AstroTurf named Rob Mitchell vice president of business development, effective November 1, 2022. Mitchell previously served as AstroTurf’s director of rugby and as regional sales manager in Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota and Indiana.
“Seeing the job description, it looked like an exciting opportunity,” Mitchell said. “I felt like this position can go in a lot of directions and I’m excited about what the future holds. While I really enjoy sales, I would have been more than happy to continue in that, but this was really an opportunity to grow personally and professionally with the knowledge and familiarity I have with the turf industry.”
Some key items for Mitchell will be working on product development, recycling, and substantiality initiatives. He will also be working with the Synthetic Turf Council, the University of Tennessee research project, and representing AstroTurf on the NFL committee.
“It’s really an exciting challenge for me for sure,” Mitchell said. “This is a very exciting time for AstroTurf Corporation, and I look forward to developing and leading initiatives that continue to grow the brand, both nationally and internationally.
“AstroTurf is the pioneer of the industry and with our commitment to sustainability, research, and development, and to our customers we will continue to lead the way. Thank you very much to Philip Snider, the AstroTurf Corporation and SportGroup for this opportunity.”
Mitchell is a veteran of the synthetic turf industry and has built his life around sports and competition. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Sport Studies from De Montfort University in Bedford, England, and an MBA in Sports Management from DePaul University. He has coached at the Illinois level of the Olympic Development Program, and has his coaching licenses from US Soccer, NSCAA, and UEFA.
In his new position, Mitchell reports to Philip Snider, AstroTurf’s COO.
“We are very excited to welcome Rob into the role of VP of business development,” Snider said. “Rob has been a great member of the AstroTurf team and has a tremendous amount of knowledge to continue to grow our brands both nationally and internationally.”