In The News
October 27, 2012 – Initiative Spotlight on Partner Organizations
In 2011 several leading golf organizations, including the Club Managers Association of America (CMAA), Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA), National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA) and the World Golf Foundation (WGF) partnered with The PGA of America in support of the Golf industry Supplier Diversity Initiative. In this special Spotlight, the heads of these organizations discuss their support of the Initiative.
September 26, 2012 – Ryder Cup Plays Host to This Year’s Diverse Supplier Forum; Champions for Diversity Tournament Discussed as Showcase for The PGA’s Diversity and Inclusion Commitment
This year’s Diverse Supplier Forum, held September 26th in conjunction with the 2012 Ryder Cup at Medinah Country Club in Mediniah, IL, played host to participants within the golf industry, PGA Qualified Diverse Supplier within the Golf Industry Supplier Diversity Initiative, as well as dozens of diverse suppliers in and around the Chicago area. A Welcome and Update was delivered by Earnie Ellison, Jr., Director of Business and Community Relations for The PGA of America, followed by an update on the Golf 2.0 initiative — The PGA’s New Strategic Plan — from Darrell Crall, Managing Director with The PGA. PGA Chief Executive Officer Joseph P. Steranka also spoke on The PGA of America’s continued commitment to inclusion and diversity. Finally, Earnie Ellison Jr. spoke on the plan to utilize the PGA Foundation’s Champions for Diversity tournament as the showcase for the Golf Industry Supplier Diversity Initiative.
June 2, 2012 – Inaugural PGA Foundation Champions for Diversity Tournament
The PGA Foundation’s inaugural Champions for Diversity Tournament, an event to provide scholarship support for ethnic minorities and young women, was held May 31 to June 2, at PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, FL. The tournament raised funds for the PGA Foundation Diversity Scholarship Program, which aids deserving ethnic minorities and young women in attaining a college degree in PGA Golf Management at one of the 19 PGA Golf Management Universities. “The PGA Foundation is excited about the potential that this tournament holds supporting young men and women who aspire to earn an education at a PGA Golf Management University, and perhaps serve as the next generation of leaders within the golf industry,” said PGA of America Chief Executive Officer Joe Steranka. “The PGA Foundation takes pride in the growth of PGA Golf Management Universities, particularly for the quality young people achieving their degrees.” Tournament participants competed in a two-day match play event structured after the Ryder Cup, with a celebrity assigned to each Team. In addition, the event was designed to showcase some of the premier minority and women-owned businesses that are vital to the success of the golf industry and The PGA’s mission to become more inclusive. The Champions for Diversity Tournament also benefits youth golf development programs that include the Lorena Ochoa Golf Foundation and the United South and Eastern Tribes (USET).
August 10, 2011 – “Activation” the Key at This Year’s Diverse Supplier Forum; Qualified Diverse Supplier Directory Unveiled
The key word for this year’s Diverse Supplier Forum, held on August 10, 2011 at the Atlanta Athletic Club in conjunction with the 93rd PGA Championship, was “activation”. At this meeting of PGA Qualified Diverse Suppliers, PGA Executives, golf industry companies and organizations, PGA Chief Executive Officer Joseph P. Steranka discussed The PGA’s Golf 2.0 initiative followed by a question and answer session with all participants. Reed Exhibition’s John McGeary spoke on the upcoming PGA Merchandise Show (and extended a special offer to Initiative suppliers) and Steve Mona (CEO, WGF) and Mike Tinkey (CEO, NGCOA) detailed their organization’s support of the Golf Industry Supplier Diversity Initiative. In addition, Earnie Ellison, Jr., Director of Business and Community Relations for The PGA of America, unveiled the 2011 Qualified Diverse Supplier Directory. This comprehensive directory assists companies and organizations considering engaging the Initiative’s suppliers in their existing procurement process.
March 2011 – ASW Global’s Andre’ Thornton Featured On WKYC Cleveland’s “What Works” Segment: Andre’ Thornton, Still An All-Star
Once a baseball star with the Cleveland Indians, Andre Thornton has become a star in the business world, operating one of the largest minority-owned firms in Ohio. As President and CEO of ASW Global, a third party logistics company, Thornton provides vital services to scores of other corporations, helping them store, track, and distribute their products all over the world. ”We like to think we might not be the biggest player in town,” the former home run hitter smiles, “but we are vital to the economy here in Northeast Ohio.”
February 4, 2011 – Validex, and d.e. Foxx Suite of Companies, Announced as Urban League of Greater Cincinnati’s Corporate Medallion Honoree
The Urban League of Greater Cincinnati has announced its selection of 2011 Glorifying the Lions and Corporate Medallion recipients. These awards were presented at the League’s annual meeting on Friday, February 4, at the Millennium Hotel Grand Ballroom in downtown Cincinnati. Corporate Medallion awards are given to those area companies who have demonstrated exemplary service and commitment not only to the Urban League, but to the Greater Cincinnati community at large. The 2010 recipients include CITI, d.e. Foxx suite of companies, including Foxx Construction, LLC, XLC Services, LLC, and Validex, LLC, and The Urban League Guild. Urban League President/ CEO Donna Jones Baker noted, “Our annual meeting is always such as special time to welcome donors, friends and guests, and especially our nominees. Their work and commitment to our community is to be commended and recognized for helping to continually change the face of Greater Cincinnati. They join a very prestigious list.”
February 2011 – “PGA’s New Supplier Diversity Intiative”, Diversity and Commerce
The PGA of America announced today that several leading golf organizations, including the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA), National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA) and World Golf Foundation (WGF) have partnered with The PGA in support of the Golf Industry Supplier Diversity Initiative. These organizations join the Club Managers Association of America (CMAA) which announced a partnership with the Initiative earlier in 2010.
February 1, 2011 – Validex Joins Golf Retirement Plus™ Family of Supporting Sponsors
Validex (a PGA Qualified Diverse Supplier within the Golf Industry Supplier Diversity Initiative), High Definition Golf, Lexmark International, Inc., Oasis Outsourcing, PGA Authentic and United Rentals, representing some of the most dynamic service providers, premier apparel and high-tech companies in North America, have been named supporting sponsors of Golf Retirement Plus™. ”The growth of premier partners in Golf Retirement Plus energizes the core of this special program for our membership,” said PGA of America President Allen Wronowski. “We are very proud to welcome these six companies of distinction to our family of supporting sponsors in Golf Retirement Plus.”
September 17, 2010 – Diverse Supplier Forum featured in the Summer 2010 edition of the African American Golfer’s Digest
The Diverse Supplier Forum was held on August 11, 2010 at Whistling Straits in conjunction with the 92nd PGA Championship. At this meeting of PGA Qualified Diverse Suppliers, PGA Executives, invited Tier 1 Suppliers and golf industry associations, a new Initiative logo was unveiled, as was a fresh marketing effort, an enhanced social media presence and the solicitation of additional supporting golf industry companies and associations. “We are always looking for other golf organizations and golf industry companies to join us in championing this initiative as we continue to make progress toward our ultimate goal of having the business and game of golf more closely represent the diversity of our communities,” noted Earnie Ellison, Jr., The PGA of America’s Director of Business and Community Relations.
February 17, 2010 – Earnie Ellison, Jr., Director of Business and Community Relations for The PGA of America, Selected by Success South Florida Magazine as “One of South Florida’s 50 Most Powerful Black Professionals of 2010”
A distinguished committee of community leaders and business executives have taken the task of going through each and every detail of nominations submitted by their peers to select South Florida’s 50 Most Powerful Black Professionals for 2010. Now in its 5th year of publication, Success South Florida Magazine has profiled the best and the brightest in South Florida’s Black community and has given a voice to Black owned businesses and those interested in contributing positively to the interests of this community
February 16, 2010 – Celebrity Coaches CEO and President,Paulina Salen, Interviewed Regarding State of Las Vegas Asian Business Economy
PGA Qualified Diverse Supplier Discusses How “Asian Businesses Thrive Despite Down Economy”, Video Courtesy of CBS Channel 8 News
September 30, 2009 – Club Managers Association of America (CMAA) Provides Information On Golf Industry Supplier Diversity Initiative to Their Members
The PGA of America has asked CMAA to partner with them on its Supplier Diversity Initiative which is a program that strives to achieve greater diversity in participation in the game and the business of golf.
August 6, 2009 – “Supplier Diversity Key to Growth in Golf”, Racing Toward Diversity Magazine, Summer 2009“
The goal of…the Golf Industry Supplier Diversity Initiative is to increase spending with minority and women-owned businesses (M/WBEs) while at the same time growing the participation from these same consumer segments in the game of golf.”
January 30, 2009 – Video Summary: The Second Golf Industry Supplier Diversity Forum (Facilitated by National Diversity Solutions)
In January, as part of The PGA of America’s 56 Annual Merchandise Show in Orlando, Florida, National Diversity Solutions helped facilitate the Second Golf Industry Supplier Diversity Forum. This 5-minute video presented a concise summary of the event and The PGA of America’s Golf Industry Supplier Diversity Initiative.
January 8, 2008 – Video Summary: NDS, in Conjunction with The PGA of America, Hosts First Golf Industry Supplier Diversity Forum
NDS, in conjunction with The PGA of America and the 55th Annual PGA Merchandise Show presented the first Golf Industry Supplier Diversity Forum: The Power of Supplier Diversity in a Global Golf Economy in Orlando, Florida. Presenters at this invitation-only event included Joseph P. Steranka (CEO, The PGA of America), Brian Whitcomb (President, The PGA of America), Earnie Ellison, Jr. (Director of Business and Community Relations, The PGA of America), Ed Several (VP & General Manager, Reed Expositions), Elaine Curl (Founder & CEO, The Convention Store), Benita Thompson-Byas (VP/Marketing, Thompson Hospitality) and D. Mitchell (CEO, National Diversity Solutions).