Speakers
Anirban Basu | Chairman & CEO | Sage Policy Group
Anirban Basu is Chairman & CEO of Sage Policy Group, Inc., a Baltimore-based economic and policy consultancy he founded in 2004. He serves the Chief Economist function for many organizations, including the Maryland Bankers Association and Associated Builders and Contractors. The Baltimore Business Journal named him one of the region’s 20 most powerful business leaders in 2010. In 2022, he entered the Daily Record newspaper’s Circle of Influence. He is the Distinguished Economist in Residence at Goucher College, where he teaches History of Economic Thought. He holds four graduate degrees, including a J.D. and a Ph.D.
James Cronk | Founder, Cronk Group | CEO & Co-Founder, Golf Industry Guru
James Cronk is a club industry leader with over 30 years of experience in the golf and service industry. He has presented keynote sessions and workshop seminars at major golf industry events around the world, including the NGCOA Canada National Conference (18 times), the Asia Pacific Golf Summit (6 times including India in November 2019), the European Golf Business Conference (4 times including Spain in 2024), the CMAA World Conference (twice) and many more.
A former golf professional and club manager, James has real-life experience in the industry, and his success as a leader is evident in the recognitions bestowed upon himself and his teams, including his facility being recognized by Golf Digest as having the “5th Best Customer Service in North America” and being rated by BCBusiness magazine as one of British Columbia’s “Top Ten Employers”.
His consulting company Cronk Group helps clubs and organizations achieve their most ambitious goals and increase their profits by improving their systems, their service, and their people. In 2021, James and his business partner Scott Masse launched Guru Collective which provides cutting-edge technology-based products to help clubs optimize operations, enhance team member training, improve safety, and elevate member and guest satisfaction. His Golf Industry Guru is a global membership-based online platform offering expert-led training and tools to help golf clubs improve operations, enhance team performance, and customize their training processes.
Matt Ginella | Founder and CEO | Fire Pit Collective
Matt Ginella is the founder and CEO of Fire Pit Collective and the host of Journeys with Matt Ginella and The Fire Pit Podcast. Matt has been covering golf for 25 years — first at Sports Illustrated, then Golf Digest and Golf World magazines and most recently for Golf Channel, where he appeared as the Travel Insider for Morning Drive and wrote for Golf Advisor.com.
Cathy Harbin | Owner, Pine Ridge Golf Course | President, NGCOA
Cathy Harbin’s pedigree includes Class A PGA Master Professional status since 2000. She is also a member of the LPGA and NGCOA. With over 30 years as a golf course operator, Cathy has perfected training and operational systems that create a consistent world class experience and sustainable profits. Cathy has had a diverse path through golf that few others match. She was General Manager of the World Golf Village courses, Executive Director of Golf 20/20, Vice President of Golf for ClubCorp and now owns her own golf course. Cathy’s commitment to growing the game and making it accessible for all is unwavering. Recently she completed her role as the At-Large Director for the PGA Board of Directors and is President of the NGCOA.
Jeff Hoag | Co-Owner | Scott Lake Golf & Practice Center
Jeff is the co-owner of Scott Lake Golf & Practice Center, a daily fee 33 hole golf course in Comstock Park, MI, a suburb of Grand Rapids. Since 1975, Jeff and his brother Paul have been the drivers to growing the business at Scott Lake. Scott Lake was the recipient of the 2011 Michigan Golf Course Association Course of the Year, and the 2012 NGCOA Course of the Year. Together they have expanded from 18 holes to 27 holes with a large practice facility and a six-hole short course. Jeff’s nearly four decades of building and growing the business, even in the face of a national recession, has led to some exciting and progressive programs for building customer loyalty. Jeff is a past president of both the NGCOA and the Michigan Golf Course Association.
Jay Karen | Chief Executive Officer | NGCOA
Jay Karen is the CEO of National Golf Course Owners Association, where he leads the golf industry’s trade association and initiatives to support the success of the golf course business. In his role at NGCOA, he has chaired the board of the industry-wide advocacy coalition, We Are Golf, and served on the Golf USA Tee Time Coalition board, a joint initiative with the PGA of America, and the advisory board of the World Golf Hall of Fame. The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, CBS Radio, New York Times, Washington Post, NPR, the Golf Channel, Golf Digest and many others call upon Jay for his insights on the golf industry. Jay has also served as CEO of two associations in the lodging and hospitality industry, and he is a certified association executive by the American Society of Association Executives. Jay currently serves on the board of directors of the US Travel Association and ASAE. Jay is an Honorary Commander for the Joint Military Base in Charleston and a mentor in the College of Charleston’s MBA program.
Rep. Adam Kinzinger | Former Congressman | CNN Political Commentator | New York Times Bestselling Author
From 2011-2022, Congressman Kinzinger served six terms in the United States House of Representatives, where he proudly represented Illinois’ Sixteenth Congressional District, which stretches across 14 counties in Northern Illinois. While in Congress, Kinzinger served as a member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and the House Foreign Affairs Committee, where he served as Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia, Energy and the Environment in the 116th Congress. He also served on the non-partisan Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol.
His top priorities included strengthening U.S. energy policy and making our nation less reliant on foreign resources as well as bolstering the strength of our national security – both at home and abroad.
Prior to being elected to Congress, Kinzinger served in the Air Force in both Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. Kinzinger continues to serve his country as a pilot in the Air National Guard, with the current rank of Lieutenant Colonel, and balanced this service with his duties in Congress. During his time in Congress, Kinzinger worked tirelessly for IL-16, and for the security of our nation. From getting veterans back to work, to combatting the opioid epidemic, Congressman Kinzinger fought for his constituents and stood up for America, keeping his oath to protect and defend our Constitution.
Don Rea, PGA | President, PGA of America | Owner, Augusta Ranch Golf Club
Don Rea Jr. is the Owner and General Manager of Augusta Ranch Golf Club, a public golf course, in Mesa, Arizona, which has been rated the “Best Executive Golf Course in Arizona” by the Arizona Republic and selected as “Host Club of the Year” by the Arizona Women’s Golf Association. A Member of the Southwest PGA Section, Rea served on the PGA of America’s national Board of Directors from 2016-’19. Elected as President of the Southwest PGA Section from 2013-’14, Rea also was a member of the Board of Directors for the Southwest PGA Section, National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA) and the Arizona Tourism Alliance. Rea has co-hosted NGCOA’s Golf Business LIVE webcast series alongside NGCOA CEO Jay Karen since its inception in April 2020. While on the PGA Board of Directors, he chaired the Junior Golf Committee and worked with the Coaching and Player Development, and Community Golf Committees. Since 2012, Rea has owned Your Course Consulting. In addition, he founded Community Course Rescue Services, LLC in 2017. Rea spent nine years as a Minor League Baseball umpire, ascending to Triple-A. In addition, he umpired several Spring Training Games for Major League Baseball. He was awarded the 2012 Southwest PGA Section Bill Strausbaugh Award and the Section’s 2011 President’s Plaque.
Harvey Silverman | Contributor, Golf Business | Founder, Silverback Golf Marketing
Harvey Silverman is a long-time accomplished golf course marketing consultant, writer, and somewhat less-accomplished golfer. Harvey writes monthly about the golf business as a contributor for Golf Business magazine and Golf Business WEEKLY, and this year, he launched the NGCOA’s Golf Business LIVE — Tech Talks webcast series. Harvey also authored NGCOA’s Beware of Barter publication, a guide to the dangers of bartering valuable tee times and the ramifications of participating with third parties. An affinity for golf course owners and the challenges they face operating a complex business in difficult markets guides his work and words. Harvey’s clients benefit from his marketing prowess, research, and knowledge of the various technologies most effectively improving business operations. He’s presented at both NGCOA technology conferences, Golf Business Conferences and Affiliate meetings.
Tom Watson | Eight-Time Major Champion | Member, World Golf Hall of Fame | Founder, Watson Links
Recognized as a true legend of the game, World Golf Hall of Fame member Tom Watson brings poise, sophistication, and charisma to the sport that he loves and helped build. Watson is a six time PGA TOUR Player of the Year and has recorded 39 career wins including eight major victories, five of which occurred at The Open Championship.
Since joining the Champions Tour, Watson has amassed an additional 14 victories including six senior major championships. Regarded as one of the greatest links players of all time, Watson nearly won the 2009 Open Championship at 59 years of age. In addition, Watson played on four American Ryder Cup Teams and acted as captain in 1993 and 2014. Throughout his career, Watson served as a respected spokesman for the sport. He received the USGA’s prestigious Bob Jones Award for distinguished sportsmanship in 1987 and was elected to the World Golf Hall of Fame the following year.
Tom’s accomplishments range far beyond his professional achievements. He has raised vast amounts of funding for medical research and children’s hospitals and inspired his peers to do the same. Throughout his career, Tom has been committed to giving back to the sport, particularly focusing on the next generation of golfers by supporting First Tee, Clubs for Kids, Youth on Course, and designing and creating a junior golf course. Most recently, he founded Watson Links, which champions on-course play and golf mentoring, demonstrating the powerful vehicle golf can be for personal development and community engagement.
Michael Williams | Executive Director, Cyrano Communications | Contributor, Golf Business
Michael has had success in industries ranging from High Tech companies to foreign exchange banking. But his life has been defined by his abilities in the media and communications, for his experience in world affairs and his passion for the game of golf.
Michael has established himself as a leading voice for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. His “Open Letter to the Golf Industry from a Black Man Who Loves the Game” became a template that inspired the leadership of the game to implement long-needed change. In addition, Michael’s article for ESPN about his handling of a PGA Tour professional who admitted to dressing up in blackface garnered praise from around the world and was recently recognized as one of the best articles of 2020 by the Golf Writers Association of America.
Michael is also known as one of the political world’s most astute commentators as the moderator of “Issues in the News”, the flagship political and current events program for Voice of America. A sought-after speaker and communications expert, Michael has counseled some of the most influential individuals and organizations in the world on topics including crisis management, corporate re-branding and diversity/inclusivity issues.
In 2005, Michael launched his first radio show on FOX News Radio, “Sticks and Stones”. Since that launch, Michael has established a reputation as a savvy broadcaster and as an incisive interviewer and writer. An avid golfer himself, Michael has covered the game of golf and the golf lifestyle including courses, restaurants, business, travel and sports marketing for publications all over the world.
In his first year as host of The 19th Hole Golf Radio Show on CBS Radio in Washington, D.C., Michael led the show to becoming the top-rated golf show in the 7th largest market in the United States and was named the recipient of the 2014 Middle Atlantic PGA Earle Hellen Award for the Outstanding Media Person of the Year. The 19th Hole with Michael Williams is now a podcast with 40 thousand listeners per week on GolfWRX.com.
Michael is a member of the United States Golf Association, the Golf Writers Association of America and the National Association of Black Journalists.