OUR TEAM
Cutler Robinson
Chief Agronomist & Predict N7 Co-Inventor
Cutler Robinson is a Certified Golf Course Superintendent with an extensive 37-year career in turfgrass science and management. His most recent role was as Director of Golf Course Operations at Bayville Golf Club. Throughout his career, Cutler has received multiple accolades, notably the "Environmental Leader in Golf" award from Golf Digest and the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA). He is widely recognized for his expertise, regularly presenting on environmental and plant health topics, and serving in prominent industry positions such as membership on the United States Golf Association's Green Section Committee.
Cutler holds a Master of Science in Plant Pathology, Physiology, and Weed Science, as well as a Bachelor of Science in Forestry and Wildlife with a minor in Agronomy from Virginia Tech. His research credentials include significant work on Poa annua control in bentgrass putting greens and collaboration with Dr. Richard E. Schmidt on biostimulants' role in turfgrass growth and development.
Beyond his professional commitments, Cutler is the lead guitarist for the band Slackdog. He and his wife Beth have two adult daughters, Cameron and Meredith.
CHRIS APPEL
Chief Marketing Officer & Predict N7 Co-Inventor
Chris Appel has devoted the past 19 years of his career to working closely with Golf Course Superintendents and Sports Turf Managers as the owner of GE Turf Consultants and Solutions. His approach centers on delivering customer value, which has driven him to acquire a comprehensive understanding of turfgrass management. This experience inspired Chris to support Turf Professionals in adopting new tools and technologies to boost performance and ease workplace pressures.
Before founding his own business, Chris held several leadership roles at Ingersoll-Rand Corporation, including Territory Sales Manager, Distributor Sales Manager, Marketing Manager, and Vice President. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Business from James Madison University and an Executive MBA from Georgia State University.
Outside of his professional responsibilities, Chris enjoys golfing, building projects, and spending quality time with his family at the lake.
CINDY APPEL
Chief Operating Officer
Since 2006, Cindy Appel has served as President of GE Turf Solutions and Consultants, overseeing all financial and operational aspects, with additional involvement in marketing. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business with a minor in Marketing from Virginia Tech and an Executive MBA from Georgia State University.
Cindy began her career in the evolving Internet Services industry, acquiring expertise in developing, launching, and managing technology products. As a Product Manager at AOL in 1995, she led the launch of the first Business Internet Access service offering secure remote employee access. Cindy's career includes successful tenures as Senior Product Manager at MCI Worldcom, Director of Product Marketing for a software start-up, and Vice President of Product Management for a Web hosting and Applications Service company.
At Predictive Agronomics, Cindy brings together her experience in technology and software product development with her daily management skills. Outside of work, Cindy enjoys spending her free time reading and participating in book and mahjong clubs with friends. She is also an avid fan of live music and cherishes time with her three children.
IT ALL STARTED IN 2019 | ABOUT US
PREDICT-N₇ was originally created by Cutler Robinson, CGCS with a Masters in Plant Physiology as a spreadsheet model to determine the amount of nitrogen a putting green would metabolize at different GDD (Growing Degree Days). The original model was intended to help a Turf Manager regulate growth without using a growth regulator.
Over time, Predictive Agronomics founders discovered that matching N management with products offering the proper amount of phytohormones and metabolites produced extraordinary results. They continued to study this and fine tune formulas over the course of 3 years.
Why it works...
If too much nitrogen is in the plant at any given time, it triggers unwanted topical growth and the plant will start to swell, texture goes from fine to coarse, ball speeds are slower, diseases enter more easily and eventually leaf blades will lay over. Knowing the right amount of nitrogen is the best way to avoid these problems.
While superintendents often manage nitrogen inputs based on intuition and experience, PREDICT-N₇ more accurately predicts desired inputs using location specific soil and future weather data. Superintendents can even dial-in their nitrogen inputs better to manage the growth and playing conditions they want.
However, balancing nitrogen inputs is not enough to achieve ultimate playability, because it is only a piece of a greater process. Instead, all the Major Plant Process Steps need to be in balance too, so that protein and enzyme productions can be maximized. The total number of proteins and enzymes the plant can store determines the amount of strength the plant has to defend itself and recover quickly for ultimate playability. Unfortunately, when the turf is mowed low, the minimized leaf blades restrict the number of raw materials the plant critically needs, makes, and uses in all process steps that lead to building proteins and enzymes.
After four years of successful Beta Testing with many golf courses and athletic fields, we are comfortable with launching PREDICT-N₇ as a web-based service for Golf Courses- Greens, Tees, and Fairways and Sports Turf- Professional Athletic Fields.