DIRECTORS 

MARK EDMONDSON – NEW SOUTH WALES

Association President, Mark Edmondson, is a founding member of SAPIA, joining the Board in 2000 and serving as President since 2004. Mark is a former elite tennis player, winning six grand slam tournaments, including the Australian Open. Mark got his builders licence and established his family sports court construction business in 1992, involved in sports court and sports field construction and maintenance. In that time, he oversaw the construction of more than 1,500 tennis courts and sports facilities, both domestic and commercial, throughout Sydney and country NSW and the ACT. He sold his business in 2020, and now consults on sports facility projects. In his leisure time, Mark is usually found on the greens at his local Bayview Golf Club.

GRANT HUMPHREYS – NEW SOUTH WALES

Grant Humphreys joined the Board in 2015. As director of sports testing institute AcoustoScan and playground testing service Playtest, Grant earns an amazing amount of frequent flyer points, jetting all around the world testing sporting surfaces to standards set by FIFA, IRB, FIH, AFL/CU and ITF. He sits on a number of technical committees and has years of experience in the testing and performance of synthetic sport surfaces. Grant is currently co-ordinating our sub-committees drafting Codes of Practice for the sports construction industry in Australia.

MARK CUNNINGHAM – NEW SOUTH WALES

Mark Cunningham was elected to the SAPIA Board in 2016. Mark established his company Synthetic Grass and Rubber Surfaces Australia on Sydney’s northern beaches in 1994. As the name implies, the company provides both synthetic grass and rubber surfacing to schools, childcare centres, playgrounds and sporting areas. With Mark’s extensive knowledge of his products and the industry he has designed a range of synthetic grass that is suitable for any budget and is ideal for the Australian climate. The rubber surfaces are non-toxic, anti–slip and comply with soft fall safety requirements. The wonderful bright colours and unique designs (and even 3D animals and shapes) are a bonus, creating an exciting and fun environment.

ROSS JORDIN – QUEENSLAND

Ross Jordin was first elected to the SAPIA Board in 2001. He has been a part of the sports construction industry for over 40 years, initially as a sub-contractor and then as a tennis court builder. Through his businesses Jordin Sports Constructions, Allsports Constructions and Centre Court Constructions, he has been involved in all elements of sports construction and leisure-time requirements, including earthworks, retaining walls, dynamic and concrete base construction, fencing, lighting, accessories and general landscape installations. On days off, Ross can be found on the Brisbane River aboard the Ariel.

JAMES TRITT – VICTORIA

Jim Tritt was elected to the SAPIA Board in 2016. He started his career with APT USA in 1995 as a research chemist, after graduating with degrees in chemistry and biology from Ohio Wesleyan University. He has extensive knowledge in the design, manufacture and distribution of synthetic turf systems, including elastic layers, infill materials and adhesives. He is also experienced in the development of polyurethane coatings with a particular emphasis on sports applications including athletic tracks, tennis courts, gymnasium floors and protective coatings for concrete. After several years as Director of Operations at APT Asia Pacific, Jim was promoted in 2017 to Value Chain Manager PU Applications for SportGroup, with focus to optimise all SportGroup polyurethane, acrylic and rubber production operations.

MARK WEBER – SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Mark Weber was elected to the SAPIA Board in 2016. After an early career in commercial construction and project management, Mark began working in 1991 on the development and commercialisation of recycled rubber based impact systems specifically for playground usage, and was soon producing for Australian and international markets. He is a specialist in quality, compliant installation of safety surfaces for playgrounds, acrylic sports court surfaces and high end athletics track surfaces. Mark is a director of Surfacing Contractors Australia and Australian Surfacing Supplies, the premier supplier of high quality PlayKote rubber products to the Australian market. ASS also supply portable sports flooring, synthetic grass and Playnetics.

ARUN KOSH – QUEENSLAND

Arun Kosh was elected to the SAPIA Board in 2020. He is the General Manager of the Queensland division of Surfacing Contractors Australia. SCA specialises in quality, compliant installation of safety surfaces for playgrounds, acrylic and athletic surfaces. A background in landscape design and construction led to Arun working in the commercial playground industry before joining SCA in 2013. Arun has worked on projects in the UK, the Middle East and Asia over his 25 years in the industry. This varied and challenging work in the fields of play and recreation means that he has a wealth of knowledge and experience that make him an effective advocate for the industry. Arun believes that SAPIA is the ideal platform for raising the profile of the industry, supporting its further growth and development.

DARREN SCANLAN – VICTORIA

Darren Scanlan was elected to the SAPIA Board in 2020. Darren completed his Landscaping Apprenticeship in 1988 and spent his early career as a self-employed contractor, specialising in brick paving and swimming pool construction. After a period in sales for a sporting goods importer he came back to the construction industry, installing synthetic grass into day-care centres and tennis courts etc. In the early 2000’s his laser grading business was contract building and laying synthetic grass tennis courts for various Victorian tennis court companies. Darren commenced as a subcontractor for Grassports Australia (En Tout Cas) in 2005; in 2010 he joined the team as Project Manager and was promoted to General Manager in 2013. Grassports has gone on to build hundreds of school yards and sports fields including FIFA soccer, FIH Hockey and AFL/Cricket Australia facilities. Darren feels strongly about the development of the industry and the work done to date in this regard by SAPIA.