Pacific Northwest native brings championship operations experience to site of future USGA events
UNIVERSITY PLACE, Wash., April 30, 2008 – KemperSports today announced Matt Allen as general manager of Chambers Bay, the award-winning links golf course opened in June 2007 just outside of Tacoma in University Place, Wash. In this role, Allen will oversee facility operations of Chambers Bay, awarded the 2010 U.S. Amateur and the 2015 U.S. Open Championships by the United States Golf Association in February.
Allen, a Portland native, attended the Honors College at the University of Oregon on an Evans Scholarship before launching his career in the golf industry with the Oregon Golf Association. He joined KemperSports nearly a decade ago as golf operations manager at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort on Oregon’s southern coast. During his tenure, he played a key role in the evolution of the resort’s three award-winning golf courses (Bandon Dunes, Pacific Dunes and Bandon Trails), several retail shops, multiple restaurants and more than 200 overnight accommodations. In his most recent position as assistant general manager, Allen oversaw all day-to-day resort operations in addition to successfully guiding the resort team through numerous top-tier events, including the Curtis Cup and U.S. Mid-Amateur, a pair of back-to-back USGA championships in 2006 and 2007, respectively.
“Matt is well prepared for this assignment,” said KemperSports CEO Steve Skinner. “His experience at Bandon Dunes, involvement with its successful growth and relationships within the golf industry and the Pacific Northwest will be invaluable to our staff at Chambers Bay and to the preparations for and subsequent operations of the upcoming USGA championships.”
Situated just outside of Tacoma and less than an hour south of Seattle, Chambers Bay offers one of the most unique recreational opportunities on the West Coast, highlighted by panoramic views of Puget Sound, neighboring islands and the Olympic Mountains. The links-style layout, owned by Pierce County and designed by Robert Trent Jones II, LLC, has been recognized as “Best New Course of the Year” by GOLF Magazine, “2007 Course of the Year” by Travel + Leisure Golf magazine, and “Development of the Year” (daily fee category) by Golf Inc., among others since its debut.
For more information, visit www.chambersbaygolf.com.
About KemperSports
Northbrook, Ill.-based KemperSports operates golf facilities as well as athletic clubs, lodging venues and major sporting events, including nationally ranked courses and tournament venues such as Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, Chambers Bay, Harding Park, Dorado Beach Resort & Club, The Glen Club, Desert Willow Golf Resort and the Chicago Park District golf facilities. Affiliate KemperSports Marketing & Communications, a sports marketing, events and public relations agency, has produced and managed major national and international events and communications programs, including the EA SPORTS Maui Invitational college basketball tournament, numerous PGA TOUR events and The Art of Food & Wine Palm Desert. For more information, visit www.kempersports.com.
Contact:
Kristin Schaner
kschaner@kempersports.com, 847.480.4850
Susie Chang
schang@kempersports.com, 847.850.2471
