DR GORDON Mckillop is to retire next Easter as chief executive of Harden-based STRI.

He joined the turf research body – which works with leading sporting venues around the world – in 1990 from the then Central Science Laboratory, a DEFRA agency.

He said: "I told the interview panel I had three aims for the business – to develop more scientifically and technically-based services, to make the business more commercially orientated and to raise the STRI brand to an international level.

"I am pleased to look back and know I have taken the business some way down each of these three roads."

Dr McKillop also regards growing the core UK business throughout the recession – especially consultancy and research services associated with golf, and winning contracts with UEFA, FIFA and the London Olympics – as major achievements.

STRI's research team is also developing innovative services and products, which are helping the business, based on the St Ives estate, to diversify in an increasingly competitive market.

And the award-winning firm has become established in Australia, enabling it to undertake research on warm season grasses and expand its knowledge and expertise internationally.

Dr McKillop will be succeeded by Mark Godfrey, who has been with STRI for ten years and is currently financial director and managing director of STRI in Australia.

The company – formerly the Sports Turf Research Institute – is one of the world’s leading authorities on turf, providing advice on the research, design, construction and management of natural and artificial sports surfaces.

Its clients include top sporting venues, such as Wimbledon, Twickenham, Lord's and all nine open championship golf courses.

Turf professionals from across the world converged on its HQ last autumn for a fourth annual research event.

They learned about latest developments in sports turf products and technology.

Experts from the firm covered topics including nutritional management, growing turf in difficult conditions and latest machinery.