IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Ashley Plant
January 15, 2008 561/624-7671
UTAH’S JEFF BEAUDRY NAMED RECIPIENT OF CONRAD REHLING
AWARD FOR CONTRIBUTIONS TO SPECIAL OLYMPICS GOLF
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. – PGA Professional Jeff Beaudry of Sandy, Utah, a PGA Employment Consultant for the past decade, has been named recipient of the Conrad Rehling Award for contributions to the growth of Special Olympics Golf.
Beaudry will be honored Friday, Jan. 18, at the PGA Play Golf America Conference during the 55th PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, Fla., with a 4 p.m. presentation in Room 414 of theOrangeCountyConvention Center.
Elected to PGA membership in 1979, Beaudry attended the University of Utah and served as a PGA head professional, general manager from 1973 to 1986, and during this time was elected to PGA membership in 1979. He served as executive director of the Utah PGA Section from 1986 to 1997, before joining The PGA of America’s Employment Services team.
“It is a tremendous honor to be receiving an award that has Conrad Rehling’s name attached to it,” said Beaudry, who traveled with Rehling to several PGA Sections introducing Special Olympics golf to PGA Professionals. “There was not a better person to whom this award could be dedicated. What I liked about Conrad was that he had this glint in his eye and was able to be entirely hands-on with Special Olympic athletes. He was the heart, the passion behind the Special Olympics golf movement. I have tried to emulate him.”
Beaudry is currently chairman of the board for the Special Olympics Utah; was Rules Chair of the 1995 Special Olympics World Games; and was a member of the Rules Committee for the 1999 Special Olympics World Games and Rules Chair for the 2000 Special Olympics Golf National Invitational Tournament.
“Special Olympics is pleased to honor Jeff Beaudry as the recipient of the 2007 Conrad Rehling Award,” said Bob Gobrecht, Managing Director of Special Olympics North America. “Jeff’s long-standing commitment to Special Olympics started as a member of the Golf Development Committee, which was responsible for the inception of the sport in Special Olympics, and continues today through his volunteer efforts as Board Chair for Special Olympics Utah. Jeff’s contributions embody the principles of Conrad Rehling and he is truly deserving of this award.”
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Beaudry was a 2003 inductee into Special Olympics Utah Hall of Fame; serves as a member of the Utah Golf Hall of Fame Selection Committee and a 2002 Utah Golf Association Gold Club recipient.Among his other honors are the 1992 Utah High School Activities Association Distinguished Service Award; the 1998 National Federation of Interscholastic Official of the Year; and the 2000, ’02 Colorado PGA Bill Strausbaugh Award for Career Services.
“As Jeff and I worked on the Golf Committee in the early years, I would watch him as the group socialized, before or after training clinics,” said J.D. Donnelly, president and CEO of Special Olympics Utah, “and there he would be right in the middle of the group of Special Olympics Athletes. Jeff finds every opportunity to interact with the Athletes.”
Beaudry and his wife, Shawna, live in Sandy, Utah, and are the parents of a daughter, Jamie, and a son, Zach.
The Conrad Rehling Award, first presented in 2005, honors the late PGA Master Professional who followed a successful collegiate coaching career at Florida and Alabama by transforming his retirement into inspiring PGA Professionals to give back to the physically challenged. Rehling died in April 2007 at age 87.
The founding father of the Special Olympics golf movement in 1988, Rehling spearheaded The PGA of America’s efforts to introduce golf to Special Olympics. The Association and its more than 28,000 men and women professionals have dedicated countless hours, services and funding to the growth of Special Olympics Golf.
Since 1916, The PGA of America's mission has been twofold; to establish and elevate the standards of the profession and to grow interest and participation in the game of golf. By establishing and elevating the standards of the golf profession through world-class education, career services, marketing and research programs, the Association enables PGA Professionals to maximize their performance in their respective career paths and showcases them as experts in the game and in the $75 billion golf industry.
By creating and delivering dramatic world-class championships and exciting and enjoyable golf promotions that are viewed as the best of their class in the golf industry, The PGA of America elevates the public's interest in the game, the desire to play more golf, and ensures accessibility to the game for everyone, everywhere.The PGA of America brand represents the very best in golf.
Special Olympics Golf, part of a worldwide sports program for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, offers five levels of competition for athletes with different ability levels. Ranging from individual skills competition to alternate-shot team play to individual stroke play, Special Olympics golf allows athletes to grow in the game as they gain experience.
Conrad Rehling Award Winners
2005Jesse Weeks, Memphis, Tenn.
2006Steve Carson, Oklahoma City, Okla.
2007Jeff Beaudry, Sandy, Utah
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