Speakers

Kate Drimel, PGA | Recruiting Specialist | PGA Career Services

Kate Drimel, PGA serves as the PGA ExecuSearch Regional Support for the Southeast region. She has experience across many sectors within the golf industry – from private and public green grass facilities to digital marketing companies and the Minnesota PGA Section. She played golf collegiately at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN where she graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing Management. In her final months upon graduation, she entered the PGM Associate Program and was elected into Membership in November 2020. Originally from St. Michael, MN, Drimel developed her passion for serving the Member and growing the game by gaining exposure to the golf industry at a young age.

Elisa Gaudet | Founder | Women’s Golf Day (WGD)

Elisa Gaudet brings more than 20 years of experience in the golf industry to Women’s Golf Day (WGD), which she founded in 2016. This annual global event, held on the first Tuesday in June each year across the globe, engages thousands of women through the game of golf. WGD has become a global movement in which over 1,000 locations in 80 countries have participated, thus engaging new and existing golfers and creating a global community based on engaging, empowering and supporting women.

Prior to Women’s Golf Day, in 2002, Gaudet founded Executive Golf International, a strategy-driven golf marketing firm. Her widespread experience in the field also involves TV rights negotiations, sponsorship procurement and activation, targeted and strategic marketing, player relations, and benchmarking studies and large-scale destination marketing.

Kelly Gilley, PGA | Regional Director, Central Region | PGA Career Services

Kelly Gilley, PGA, is the Regional Director for PGA Career Services, Central Region. Gilley has been a PGA Member since 1998 and spent the first 15 years of her career in golf in Georgia. She has a Bachelor of Science in Public Relations and a Master’s in Communication from Florida State University where she competed for the Lady Seminole Golf Team and was a three time Academic All-American.

In 1997, she accepted a role with Canongate Golf Clubs/Sequoia Golf where she remained for 15 years, while serving in roles of Assistant Professional, Head Professional, Operations Manager, Regional Manager and Marketing Manager over her tenure with the company. Gilley was Foundation, Marketing and Membership Director for Southern Texas PGA for five years before joining the team of PGA Career Consultants in 2017.

Lon Grundy | General Manager | World Golf Village, Florida

A highly experienced General Manager, Grundy brings 30 years of club-operations experience to World Golf Village. Grundy is a 22-year Class A member of the PGA of America and has served as General Manager at several world-class properties, including Troon North Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz.; PGA West La Quinta Resort & Club in Calif.; and Reynolds Lake Oconee in Greensboro, Georgia. Additionally, Grundy served for five years as a regional director at Troon’s corporate headquarters in Scottsdale, where he oversaw properties in multiple states and five Caribbean islands.

Larry Gulko | Brand Strategist & Strategic Growth Advisor

Larry is a brand architect and strategist, executive coach, keynote speaker, and growth advisor with a track record for positioning an eclectic range of brands to compete more effectively in today’s rapidly evolving business landscape. He collaborates with clients looking to take their brand to the next level in terms of driving brand performance, customer affection/loyalty, and business growth to a level of success they envision. He founded and moderates the annual CEO Brand Leadership Roundtable and CEO Fireside Chats at the Harvard Business School. These popular programs have showcased over 50 CEOs of iconic and leading brands including Delta Air Lines, Dunkin’ Brands, Ritz-Carlton, NBC Sports, Greg Norman, Harley-Davidson, PGA of America, Converse, Newman’s Own, TaylorMade Golf, Birkenstock, Wheels Up, TB12, Keurig, Donna Karan, Bose, Polar Beverages, Foxwoods, Talbots. Larry created BRAND: NEW DAY, a one-of-a-kind brand-building and thought leadership Retreat designed exclusively for an individual company’s management team determined to take a fresh look at their brand and drive success to the next level.

Shaun Hansen | Regional Sales Director | Toptracer Range

Shaun Hansen, Regional Sales Director, Toptracer, is an international industry professional of 25 years aspiring to grow the game of golf by transforming how we experience golf and leading the way to the future through a dynamic brand portfolio that has unmatched scale and reach across the modern golf and active lifestyle ecosystem, including both on-course and off-course golf.

Cathy Harbin | Owner, Pine Ridge Golf Course | At-Large Director, PGA Board of Directors

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. Currently, she serves as the At-Large Director for the PGA Board of Directors and is Vice President of the NGCOA.

Larry Hirsh | President | Golf Property Analysts

Laurence A. Hirsh, CRE, MAI, SGA is the president of Golf Property Analysts, a leading golf and club property consulting, appraisal and brokerage firm based in Philadelphia. He and the firm have performed consulting, appraisal, and brokerage assignments on more than 3,500 golf & club properties in 46 US states, Canada, and the Caribbean.

Hirsh is an award-winning author, having written the Appraisal Institute’s text on golf property valuation (Golf Property Analysis and Valuation — A Modern Approach), which received the Appraisal Institute’s award for best text in 2016. A second edition is being published in 2022. Hirsh has written 3 articles on golf & club property valuation in The Appraisal Journal, co-authored The Urban Land Institute’s Residential Golf Community Development and authored many articles for a variety of industry publications.

His most recent publication is titled The Culture of Golf — Isn’t it just a Game? Hirsh has also lectured at seminars, meetings and universities and is on the education faculty for the PGA of America. A founder and first president of the Society of Golf Appraisers (SGA), Hirsh has also developed a golf course and brokered nearly $200 million in golf course & club properties.

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.

Peter Jacobsen | Analyst, GOLF Channel | Host, MatchPlay

Peter Jacobsen is an analyst for PGA TOUR tournaments airing on GOLF Channel, as well as on coverage of the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship National Finals from Augusta National Golf Club. Jacobsen recorded seven victories during his PGA TOUR career, the last coming at the 2003 Greater Hartford Open at the age of 49. He also was voted PGA TOUR Comeback Player of the Year in 2003, and was a member of two Ryder Cup teams (1985 and 1995). He also is a multiple major winner on the PGA TOUR Champions (2004 U.S. Senior Open and the 2005 Senior PLAYERS Championship).

In 2013, Jacobsen was the recipient of the Payne Stewart Award, an honor presented annually by the PGA TOUR to a professional golfer who best exemplifies the values of character, charity and sportsmanship. He also is the owner of Peter Jacobsen Sports, an event management company that runs several professional golf tournaments, including the CVS Caremark Charity Classic.

Zach Johnson | 2023 U.S. Ryder Cup Captain | 12-time PGA Tour winner | 2-time Major champion

A native of Iowa, 12-time PGA TOUR winner Zach Johnson turned professional in 1998, won his first PGA TOUR event at the 2004 BellSouth Classic, and qualified for the 2006 U.S. Ryder Cup. Johnson made his mark on the world of golf by securing the green jacket in 2007, winning the Masters Tournament by two strokes over Tiger Woods. Zach’s last major championship came at famed St. Andrews after defeating Louis Oosthuizen and Marc Leishman in a playoff at the 2015 Open Championship. In February of 2022, Zach Johnson was selected as the captain of the 2023 U.S. Ryder Cup team, calling it “the honor of a lifetime”.

In 2010, Zach and his wife, Kim, launched the Zach Johnson Foundation, which supports children in need back in Zach’s hometown of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. In recognition of his philanthropic efforts over the course of his playing career, Zach was honored with the Payne Stewart Award in 2020, one of golf’s highest distinctions.

Kraig Kann | Managing Director | Kann Advisory Group

Kraig Kann founded Kann Advisory Group in 2016 and serves as Managing Director of the organization that provides strategic communications, marketing, branding and media consulting. His vast experience combining roles as network television personality, sports executive and business entrepreneur makes him an industry influencer, respected spokesperson and requested speaker. After a 25-year television career that included 17 at Golf Channel/NBC where he was an original on-air member, Kraig made a career pivot and joined the Ladies Professional Golf Association as its Chief Communications Officer from 2011-2016. He was a member of the 2016 Rio Olympic Games Communication Committee.

Kraig now conducts unique leadership workshops and seminars focused on message delivery and personal and professional brand development. His “Be a Brand-New Influencer” and “The Power of Presentation” have drawn rave reviews from corporate CEOs. In addition, he is a weekly host on SiriusXM PGATOUR Radio.

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.

Craig Kessler | Director, Public Affairs | Southern California Golf Association

Craig came to the SCGA via the merger with the Public Links Golf Association (PLGA), where he served as Executive Director for 11 years and pioneered the development of the nation’s most active and accomplished advocacy component. He has been tasked with doing the same for the SCGA as its first Director of Governmental Affairs, albeit on a much larger stage.

In addition to his current and previous job responsibilities, Craig has served as a USGA Committeemen continuously for 15 years, Chair of the Los Angeles Golf Advisory Commission, Chair of the Los Angeles County Golf Advisory Committee, Member of the City of Los Angeles’ Griffith Park Master Plan Board, Member of the Ventura Golf Advisory Group, Member of the Los Angeles County Junior Golf Foundation Board of Directors and Chair of the Los Angeles Junior Chamber of Commerce First Tee of Los Angeles Advisory Committee. In 2008 Craig was inducted into the Long Beach Golf Hall of Fame.

Jim Koppenhaver | Founder & President | Pellucid Corp

Jim is the President, founder and principal owner of Pellucid Corp., a leading golf industry information and insights provider. His background includes a decade of Fortune 50 marketing and sales experience in Consumer Goods and 25+ years in data management, reporting, analytics and insights across multiple industries. Jim founded Pellucid in 2001 to address the golf industry’s need for accurate, unbiased information to support better business decisions for industry stakeholders. Since its inception, Pellucid & partner Edgehill Golf Advisors have pioneered nearly every industry information advancement including consumer-based facility price segmentation, quantifying annual supply/demand imbalance, quantifying weather impact (historical and, recently, forecasts), creating the first course Customer Franchise Analysis and developing the industry-standard, web-based Golf Local Market Analyzer tool. Their latest endeavor/challenge is to bring monthly industry performance tracking (Rounds, Revenue, Utilization & RevpAR) and local market benchmarking to fruition. At fruition, it will plug a gaping hole in the industry’s understanding of trends and causes and help stakeholders from facility owner/operators to major equipment manufacturers make better-informed decisions.

Jon Last | Founder & President | Sports & Leisure Research Group

Jon Last is founder and President of Sports and Leisure Research Group, a full service marketing research consultancy that supports leading brands in sports, travel and media. Last’s 25+ years of professional experience includes seven years as VP Corporate Marketing for Golf Digest Companies, and eight years at the PGA of America, where he oversaw marketing research, consumer marketing and retailing. A frequent speaker and featured columnist for Media Post’s Marketing: Sports, Last holds an M.B.A. from Wharton and a B.A. from Tufts. He is a former national president of the U.S. Marketing Research Association (MRA) and served on the national board of directors for the Executive Women’s Golf Association. He is a former President of Marketing Research Institute International and continues to serve on their board of directors as Marketing Chair. He is one of the creators of the highly acclaimed “Back to Normal Barometer” in March of 2020, which has continuously pulsed public opinion surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.

Michael Lee | Sr. Manager of Government Affairs | Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA)

Michael Lee is the Sr. Manager of Government Affairs at the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America. Michael joined GCSAA in November 2016 as Manager of Government Affairs overseeing the Grassroots Ambassador program and state and local affairs. Prior to joining GCSAA, Michael served as State Director for United States Senator Jim Inhofe in his home state of Oklahoma, managing the Senator’s field staff, coordinating travel, organizing constituent engagements, and briefing the Senator’s Washington policy staff on federal issues impacting Oklahomans. Michael has a passion for public policy and golf and enjoys helping GCSAA members get involved in grassroots advocacy by connecting them with lawmakers and leaders in government.

Stuart Lindsay | Principal | Edgehill Golf Advisors

Stuart Lindsay is the Principal of Edgehill Golf Advisors, a golf consulting and market research company located in Mequon (Milwaukee), WI. Since its founding in 1989, Edgehill has provided services to an eclectic mix of clients including banks, accounting firms, golf software companies, golf course appraisers, and golf management firms along with daily fee, private and municipal golf courses. Since 2001, Edgehill has worked closely with Pellucid Corp., a well recognized golf research and insight provider. With Pellucid, Edgehill has co-developed the innovative Customer Franchise Analysis that tracks golfer retention and value, along with the Weather Impact Analysis that determines golf specific weather impact for individual courses across the US. From 1996 – 2013, Edgehill served as a consultant to Fore! Reservations over which time they grew from 400 to over 2,100 golf courses. Mr. Lindsay has been widely quoted on golf business issues in The Wall Street Journal, Fortune, GolfInc, Sports Illustrated, Golf Course News, GolfWeek and Golf Business.

Mark Mattingly | Executive Vice President | Landscapes Golf Management

A 30-year, golf-industry executive, Mark Mattingly is Executive Vice President of Landscapes Golf Management, operator of more than 50 golf courses, country clubs, communities and resorts across America. His primary role is helping owners of golf properties formulate strategies toward achieving the objectives set forth for their properties. In addition to overseeing business development, Mattingly manages special projects and contributes to the overall strategic direction of the company. During his career and with an aptitude for programming and membership development, he was General Manager, regional portfolio manager and operations executive at daily-fee and private clubs. Mattingly is a Class-A PGA Professional and was a longtime Board member of the Indiana PGA and member of the Club Management Association of America.

Peter McGraw | Behavioral Economist | Business School Professor | Expert in the Scientific Study of Humor

Dr. Peter McGraw is a behavioral economist, business school professor, and expert in the scientific study of humor. He directs The Humor Research Lab (HuRL), hosts the podcast I’M NOT JOKING, and is the author of Shtick to Business: What the Masters of Comedy can Teach You about Breaking Rules, Being Fearless, and Building a Serious Career. McGraw is a professor of marketing and psychology at the University of Colorado’s Leeds School of Business, and he speaks at businesses and universities around the world.

Ronnie Miles | Senior Director of Advocacy | NGCOA

Ronnie currently serves as the Senior Director of Advocacy for the National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA). Before joining the NGCOA, he worked for the Department of Navy. He served 37 years holding multiple positions, the last as Director of Morale, Welfare, and Recreation in Millington, TN where he was responsible for numerous community and business activities that included lodging services, a 200-room hotel, eight rental cottages, an 18-hole golf course, multiple food and beverage operations, a conference center, fitness center, sports facilities, and early childhood and youth services employing over 300 employees. He also serves as a board member of the National Alliance for Accessible Golf.

Ryan Rafter | Managing Director | Hilco Real Estate

Ryan joined Hilco in 2017 with a unique perspective after working for one of the country’s largest commercial real estate data providers, Reis and 5 years of investment sales and leasing experience at Savills in Manhattan following graduation from New York Law School. After significant analysis, Ryan identified both a demand and need for golf course and resort owners to monetize their assets in a discreet manner that ensured maximum value which led to the formation of Hilco Real Estate’s Golf Advisory Team. Ryan brought several of Hilco’s top performing teams together including Valuations, Hilco Corporate Finance and Real Estate to ensure that all aspects of dispositions, acquisitions, valuations and capital are custom tailored to owner’s needs. Currently representing some of the largest owners and investors in the golf, hospitality, private equity and family office sectors, Ryan secured exclusive collaborations with both the National Golf Course Owners Association and the UK Golf Federation.

Del Ratcliffe | President | Ratcliffe Golf Services

Del is President of Ratcliffe Golf Services, Inc. and COO of Pinnacle Golf Properties. Del is the current president of the North Carolina Golf Course Owners Association and is a Class “A” member of the PGA of America as well as a member of the GCSAA. He is the founding member of Kodology, LLC, a software development company that specializes in innovative marketing software and related services for small and medium business applications. Del’s business ventures go beyond the scope of the golf industry, and include real estate brokerage, construction and even distilled spirits. He and his Pinnacle Golf Properties partner, David Taylor are involved in 19 different golf properties in various ways, from ownership to various management and financial services capacities. His various business ventures provide him with unique perspectives in areas such as marketing, pricing and using technology to help golf businesses operate more efficiently and profitably.

Don Rea, PGA | Vice 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.

Ken Reynolds | Vice President Sales Marketing | aboutGOLF

aboutGOLF VP of Sales & Marketing, Ken Reynolds, began his career in the indoor golf industry in 2003 as an indoor golf center owner in New York. In the following years, Ken expanded his business and partnerships throughout New York and New England with over a dozen partner facilities and 40 aboutGOLF simulators. Ken continued to grow and focus his business as a dealer and distributor for aboutGOLF with a full team of installers, designers and sales. In 2013, Ken and his team joined aboutGOLF in an official capacity, bringing with them their knowledge of the simulator industry and aboutGOLF’s products. Since then, Ken has brought a relentlessly customer-focused approach to aG’s business with an emphasis on tailored strategies to meet the needs of both commercial and residential clients. Ken is based out of the aboutGOLF Northeast showroom/office, in Glens Falls, NY.

Tim Riese, PGA | PGA Head Professional | Pease Golf Course

Tim grew up in Hudson, NH, working at The World Cup Driving Range at Green Meadow Golf Course from the ages of 15 – 21. After leaving the University of New Hampshire, he started working at Pease Golf Course in 1997 as golf shop staff. Tim eventually became an assistant in 1998, and was promoted to PGA Head Professional in 2007 — and is now entering his 27th year at Pease Golf Course.

Julius Rhodes, SPHR | Founder and Principal, mpr group

Julius E. Rhodes, SPHR (Senior Professional in Human Resources – lifetime designation 2000), is the Founder and Principal of mpr group. He has a Bachelor of Science in Human Resources Management from Roosevelt University and a Master of Science in Human Resources and Industrial Relations from Loyola University. In 1994 he founded the mpr group, a full-service human resources and management professional services firm providing an array of support to myriad firms. Prior to that time, he spent over a decade at several leading-edge Fortune 100 firms such as Mobil, General Electric, Baxter Healthcare and Sara Lee Bakery, as well as the National Labor Relations Board. While at Baxter he instituted that firm’s first ever diversity initiatives with a strong focus on educating stakeholders and community involvement.

Mr. Rhodes has facilitated numerous HR and DE&I related activities in a host of businesses for public and private firms in the profit and not-for-profit sectors. He is a frequent contributor to local and national publications on the topic of human resources and was featured on “Bloomberg Radio’s Weekend Money Minute” where he shared his views on board gender diversification

Will Robins | CEO | Robins Golf Logistix

Will Robins owns and operates WRGolf Coaching based in Sacramento County, CA and is the CEO of Robins Golf Logistix (RGX), a consulting company that mentors instructors on coaching programs. A certified PGA professional, Will is helping revolutionize golf instruction worldwide by helping golf professionals guarantee results with their players.

Through RGX, Will trains over 80 coaches worldwide on how to implement programs that accelerate and guarantee results for their students while doubling their teaching / coaching revenue. A native of the United Kingdom, Will came to the United States to play college golf in Monterey, California. Will played on the mini tours around America before sustaining injuries in the 2004 Thailand Tsunami while on his honeymoon with his wife, Amanda. These injuries led Will to coach the game of golf and Will quickly realized that most of his students came to him not enjoying the game and overthinking to the point of frustration.

Dr. John Silvia | Founder and CEO, Dynamic Economic Strategy | Former Chief Economist, Wells Fargo

John Silvia is the CEO and Founder of his recently launched firm Dynamic Economic Strategy. John recently retired from his position as Managing Director and Chief Economist for Wells Fargo, a position he held since joining Wachovia in 2002 as the company’s Chief Economist. Prior to Wells Fargo, John worked on Capitol Hill as a senior economist for the U.S. Senate Joint Economic Committee and as Chief Economist of Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee.

Dr. Silvia was awarded a National Association of Business Economics (NABE) Fellow Certificate of Recognition in 2011 for outstanding contributions to the business economics profession and leadership among business economists of the Nation. In 2010, he was recognized for the Best Inflation Forecast, the Best Overall Forecast and the Best Personal Consumption Expenditures Forecast by The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. John holds a B.A. and Ph.D. degrees in economics from Northeastern University in Boston and has a master’s degree in economics from Brown University. John’s first book Dynamic Economic Decision Making was published by Wiley in August 2011.

Harvey Silverman | Principal | Silverback Golf Marketing

Harvey Silverman is co-founder of the Quick.golf pay-by-hole app, a long-time accomplished golf course marketing consultant, and a somewhat less accomplished golfer. Harvey also writes monthly about the golf business as a contributor for Golf Business magazine and Golf Business WEEKLY. His work and words are driven by an affinity for golf course owners and the challenges they face operating a complex business in difficult markets. Harvey’s clients benefit from his marketing prowess, and research and knowledge of the various technologies most effective in improving business operations. He’s presented at both NGCOA technology conferences, as well as the Golf Business Conference and Affiliate meetings.

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Steve Skinner | CEO | KemperSports

Steve Skinner joined KemperSports in 1998 and has served in various roles with the company. In 2008, Mr. Skinner was named chief executive officer for KemperSports. He formerly was president and chief operating officer. Prior to joining KemperSports, Mr. Skinner served as vice president of the Michael Jordan Golf Company where he was responsible for all business operations and development activities of the golf development and specialty retail company. Before joining the golf industry, Mr. Skinner practiced law with Mayer, Brown & Platt in Chicago. He earned his law degree from the University of Chicago and a Bachelor of Arts degree with honors from Lawrence University.

Kris Strauss | Executive Vice President, Global Sales & Marketing | Troon

Kris Strauss is the Executive Vice President, Global Sales & Marketing for Troon and is responsible for sales and marketing direction and leadership for Troon and associated Troon brands. Strauss’ responsibility includes leadership of sales strategies, loyalty programs, public relations, promotional activities, digital marketing strategies and social media for Troon. Under his leadership Troon sales and marketing department launched innovative programs such as Troon Junior Club, Troon Women’s Golf Month, Troon Sales Professional fundamentals and Troon’s digital/video marketing innovations. Kris has over two decades of experience selling and marketing upscale resort, daily fee golf facilities and private clubs. He is a frequent speaker at Golf Inc Conferences and the National Golf Course Owners Association conferences. He was honored with Golf Inc.’s Marketing Excellence award in 2005 for multi-course marketing campaigns and was recognized by the American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) with their national “Media Leader Award” for 2007. In 2017 Strauss was a featured guest on Golf Channel’s Morning Drive related to Troon’s Family Golf and other grow the game initiatives.

Strauss’ background with the company also included prior stints as the Troon Golf corporate Sales and Marketing Manager and facility Director of Sales and Marketing assignments in Troon’s Hawaii destinations. Prior to joining Troon, Strauss was the VP of Sales and Marketing for OB Sports Golf Management. His background also includes experiences at the Southwest Section PGA of America, Scottsdale, Arizona and Gold Canyon Golf Resort.

Originally from Honolulu, Hawaii, Kris graduated with a bachelor of science degree from Arizona State University in recreation management with a travel and tourism focus. He continues to be active in various civic and community service related organizations and currently serves on the Board of Directors for Experience Scottsdale (formerly Scottsdale CVB).

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.

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Brady Wilson | General Manager | Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Golf Club, Arizona

Originally from Durango, Colorado, Brady became a PGA member in January of 2005 and has served Troon in his current role as General Manager of Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Golf Club for the last 11 years. Wilson also has served as the Director of Golf for Troon at Classic Club, the host site for the PGA TOUR’s Bob Hope Classic from 2006-2008, Escena Golf Club (Head Professional 2007) and The Glacier Club at Tamarron (Outside Service Manager 1998). Brady’s golf operations career also includes stints at The Moors Golf Club (Head Golf Professional 2006) and The Warren Golf Course at Notre Dame (Golf Professional 2003-2006). Brady’s first career choice out of college was coaching college women’s basketball, which he did at both Fort Lewis College (1996-1998) and Siena Heights University (1998-2000). Brady attended Fort Lewis College where he earned a Bachelor’s of Arts degree in English Communications. He went on to attend Siena Heights University in Adrian, MI, for post graduate work in Human Resource Development.