98Th PGA Annual Meeting to Focus on Driving the Game Forward

IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Jamie Carbone

Nov. 19, 2014 561/624-8446

98th PGA Annual Meeting to Focus on Driving the Game Forward

Election of New Officers, Roll-Out of New Long-Term Strategic Plan Highlight Three-Day Gathering

INDIANAPOLIS – More than 500 PGA Professionals are expected to gather this week (Nov. 20-22) at the JW Marriott Indianapolis for the 98th PGA Annual Meeting. Delegates, comprised of PGA Board members, Past Presidents and representatives of all 41 PGA Sections, will elect a new slate of National PGA Officers, honor the 2014 National PGA Award recipients, celebrate a new National Award and hear from Donald Trump, the keynote speaker.

Following the theme of “Driving the Game Forward,” PGA Leadership will review details of the Association’s new Long-Term Strategic Plan. Delegates are expected to elect current Interim PGA President Derek Sprague of Malone, New York, as the 39th President. Paul Levy, of Indian Wells, Calif., the current Interim Vice President and Secretary, is expected to become Vice President.

PGA members Michael Haywood of Tucson, Arizona; Russ Libby of Jacksonville, Florida; and Suzy Whaley of Farmington, Connecticut, are the declared candidates for PGA Secretary. The election of the new Officers will take place Saturday, Nov. 22.

Also that day, three new incoming District Directors on the PGA Board of Directors will be sworn in: Jeff Drimel of St. Michael, Minnesota; Tim Fries of East Amherst, New York; and Kyle Heyen of Arvada, Colorado.

PGA Master Professional Ray Cutright of Macon, Georgia, the 2014 PGA Golf Professional of the Year, will lead 11 National PGA Award Recipients who will be recognized at a gala event on Thursday, Nov. 20.

Two days later, the PGA will formally establish the Deacon Palmer Award, which bestows special recognition on a PGA Professional who has overcome a major obstacle in their life and gone on to become an unsung hero/heroine at their facility and in their community. PGA member Arnold Palmer will accept the inaugural award on behalf of his late father.

PGA leaders also will hear from Donald Trump, who will focus his keynote address on leadership with entrepreneurial and business insights. Earlier this year, the PGA of America announced a partnership with The Trump Organization to bring a future PGA Championship and Senior PGA Championship presented by KitchenAid to golf properties owned by Donald Trump.