(May 28, 2026 – Troy, New York) – Audubon International – the environmentally focused non-profit organization offering members numerous certifications and conservation initiatives to protect the areas where we all live, work, and play – announces that effective immediately, Ken Benoit, a longtime member of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA), will serve as interim CEO.
Benoit was named to the position after serving as director of Audubon International’s Signature Sanctuary Certification Program since August 2025. “I am honored to step into the role of Interim CEO at Audubon International,” Benoit says. “Over the past year, I have been consistently impressed by the dedication of our members and their commitment to environmental stewardship. In this role, I look forward to expanding our membership, deepening partnerships across the industry, and helping more organizations recognize the value and responsibility of sustainable practices.”
Benoit has over 30 years of distinguished environmental leadership and comprehensive golf industry expertise. A graduate of the University of Detroit and Michigan State University, he has been dedicated to building relationships between state legislators and regulators, environmental groups and golf industry professionals to educate on environmental protection matters related to the golf turfgrass industry. He played a key role in assisting the GCSAA with the development of its National Best Management Practices (BMP) document template and facilitated the creation of 13 statewide BMP templates. He has also helped numerous golf facilities formally adopt their own Facility BMP programs.
His executive leadership experience includes serving as president of both the Metropolitan Golf Course Superintendents Association and the New York Golf Course Foundation, where he later became the organization’s first Executive Director (2020-2024). He has also been a featured guest lecturer at The Pennsylvania State University Turfgrass Management Program and a featured speaker at industry conferences including the New York State Turfgrass Association’s “Turfgrass Advocacy Day” and GCSAA national conferences.
Benoit’s hands-on golf course experience includes 18 years as Certified Golf Course Superintendent at GlenArbor Golf Club in Bedford Hills, N.Y., where he managed operations, oversaw significant renovation projects, and served as the club’s primary liaison with municipal authorities. His prior golf course construction expertise provides him with unique insight into the development process from environmental planning through project completion.
To learn more about how your local golf course, community or resort can gain recognition for your environmental efforts or to learn how to expand your initiatives through Audubon International’s numerous environmental certifications, visit www.auduboninternational.org or call toll free: 1-844-767-9051.
