Universal Turf names Joseph Di Geronimo and Joe Lombardi to the Athletic Surfaces Division

Business Wire, Nov 25, 1996

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 25, 1996--Universal Turf Inc., (OTC Bulletin Board: UVTF) today announced that Joseph Di Geronimo of Di Geronimo Associates Ltd. has joined the company as director of the Athletic Surfaces Division.

Di Geronimo has designed or constructed over 900 tracks, 5,000 tennis courts, 300 natural football fields and 20 artificial turf fields nationally from 1973 to 1996. He has also received a U.S. Patent for a Rubber/Polyurethane Shock Pad System as the registered inventor.

Di Geronimo Associates Ltd. has grown to a reputation of national recognition and is presently the leading consulting firm involved in more than 5 million square feet per year of sports surface construction.

1989 to 1996 Di Geronimo Associates Ltd. was the sports facilities contractor for the White House. Work was performed for President Bush and President Clinton directly. Construction included a specially designed surface for tennis, synthetic golf greens and a recycled tire rubber and polyurethane jogging track on the south grounds of the White House.

Di Geronimo Associates Ltd. was retained by Presidential Sports Systems of Lubbock, Texas to design the track and artificial turf systems for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

Di Geronimo Associates Ltd. acted as consultant with U.S. indoor golf on synthetic golf greens. Work included the design of the shock pad and turf system for Michael Jordan, Tom Smothers, Coors Beer Family, Chelsea Pier Golf Center (NYC), Callaway Golf Center and Titlest Research Center. On site advisor at Mt. Fuji Country Club, Japan. Ted Koppel Residence: Tennis Court Facility.

Di Geronimo completes a consulting contract with the United States Sports Technology Group in Dallas for the rehabilitation of the Texas Stadium artificial turf, home of the Dallas Cowboys.

Joe Lombardi, Vince's younger brother, a graduate of Fordham University, after successful careers as National Sales Manager for Rawlings Sporting Goods Company and Diversified Products Co., joins Universal Turf Inc. as assistant Director of the Athletic Surfaces Division.

Lombardi is currently on the Advisory Committee of the Vincent T. Lombardi Cancer Foundation, the National Committee of the Vincent T. Lombardi Memorial Athletic Center and is Executive Director of the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame.

Di Geronimo expects Universal Turf Inc. to have contracts in hand by March 1997 to construct and install 20 athletic running tracks and an additional 40 contracts to be installed by late 1997 and early 1998. He estimates each project to average $150,000.

Di Geronimo stated further that he also expects to install or re-surface approximately 100 Tennis Courts in 1997 with his newly-perfected rubberized base and acrylic surface. Average Project: $15,000 to $30,000.

Patrick Mc Laren, president and CEO of UVTF stated: "The addition of Mr. Di Geronimo and Mr. Lombardi has established UVTF as the premier "rubberized-surfacing" company in the U.S. In addition to playgrounds and surfaces in the horse racing industry and horse jumping arenas, athletic facilities of all types will be the focus of UVTF projects which will include: running tracks, field events, natural and synthetic playing fields (football, soccer, baseball, field hockey, lacrosse), indoor and outdoor tennis courts and indoor and outdoor basketball courts, landscape design and synthetic golf greens."

CONTACT: Universal Turf Inc.

Patrick Mc Laren, 800/476-0057