USI to Sponsor USI Championship, an Official Event of the Duramed FUTURES Tour
CONCORD, N.H., May 10, 2007—Havenwood-Heritage Heights announced today that USI New England has signed a three year agreement to become the title sponsor of the only women’s professional golf tournament in northern New England. The USI Championship, whose proceeds benefit Havenwood-Heritage Heights’ Resident Support Fund, will be held August 3 -5, 2007 at Beaver Meadow Golf Course.
"We are pleased to be partnering with Havenwood-Heritage Heights to bring the Duramed FUTURES Tour event back to Concord for the next three years," said USI New England’s New Hampshire President Richard Benoit. "The USI Championship not only showcases some of the finest women professional golfers in the world, but as the only event of its kind in northern New England, provides unmatched business opportunities for everyone touching the tournament."
The USI Championship will be contested over 54-holes at Beaver Meadow Golf Course in Concord. The field of 144 professionals will compete for a tournament purse of $75,000. The winner will take home $10,500 while the runner-up walks away with $7,500. In 2008 and 2009 the purse will increase to $80,000 and then $85,000. Tournament week will kick-off with a Pro-Am and include an instructional clinic.
"We are able to host this event only because of the support of our sponsors," said Michael Palmieri, Havenwood-Heritage Heights’ President/CEO. "USI has served Havenwood-Heritage Heights’ insurance needs for over 17 years and we are very excited to partner with them in this new way. This event generates untold amounts of social capital among the greater Concord community. Even dearer to our hearts, the proceeds benefit our Resident Support Fund, providing a safety net for our residents so they do not need to worry if they outlive their own financial resources."
About 650 residents call Havenwood-Heritage Heights home. Havenwood-Heritage Heights is a not-for-profit, faith based, continuing care retirement community located in Concord, NH. The Duramed FUTURES Tour event has been its signature fundraiser for the last three years, netting the organization between $40,000 and $60,000 in each of the years it has presented the event. These proceeds benefit Havenwood-Heritage Heights’ Resident Support Fund, providing financial assistance to residents who have outlived their own personal financial resources.
"We are delighted that USI recognizes the positive impact women’s professional golf brings to the community and is showing their support by securing the title sponsorship of the only professional golf tournament in New Hampshire," stated Zayra Calderon, President and CEO of the Duramed FUTURES Tour. "The Tour is experiencing unprecedented growth, thanks to the support of our sponsors and hard work of our tournament organizers. Our players are looking forward to giving golf fans in New Hampshire a week of exciting golf."
The Duramed FUTURES Tour, "the Road to the LPGA," consists of 19 tournaments played in 14 states for a Tour record purse of $1.58 million in prize money this season. The top five players on the season ending money list earn their fully exempt LPGA Tour card for 2008. A total of 30 Duramed FUTURES Tour players from the 2006 season qualified for the 2007 LPGA Tour.
USI New England, headquartered in Manchester, NH, is one of the largest multi-line insurance brokers in New England. USI’s team of 200 dedicated insurance and financial services professionals operate out of offices in New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. USI New England provides clients with customized single source solutions and risk management services for property & casualty, employee benefits and financial services to small and middle market businesses. USI New England is also the "Official Insurance Broker" of our Boston Red Sox and Boston Celtics.
Contact:
Abigail J. Sykas
VP Development & PR
Havenwood-Heritage Heights
(603) 229-1274
asykas@hhhinfo.org
Lisa Mickey
Director of Communications
Duramed FUTURES Tour
(863)-709-9100, Ext. 2
lisa@duramedfuturestour.com
