The ShopRite LPGA Classic Women’s Forum was the recipient of the prestigious TOA Gold Driver Award for 2005 in the special event category. The award was presented at the recent LPGA Tournament Owners Association (TOA) Annual Meeting in Bonita Springs, Florida. The 2005 Women’s Forum, presented by Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey and GlaxoSmithKline, was held on May 24th at Seaview Resort and Spa and featured guest speaker Joan Rivers. Invitations, newspaper ads, other promotional material and charitable features associated with the event were deemed by the judges as the tops among all entries from LPGA tournaments.
"We are proud to have earned this honor from the TOA," said ShopRite Classic Executive Director Ruth Harrison. "It validates the hard work and preparation that we put into all the special events associated with the tournament, especially the Women’s Forum and the Taste of the LPGA."
In 2004, the Taste of the LPGA won the prestigious Judges’ Award for Excellence as the best overall entry in the Gold Driver Awards competition for the Taste of the LPGA, presented by Sun National Bank.
Judging for the 2005 Gold Driver Awards was conducted by a panel of industry experts, including: Mel Poole, President of SponsorLogic and noted columnist for the Sports Business Journal; John Frew, President of the Hamilton Group, a PR and Advertising agency out of New York City; and Rob Coleman, Vice President of Communications for the American Junior Golf Association (AJGA).
The 2006 ShopRite Classic is scheduled for May 29 – June 4 at the Seaview Resort and Spa Bay Course in Galloway Township, NJ. The Women’s Forum is slated for May 23rd. For tickets, sponsorship or volunteer information, call (609) 383-8330, or visit the tournament web site at www.shopritelpga.org.
For more information on the TOA and the Gold Driver Awards, visit www.lpgatsa.org.
Contact:
Rodger Gottlieb
609-484-0750
rodgergottlieb@yahoo.com
