Providing one of the premier events in the industry, this year鈥檚 Garbagemans Invitational offers a 1930鈥檚 themed golf tournament and many great opportunities to network in a fun, casual setting at a great venue in southern California.
Back to the golden age of golf! That is the theme for this year鈥檚 annual Garbagemans Invitational being held from June 15 鈥� 17 at the fabulous Journey Golf Course at the Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula, CA. Founded by Kerry Holmes of CONFAB and Ray Burke of Clean Energy, each year this invite-only event brings attendees from all over the U.S. Once a tournament that focused mostly on the West Coast, it has grown to envelop both coasts and even some of the Midwest. Kerry is especially proud that the Garbagemans Invitational is commemorating 15 years. 鈥淥riginally, I was unsure as to how this event would go and how long it would last, and I鈥檝e just been pleasantly surprised at the reception from the waste industry and how enthusiastic they are about coming to the event and its importance to the industry. It is now one of the premier networking opportunities. I thought after 10 years we would just wrap it up and say well we had a great run you, but it has grown so much, and it鈥檚 really turned into a great event. It is really great to hear people in the industry say that it is on their bucket list to attend.鈥�
A Sophisticated Era
Kerry was determined to choose this year鈥檚 theme that would reflect the sophistication of the game as well as the fun of attending the event. He explains that he was actually on the social media platform, X, when he saw a video of pro golfer Bobby Jones in his prime and he was really taken aback by the crowds. 鈥淭he video was showing a major event that he had just won, and the crowd was incredible. When he sank the final putt to win the tournament, people ran onto the green to congratulate him and it just struck me that long ago people were so enthusiastic about the sport.鈥� So, Kerry started researching Bobby Jones and the 1930s era and felt that they needed to honor that golden era of golf. The next challenge was to relay that message to the event guests by requesting that all golfers wear knickers and full golf outfits from the 1930s. 鈥淚鈥檝e talked to people who are attending, and everyone is excited about the theme. Many companies are color coordinating, and even our sponsors, though they may not be golfing, they are all dressing up with 1930s era themed outfits. I know that the word has gotten out because guys who were on the fence thinking there was no way they were wearing 1930s clothes are now planning for it.鈥� Kerry also emphasizes that there were so many historical events that took place in the 1930s. The more he was researching the decade, the more it took him back. 鈥淔rom FDR becoming president, to Amelia Earhart disappearing on her flight, to the founding of the Masters Golf Tournament in 1934 and the Ryder Cup, there was just major events that took place and many of them still resonate with us today.鈥�
A Casual Business Setting
While a majority of attendees still come from California, Kerry is proud that the event has gained more momentum in the last few years to also include people from all over the U.S., including Hawaii, New York, and Florida. In addition, there has started to be a mix of new faces along with veteran attendees. 鈥淲ith upper management retiring and new people finding out about the event in their organizations, they find themselves in a position where they can attend and talk business in a casual, fun setting.鈥�
The Garbagemans Invitational is quite a unique event. Not only does it host owners, executives, and decision makers, but the event also really holds its value because it features all non-competing vendors, which gives them an opportunity to be the only company in their space and showcase their brand to industry decision makers. Many of the original sponsors have stayed with the event since its debut in 2010 (see Original Sponsors sidebar) and others have been added on over the years, forming new relationships. 鈥淎ll of our sponsors that were with us from the beginning still support the event today, and since it has grown, we have added additional organizations. However, we have consistently sold out because we allow only one company per specialty at each of the 18 holes on the golf course. This year, we actually have 19 because one of the companies is doing a putting contest.鈥� Even Don Ross and Michael Hoffman with the NWRA have started to come out and set up a small table for the organization to get more connected to the California market.
鈥淲e have so many people wanting to get into this thing that we are turning people away every day now. It is crazy to think how the event has developed,鈥� says Ray. 鈥淲hen we first started, our goal was to focus on having one container sponsor, one truck sponsor, one insurance company, etc. and now we have continued that goal as well as added others over the years.鈥�
Days of Play
Ray points out that most of the attendees, who are the executives, play on Wednesday, which will also feature the sponsor tents and giveaways鈥攖hat day will consistently sell out. And on Thursday there is a good mix of executives and vendors. 鈥淭hursday is just a fun day. There are no winners or prizes; people just go out and get to play the golf course and have a good time. During the event, everyone looks forward to playing the mini-games around the holes while networking with vendors and customers.鈥� He explains that when the tournament first started, they did not have sponsors on every hole or sponsor giveaways. They would have a bar where people could get drinks and snacks and eventually it evolved into having sponsors give away gifts of their own on every hole. 鈥淪ome of giveaways have been really nice, such as JBL speakers for your golf bag, Travis Matthews golf shirts, golf gloves, golf clubs, iPads, Apple watches, etc., and at the end of the day the backpack that everyone receives is full.鈥�
Every year the Garbageman鈥檚 Invitational presents attendees with fantastic giveaways and raffle items, as well as great prizes for the winners of the tournament. Several companies have donated to the raffles and the silent auction, such as Griffin Cabins in Montana with fly fishing on the Bighorn River. The CEO of Clean Energy also puts up his commercial fishing yacht for auction. Every dollar raised through this event goes right to the Environmental Research & Education Foundation (EREF), an organization that the Garbageman鈥檚 Invitational has partnered with almost since the beginning in 2011. Total donations over the years amount to about $300,000. 鈥淚t is quite a difference from when we first started raising money for them,鈥� says Kerry. 鈥淭he first year we raised $6,450 dollars and last year, we raised $65,590. The nice thing is that a GMI scholar is chosen who attends our event and the golf awards, Bryan Staley, President and CEO of EREF, has the scholar come up and talk about how the scholarship has helped them through their studies and how enthusiastic they are about being a part of our industry.鈥�
Bryan points out that there has been a total of three GMI scholars since its inception. 鈥淓REF scholarships are not awarded annually to each scholar. Once a scholar is accepted into the program, they receive funding for the duration of their research (until graduation). Currently, our scholar is Anya Dickinson-Cove. Her project focuses on developing materials and processes which can be used to selectively recovery critical metals and minerals, such as cobalt, nickel, and lithium, from complex wastes such as e-waste, mine tailings, and coal ash. She will remain the GMI scholar for another year.鈥�
The partnership with GMI has steadily grown over time, and each year has (generally) outpaced the previous. 鈥淎n initial $6k year has now increased over tenfold, and we are on track and excited to match last year鈥檚 numbers,鈥� says Kyle Kusterer, VP of Development at EREF. 鈥淭his is a great example of how the industry鈥檚 support of EREF has grown over time and how what began as a customer networking and appreciation event transformed into an opportunity for charitable giving, making the future of the industry more secure and sustainable. In addition to the current GMI scholar, the GMI scholarship has funded research in bioplastics, recycling, and industry circularity.鈥�
Keeping the Value
And while the industry has certainly felt the positive impact of the event over the years, Kerry says they do not have plans to expand the event or change venues. 鈥淲hile we have room for more people to attend the social networking party at the Blackwater Saloon at the Burrtec Ranch, it is the golf tournament where we are maxed out. The event begins Tuesday evening and ends Thursday afternoon. We have people that come in the weekend prior with their families and they may go to San Diego and visit the zoo or SeaWorld, or they go to Disneyland. It is an opportunity for them to have an extended vacation.鈥�
With the opening party at Cole Burr鈥檚 ranch, the Blackwater Saloon, this incredible venue makes the networking portion of the event special. Not only do people enjoy the festivities, but they can also tour the 80-acre ranch. 鈥淲e want to thank Burrtec Industries for hosting the opening night party and for providing the golf carts so people can tour the equestrian center and see everything on the ranch.聽In addition, there is a candy store next door to the saloon that is completely supplied with candy and ice cream. It鈥檚 unbelievable. It is one of the things that draws a lot of the companies together. Cole has been in the business his whole life, and this is his way of supporting the event,鈥� explains Kerry. 鈥淲e shuttle people back-and-forth from the casino to his ranch every 15 minutes so you can come and go as you please on opening night.鈥�
Ray agrees, 鈥淲e get a lot of people that come that don鈥檛 even play golf. At the Blackwater Saloon for the Tuesday night opening party, we get around 300 people. The venue is hosted by Cole Burr and he is gracious enough to let us use it for this event, so that is very special, and it is what has really helped us get this event to grow over the years.鈥�
Relationship Driven
Kerry comments, 鈥淚 think for our industry because it鈥檚 so relationship driven, the Garbagemans Invitational provides the opportunity to network with the owners and C-Level executives of the largest companies in the country. That鈥檚 what makes it so unique; there鈥檚 no other event like this. We have no business agenda over the three days. It is all networking in a casual setting鈥攁nd that is where the value is.鈥� | WA
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