to use it on rollers just because I don’t trust them that much.
Matt Radatz: 8:06
Yeah, you can have some extra grease
Trent Manning: 8:09
Yeah. Because it does, it takes some feel, but that’s kind of the cool thing too. If you listen to that grease gun, you can really hear it,
Matt Radatz: 8:17
Yeah. And you know when it’s just about to pop out.
Trent Manning: 8:20
Mm-hmm. Exactly. Right. Well, what’s one of your, uh, pet peeves around the shop?
Matt Radatz: 8:26
My biggest one last year was guys spitting on my floor.
Trent Manning: 8:30
Oh, no, that’s terrible.
Matt Radatz: 8:32
I know. And I, I, I couldn’t figure out who did it and it kept on happening and, uh, kept telling all the guys, I’m like, if you gotta spit, there’s a trash cans, don’t spit on my floor.
Trent Manning: 8:44
Right. Yeah. I don’t, I don’t wanna understand that at all. Do you split in the floor at your house there, guy
Matt Radatz: 8:52
uh, that’s just, yeah, like, come on. I don’t wanna roll on that.
Trent Manning: 8:57
Yeah. No, that’s nuts. I could definitely see how that would, uh, get on your nerves For sure. what’s the strangest thing you’ve seen on the golf course?
Matt Radatz: 9:06
I’ve tried to think of one and the only thing I come up with was. we had a hundred year flood and my shop was under a couple feet of water.
Trent Manning: 9:18
Wow.
Matt Radatz: 9:19
so that, that was probably my second year into golf too. So that was probably my strangest things that has happened to us,
Trent Manning: 9:27
Yeah. How much damage did that cause?
Matt Radatz: 9:30
you know? It didn’t cause too much. You know, I kept changing oils, uh, about every other day I would change oil. Uh, I forget who told me, but they told me to put WD 40 in the oil, help separate the water in there. So I did that a couple times, but I think we have a lot of electrical issues and I think that’s where our electrical issues come from.
Trent Manning: 9:56
mm-hmm.
Matt Radatz: 9:56
We have some real bad gremlins,
Trent Manning: 9:59
So that was, you said a couple years. So three years ago or something.
Matt Radatz: 10:03
uh, four, four or five years ago.
Trent Manning: 10:06
When will you be turning over that fleet?
Matt Radatz: 10:09
we really don’t turn fleet over.
Trent Manning: 10:12
Okay. So yeah, I didn’t know if you were on a lease program or what kind of
Matt Radatz: 10:17
we buy all our equipment. We just did a lease on two John Deere 27 hundreds a couple years ago.
Trent Manning: 10:25
Yep. Gotcha. Yeah, we buy all our equipment too, and it has its own challenges, buying equipment and running it until it dies
Matt Radatz: 10:35
yeah.
Trent Manning: 10:36
um,
Matt Radatz: 10:37
and then, and then past that,
Trent Manning: 10:40
right? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. Cuz yeah, that’s, uh, happened plenty too. It comes up. Okay, we’re gonna replace that this year. Well, can we wait another year or two before we replace that? if you got the money, I’ll keep it going. We’ll just, uh, start replacing stuff. But honestly, I kinda like it that way too. I mean, it gives me a little more pride and satisfaction.
Matt Radatz: 11:05
Yeah.
Trent Manning: 11:06
Do you have a mentor in the industry?
Matt Radatz: 11:09
I think my dad, you know, he’s, he’s been there, he’s been there every step of the way. And like I said before, you know, I, I just love working with him.
Trent Manning: 11:19
what’s one of the most, uh, valuable lessons he’s taught you?
Matt Radatz: 11:22
Had a really To relax.
Trent Manning: 11:24
Okay. That’s a really good one and very important too.
Matt Radatz: 11:28
Yeah. In the beginning, I got real stressed out. And it got in my head a lot. And you know, he, he told me to relax. It’s all right. We’ll get it figured out.
Trent Manning: 11:37
Yeah. Yeah. No, that’s really good. That’s so good. So good. Did uh, he kinda help you learn the real grinding stuff too?
Matt Radatz: 11:45
No, he re, you know, he really didn’t know how to grind a reel.
Trent Manning: 11:50
Okay.
Matt Radatz: 11:51
You know, we, we, we talked about it. We read the book together and tried to figure it out together. Couple destroyed reels, but I, I got it. Yep.
Trent Manning: 12:01
That’s all part of learning. And honestly, that’s one of the things I love about this job is we get paid to learn
Matt Radatz: 12:09
Yeah. Every day is a new day.
Trent Manning: 12:11
it is a new day and we learn by our mistakes, hopefully, and don’t repeat them. I know I’ve, I’ve destroyed a lot of stuff over the. and I’m thankful for everything I did destroy because I learned something from
Matt Radatz: 12:25
Yep.
Trent Manning: 12:26
What would be your dream job or opportunity?
Matt Radatz: 12:28
You know, I thought about this a lot too, and, uh, right now I, I really don’t think I have any job that I would want other than working where I am, I think in a
Trent Manning: 12:39
nothing wrong with
Matt Radatz: 12:40
Yeah. You know, I’m learning every day and you know, I, I don’t think I am ready, per se to move on from my course. Uh, you know, I don’t know where I would go.
Trent Manning: 12:51
Well, yeah. And I mean, if you’re happy where you’re at and you’re working with your dad, I mean, why move on. Uh, the episode that’s gonna drop tomorrow was, uh, Bob Smith and his dream job was to own an N F L franchise. So he’s ex expiring big there. What technician would you like to work with for a day?
Matt Radatz: 13:15
I think Austin about Sand Valley.
Trent Manning: 13:17
Mm
Matt Radatz: 13:18
I got to know him really well this year. you know, he’s not too far away from me and I’m hoping maybe next year I can plan a trip up there. And, uh, or this year, I guess it is the new
Trent Manning: 13:29
mm-hmm.
Matt Radatz: 13:29
Hopefully I can plan a trip up there and see his operation. be really interesting to see what everything goes on over there.
Trent Manning: 13:36
Oh yeah, definitely. And Austin. I’m Austin. He’s just such a good down to earth person. I mean a really good human being. Austin is awesome. He’s a dear friend of mine and I know he would not hesitate one bit. If you want to come hang out with him for a day. After I met you at Justin’s, I went over there the next day and hung out all day and it was just so much fun and it took us over half a day just riding around the property and the Polaris Ranger. I mean, it’s crazy how big that property is.
Matt Radatz: 14:10
It’s, it’s crazy.
Trent Manning: 14:11
Yeah, but, and it’s beautiful there too. I love it. I don’t know that I would love it today in January, but
Matt Radatz: 14:18
it’s a, it’s a strange year right now for us.
Trent Manning: 14:22
Yeah, what’s the weather like up there right now?
Matt Radatz: 14:25
It was around 40 and raining.
Trent Manning: 14:28
Okay. And that’s a little different, isn’t it?
Matt Radatz: 14:30
Yeah, it’s, we had 50 degree days last week, which melted everything. We have no snow anymore. And uh, now we have rain.
Trent Manning: 14:41
Wow. Crazy. What do you know now you wish you’d known on day one?
Matt Radatz: 14:46
like I said, you know, just to take a step back and. Phone a friend if you need it. There’s no problem with that. You know, I’m sure a lot of guys struggle with that. Just to step back once and call someone.
Trent Manning: 14:58
Oh yeah, for sure. And I think, yeah, a lot of us probably do struggle with it. A lot of us are probably better than others. And I’ll be honest, I’ve had issues checking my pride and picking the phone up and calling somebody just because I was so determined to figure out whatever the problem is,
Matt Radatz: 15:17
I give myself a day and a half. If I can’t, if I can’t figure it out on a day and a half, I’m calling someone
Trent Manning: 15:24
And I think that’s great to set a timeline like that. Like give yourself a certain amount of time, and if you can’t figure it out, call somebody.
Matt Radatz: 15:33
you. You’re just wasting time and money at that point.
Trent Manning: 15:35
Yep, exactly right. I do have a good friend and we met when I was, uh, on the road working as a Toro tech, and he would call me every time for the littlest things and. We became friends though, so it, it is all okay in the end. But it was like sometimes, you know, like, uh, maybe see if the battery’s dead before you call me You know, I mean, that’s how basic we would’ve to start out. Sometimes he’s like, oh, well I just thought you might know, uh, off the top of your head, what was wrong with it? I’m like, well, let’s, let’s star here first. But super awesome guy. And a dear friend too.
16:19
Get ready for tips and tricks.
Trent Manning: 16:24
Any other tips or tricks?
Matt Radatz: 16:26
Uh, know your neighbors.
Trent Manning: 16:28
Yes, that’s a very, very good one.
Matt Radatz: 16:31
You know, I, I love walking into people’s shops and seeing how everything’s set up because you never know. you could set something up the same way, make your life a little easier. And that’s what I love about going to our little conferences that we have. You know, you, you go into other people’s shops, you get to look around and see what they’re doing different. And I think that’s awesome thing to have that our community that we have, we can do that. I can walk into anyone’s shop without even calling.
Trent Manning: 17:02
Mm-hmm.
Matt Radatz: 17:03
Just talk.
Trent Manning: 17:05
Yep. No, it is awesome. And I was one of the great things about this industry that I love so much, and I think we’re really, uh, blessed in this industry to have that. And I think at the technician level. We’re not very guarded and we don’t have a lot of trade secrets. We just want to help out anybody. We can help out. And anybody that wants to come in my shop’s more than welcome. And I think 95% of us feel that way that everybody that I’ve met in the industry has been that way
Matt Radatz: 17:39
my door’s always open.
Trent Manning: 17:40
yeah. That’s awesome. I wish I would. Had more time on my travels up there and got to stop by your place.
Matt Radatz: 17:48
Yeah, anytime.
Trent Manning: 17:50
Thank
Matt Radatz: 17:51
you’re back over here.
Trent Manning: 17:52
Well, it’s, I think it’s only 12 hours up there from ,from Atlanta, a little short drive. Did you have a female assistant this winter
Matt Radatz: 18:02
Yes. Uh, she,
Trent Manning: 18:04
or summer? Yes. And.
Matt Radatz: 18:06
Shania. She, um, she came back. She’s working with me for, uh, rest of this week and next week,
Trent Manning: 18:12
Awesome.
Matt Radatz: 18:13
going back to school and then working with Austin.
Trent Manning: 18:17
Okay, so she’s gonna go back to Sand Valley
Matt Radatz: 18:19
Yep.
Trent Manning: 18:20
next summer
Matt Radatz: 18:21
Next summer, she’s, she’s been, uh, working on, we have a bunch of scrap equipment that we need to get rid of. And, uh, she was, she was helping me today with draining all the oils and that stuff. And we had a, we have a good time.
Trent Manning: 18:35
That’s awesome. Yeah. Yeah. Is she the only one that helps you in the shop or you have somebody else?
Matt Radatz: 18:40
I’m the only one other than her.
Trent Manning: 18:42
Yep. it so nice to have an extra hand though,
Matt Radatz: 18:45
Oh, it’s so nice.
Trent Manning: 18:47
Yeah,
Matt Radatz: 18:48
It’s so nice. Especially, uh, we just opened our new golf course and, uh, it’s, it’s a struggle doing two golf courses by yourself.
Trent Manning: 18:59
Did you get a lot more equipment?
Matt Radatz: 19:01
Not much more equipment. Uh, it’s a 13 hole part three. so we have one greens mower approach, mower, rough mower, and a fairway mower over there, and a couple cart.
Trent Manning: 19:13
That’s still enough though
Matt Radatz: 19:14
Yeah,
Trent Manning: 19:15
to,
Matt Radatz: 19:15
And it’s a five minute drive from our shop, and if anything happens, it has to come back to my main shop.
Trent Manning: 19:22
mm-hmm.
Matt Radatz: 19:22
So we’re, we’re working out the kinks, but I think we ended a pretty good year last year.
Trent Manning: 19:28
Are y’all gonna have any kind of satellite shop over there?
Matt Radatz: 19:32
We, we do, but I own all my tools.
Trent Manning: 19:35
Mm-hmm.
Matt Radatz: 19:36
so it’s kind of hard for me. bring everything I need when we have a trailer.
Trent Manning: 19:41
Yeah, yeah. No, I get it. Yep. Get it to the shop if you can, where the tools are. I’m a firm believer in that for sure. Well, what else did you want to talk about?
Matt Radatz: 19:50
Well, I have a question for you and you know, I, I don’t know, I haven’t talked to my, uh, course yet, but, I bought a GoPro for a couple or vacation this year, and I was wondering if some guys would like a day in a life of a mechanic.
Trent Manning: 20:08
I don’t know. Why not? I would love to see it. Yeah, do
Matt Radatz: 20:12
I wa I watch, I watch, you know, off-road diesel mechanics all the time, and they’re just flogging and talking, and I don’t know if guys in our industry would like to see.
Trent Manning: 20:25
Yeah, I think it’d be super cool, and I mean, from what I know, there’s not a ton of video about what we do.
Matt Radatz: 20:35
No.
Trent Manning: 20:36
And I know some of the younger people are putting together some TikTok stuff, but you know, it doesn’t really explain that much I don’t think. And not that it’s gotta be a tutorial on how you do this, but just, uh, you know, seeing, like you were, we were talking about earlier, just seeing other people’s shops and what they got going on. And if you can pick up just one little tip or trick from a shop, it was worth going and.
Matt Radatz: 21:04
Yeah.
Trent Manning: 21:04
So I’d, I’d definitely, I’d be interested.
Matt Radatz: 21:07
Yeah.
Trent Manning: 21:08
Yeah, for sure. And please keep us posted and I’d be happy to, uh, put a link on our website and, uh, promote it here on the podcast,
Matt Radatz: 21:18
Well that would be sweet. Thank.
Trent Manning: 21:19
Yeah. I’m, I’m all for anybody giving back to the industry. I just think it’s so great. I’m all about supporting it.
Matt Radatz: 21:26
Perfect. Well, it’s good to hear cuz I, think it’d be a good idea and I think it’d be cool to, you know, get out there a little bit more, Try to post some things. I don’t know how much I can do, but I, I have to talk to my course, see if it’s okay first, and,
Trent Manning: 21:40
Right,
Matt Radatz: 21:40
I don’t, I don’t think it would be an issue.
Trent Manning: 21:43
and that’s, uh, it’s one of the things that, you know, I, I try to push to, because I was super guilty of staying in my comfort zone and not really wanting to get outta my comfort zone. But the things that I’ve done and saw was all because I got outta my comfort. And if I would’ve stayed in my own little hole doing my own little thing, I’m not saying I wouldn’t be happy, but I wouldn’t be near as happy as I am right now
Matt Radatz: 22:13
Yeah, I’m, I’m trying to do that a little bit more. I know I talked to you before. We set this interview up and, and I was like, I would’ve done this a couple years ago. You
Trent Manning: 22:24
Right. Oh yeah.
Matt Radatz: 22:25
I joined the Wisconsin uh, EM committee, um, so I’ll be on the board this year. Uh, you know, that’s something I wouldn’t have done either, so I’m trying to, trying to, thank you. I’m trying to get out there a little bit more and be involved.
Trent Manning: 22:41
Well, yeah, just putting yourself out there and good things happen. I don’t know, it’s, it’s amazing how that works and yeah, I don’t, I don’t know why it works that way, but that’s the way it works. And all the places I’ve went and traveled and people I met, is all because I had this crazy idea of starting a podcast that I hoped five people might listen to and maybe I could help somebody. I thought there was a need in the industry. And then now look where it’s at. Now. It’s, I mean, it’s, it’s amazing. I’ve just talked to Task Tracker and gci. along with Foley, and they’re in for sponsorship for this coming year. So I’m stoked about that and who knows what else is gonna happen this year.
Matt Radatz: 23:27
That’s awesome. Congratulations.
Trent Manning: 23:29
Well, thank you. Thank you very much. No, it’s, it’s been great. For sure. Well, what else is on your mind?
Matt Radatz: 23:35
I don’t think I have anything else.
Trent Manning: 23:37
Well, let’s talk about you and your dad both being certifi.
Matt Radatz: 23:42
Yeah, it’s an amazing accomplishment. I’m so glad that the GCs NAA finally got the cert test for ems. I think it’s been long overdue. You know, it, it’s just been awesome. Kind of been in the little spotlight. Me and my dad,
Trent Manning: 23:59
very cool.
Matt Radatz: 24:00
never had an article written about us. And here we are in a couple magazines. So it’s been, it’s been so, so cool and all the congratulations. It’s just been awesome.
Trent Manning: 24:12
Did you have your EM c p finished? You’re ready to go soon as the CTM launched.
Matt Radatz: 24:18
Yes, I, I had that done a while ago. I did the morales sponsorship through the G C S A.
Trent Manning: 24:25
Okay.
Matt Radatz: 24:26
So I went to, um, the show in Orlando a couple years ago. It, what was that? 2019.
Trent Manning: 24:34
Yep, I think so.
Matt Radatz: 24:35
So I pretty much did all my em one and. After I came back
Trent Manning: 24:41
Okay.
Matt Radatz: 24:42
after that,
Trent Manning: 24:43
Mm-hmm.
Matt Radatz: 24:44
so I’ve been, I’ve been waiting every month I would click on G C S A saying that, you know, oh, it’s coming next year. Just wait. Like, oh, I just wanna get it done now.
Trent Manning: 24:55
Yeah. Yeah. Yep. And I don’t, I can’t remember. I want to say it was 2015 when it was when IG CMA got absorbed by G C S A A and. I’m pretty sure it was 2015 and I think 20, I don’t remember if it was 2016 was my first year on the task group, and that’s when we were laying all that stuff out and it’s just taking, you know, taking this long to get there because writing those eight exams for the level one and writing the exam for level two was a year. And then, I don’t, we had one year that was, we didn’t do a whole lot and I’m not sure, you know, what the deal was with that. And then we spent a little over a year, uh, doing the C Tim stuff and figuring out, you know, what all questions and what we were gonna look at and all those things. Well, getting ctm, how much did it improve your.
Matt Radatz: 26:03
You know, there was those little things that y you didn’t think about. Signage was a big thing. And, uh, the first aid, our first aid kit was not good. So that was a big thing that we had to do. Bunch of just little things. Uh, the what is it, the emergency exit stuff,
Trent Manning: 26:23
Yep.
Matt Radatz: 26:24
we had to, we had to redo that. And the big thing was when we had the flood, we got rid of all of our paper copy SDSs, and we
Trent Manning: 26:35
Oh, wow. Yeah.
Matt Radatz: 26:36
we had it on thumb drives because we didn’t want another flood to come through and destroy all that paperwork.
Trent Manning: 26:42
Mm-hmm.
Matt Radatz: 26:43
So we got all the paper SDSs back and I think it makes the shop better
Trent Manning: 26:49
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. I know my shop definitely got improved and I’m sure a lot of people that got their CTM improved their shop and made it a lot safer for not just them, but anybody else working there. So it’s a really great program. When did your dad get certified?
Matt Radatz: 27:08
Oh, geez. over 20 years ago.
Trent Manning: 27:11
Okay. And,
Matt Radatz: 27:13
he, he’s been doing this for a while.
Trent Manning: 27:14
mm-hmm. how proud of him or how proud of you is he?
Matt Radatz: 27:20
I, I don’t think he really had much words. I, I think he was just so happy. And, you know, we, we didn’t even think we were the first son and father out there that were certified, you know, that didn’t ever come to our minds. And, you know, G C S A contacted us and wanted to do a story with us, and we were both just so happy.
Trent Manning: 27:42
No, that is great. I’m so happy for y’all that that’s wonderful. That’s a great story for sure. And I really appreciate how much you look up to your dad. and I think that’s something, you know in the world today. Not to get political or anything else, but it’s not happening as much as it used to.
Matt Radatz: 28:03
No. And you know, I love coming to work every day and being able to hang out with them. It’s awesome. And you know, like I said, we get along and we just have a good time.
Trent Manning: 28:15
No, that’s great. Y’all eat lunch together every day.
Matt Radatz: 28:18
No, um, he doesn’t eat lunch.
Trent Manning: 28:22
That’s, uh, is that typical superintendents not eat lunch?
Matt Radatz: 28:27
you know, I, I don’t know.
Trent Manning: 28:29
I don’t, I, yeah, there’s a handful probably that don’t eat lunch. Um, I’m a
Matt Radatz: 28:34
you, when, when 10 o’clock comes around, I gotta eat something.
Trent Manning: 28:38
Yeah, I, I’m the same way. And yeah, like my kids are like, how are you hungry at 10 o’clock? I’m like, well, we eat at 10 30 every day. So I’m get hungry early. Ready to go? Were you ready for some rapid fire questions?
Matt Radatz: 28:58
sure.
Trent Manning: 29:00
What’s your favorite movie?
Matt Radatz: 29:01
Saving Pride Ryan.
Trent Manning: 29:03
Awesome. It’s a great one. Classic. What would be your last meal?
Matt Radatz: 29:08
nice steak and scallops.
Trent Manning: 29:11
Good stuff. Do y’all have good scallops in Wisconsin?
Matt Radatz: 29:15
No, not really.
Trent Manning: 29:16
Okay. I’m just curious. I thought maybe I didn’t, there’s something I didn’t know y’all importing them from Canada or something. What are you most proud of?
Matt Radatz: 29:24
I think of where I started and to where I am now. I, I’ve seen so much improvement in my work, work ethic, and just keeping the course, you know. Almost perfect, you know? And that’s what we really strive for is perfection. And I, I think we really do a good job.
Trent Manning: 29:46
That’s awesome. Good for you. No, that’s really, really good. And yeah, you need to pat yourself on your, on the back because I don’t, I wonder what the youngest c Tim is.
Matt Radatz: 29:58
I don’t
Trent Manning: 29:59
I’m gonna ask Diana because you’re probably running for it. I didn’t realize you were quite that young, so Yeah, no, that’s awesome. To go that far in such a short amount of time. But it really helps having a good leader like your dad.
Matt Radatz: 30:13
Yep.
Trent Manning: 30:14
For sure. Well tell the listeners how they can get ahold of you.
Matt Radatz: 30:18
I’m not on social media, but it’s m hawks landing gmail.com.
Trent Manning: 30:25
That’s easy to remember.
Matt Radatz: 30:27
Yep.
Trent Manning: 30:27
Well, thank you so much Matt for, uh, being on
Matt Radatz: 30:31
Thank you for having me.
Trent Manning: 30:32
Absolutely. Hope you enjoyed hearing from Matt. How awesome is that to work with your dad every day? If you get along like Maya and Neil, his father does. That’s incredible to have and something he’ll remember for his whole life. No matter if they keep working together or not. And it’s a huge accomplishment for Matt and his dad. To both be. At the highest level. That you can be through GCSA. With them, both being certified. Just incredible. So kudos to both of them for getting that done. And I still got to follow up. And find out if Matt is the youngest But I really think he is. I know there’s quite a few in their late twenties. So early thirties, I have CTM. But pretty impressive for a 25 26 year old. To have a. That designation behind their name. Well, I hope you all are getting ready for conference and trade show. I can’t wait to get down and see everybody. We’re going to have so much fun this year. The. Real turf tax community. As a great community and it just keeps growing. And from what I saw, there’s going to be more EMS in Orlando than there ever has been before. So make sure you reach out to me or anybody else. And our network and find out what’s going on throughout that week. There’s going to be so many fun activities going on. And if this is the first time. You’ve ever came to the conference and show. Hit us up and let us know. Find us on Twitter. Send me an email@realturftax.com. That would be great. And I look forward to seeing you there. And make sure you get a sticker. I’ll definitely have some real turf tech stickers to handout. Until next time. See you. Bye. thank you so much for listening to the Reel turf techs podcast. I hope you learned something today. Don’t forget to subscribe. If you have any topics you’d like to discuss, or you’d like to be a guest, find us on Twitter at Reel turf techs.