Gordon "Gordy" Kauffman - Connection, Community, Recreation

Name: Gordon “Gordy” Kauffman

Preferred Pronouns: He/His

Hometown & Current Town: Camp Hill, Pa./State College, Pa.

Graduation Year: BS 1997, MS 2000, Ph.D. 2004

Major(s) & Minor(s): BS Psychology, BS Turfgrass Science

Additional Degree(s) & Institution(s): MS Agronomy, Ph.D. Agronomy

Current/Most Recent Professional Title: Owner/Operator

Name of Employer/Organization: Boal City Brewing

Brief Description of Your Role/Profession: Operator of Boal City Brewing in Boalsburg.

Why did you choose Penn State?

Penn State was close to home.  My high school friends were going to Penn State. Living in Pennsylvania, I felt like the opportunity to study at a place like Penn State’s University Park campus was something I wanted to do. I knew I could get a great education. Once I got my acceptance, I didn’t have a second thought.

What inspired you to pursue your degrees?

I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do with my life then. I knew I wanted to study life sciences and that I wanted to help people, so I chose a degree in psychology. Then I sort of lost interest – I knew it wasn’t my passion. My girlfriend at the time, and now wife, introduced me to the turfgrass science program at Penn State. I loved the game of golf, and I knew the turfgrass science program placed an emphasis on golf course management. The idea of working outside was also appealing. I made a phone call to the undergraduate program coordinator and my future mentor, Dr. Thomas Watschke, and one thing led to another. I found I had a keen interest in the course work. 

What is a favorite Penn State memory?

I played a lot of sports in high school so following athletics and going to Penn State football games was something I really enjoyed doing. After pursuing turfgrass science there was added interest. Perhaps not a ‘favorite’, but certainly memorable, moment – I remember in 1993 the Penn State football team played Rutgers, and the field had been deteriorating due to inadequate internal drainage. It rained leading up to and during the game so the recently planted sod on the field was a mess. The field manager, along with Penn State turfgrass scientists, had to get the field back in playable condition and address the drainage problem. They ended up drilling more than 100,000 small holes into the field in 1994 and 1995 and filling them with sand. That was quite an undertaking – and it worked.

What was your original career path?

The initial plan was for me to either become a golf course superintendent or work for a golf course builder. My wife is a landscape architect. We had done some small golf course designs and were looking at working for a builder internationally.

However, I ended up getting recruited to graduate school. Dr. Watschke and I discussed some potential research projects that were of interest to both of us. I ended up pursuing my master’s degree working at the Landscape Management Research Center. Then I worked on a greenhouse project for my doctorate.

From there, I decided to work in industry, as a product research and development scientist. I chose this career path when, perhaps, it wasn’t fashionable. I started as a contractor for Syngenta Crop Protection and began cutting my teeth learning the business side of things, building relationships and understanding customer needs. Then two years later I got a job with a small fertilizer manufacturer.

Grigg Brothers was a family business. We were one of the first to develop, and differentiate, foliar fertilizers from more generic ‘liquid’ fertilizer products. To do it, we offered proprietary technology and the scientific method to document efficacy. The products were environmentally friendly and improved plant performance and health. We gained an understanding and broadened the market for these types of ‘niche’ products. I am proud of the work we did, not just in developing useful products but providing solutions for practitioners. I accepted that job because I was offered the opportunity to contribute as a scientist and continue to build relationships. Thank you, Gary and Mark Grigg!

What inspired you to change directions with your career and pursue the development of a brewery in the local community?

In 2016, I "focused on local" and made a conscious decision to volunteer my time to drive change in our community. I had previously dabbled in some entrepreneurial activities and learned a lot from the things that didn’t work out.  I had done some different things and taken those ideas to various stages but never took the leap.

I traveled a lot during my corporate days, and I’d always seek out microbreweries because I was interested in craft (especially beer), things made locally, and how breweries appeared to be hubs for their communities. I went to as many as I could. First to have a beer and then to get ideas. I thought to myself, “I could see this working in my community – but only if we had the right team and location.” 

The chosen location for Boal City Brewing ended up dovetailing beautifully with another key interest of mine – nature. I do a lot of mountain biking and spend a lot of time in the forest. I understood the importance of a connection between recreation and a prospective microbrewery. This blueprint has been successfully followed in a lot of places around the world, and I knew we could have it here. Our microbrewery, Boal City Brewing, sits at the base of Rothrock State Forest, four miles from State College and near three prime trailheads. We are now a part of the recreation and production economy in Boalsburg and very proud of it! I’m especially heartened to own and operate a small business in this community in Pennsylvania.

What has been the best advice you’ve ever received?

I would say the importance of staying active, “keep moving,” and having a large support network of co-workers and friends. “Surround yourself with the best people.”  Not an easy thing to do, but something I strive for.

Why are you proud to be a Penn State Ag Sciences alum?

I’m proud because of the network of friends and colleagues I cultivated. But most importantly, I’m proud because of the opportunity that was given to me by people like the late Tom Watschke.  We had a table built in his memory that resides at Boal City Brewing made from a tree that grew at his home. People have a lot of fun around that table.

Throughout my career in the turfgrass industry, the education I received from Penn State held weight. It provided me with opportunities that I took advantage of. The Penn State turfgrass program opened doors for me. Thanks to all that have contributed to that legacy.