Audubon International welcomes new Director of Signature Sanctuary Certification

Audubon International recently added Mark O’Mell as its new director of Signature Sanctuary Certification.

“We are thrilled to add Mark at the helm of our important Signature Sanctuary Certification,” said Christine Kane, CEO of Audubon International. “He knows the golf course operations and maintenance business inside and out, and literally from the ground up. His expertise and leadership will help ensure the program’s continued growth as we add new members, especially at the elite Platinum level.”

O’Mell is a Class A member of the GCSAA and brings more than two decades of turf management and golf course maintenance experience to the position. Most recently he was golf course superintendent at Piñon Hills Golf Course in Farmington, N.M. He has also held various superintendent or assistant superintendent positions at facilities in Michigan, Panama and the U.S. Virgin Islands. He holds a bachelor’s in crop and soil science/turf Management from Michigan State University.

Audubon International’s Signature Sanctuary Certification is for new or renovating golf courses, resorts and communities. The program involves comprehensive environmental planning with architects, owners, managers and key stakeholders to ensure sustainable design, construction and long-term management of each property. Its bronze, silver and gold levels include all open space, landscaped areas and maintenance facilities. Platinum-level certification also includes clubhouses, lounges and lodging.

In this new role, O’Mell will work with each Signature Sanctuary member’s development team before, during and after construction to ensure the property meets and maintains all sustainability requirements. He will also serve as the primary point of contact for any inquiries from current, former and prospective members of the Signature Sanctuary Certification and coordinate with appropriate staff members on the development of program materials as well as marketing, growth, recruitment and communications strategies.

“Working with Audubon International is the culmination of a career as a superintendent who worked with nature rather than against it,” O’Mell said. “I look forward to working with current and future Signature Sanctuary members to become the best possible environmental stewards they can be.”

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