Longtime executive director Scott Kmiec joins PGA of America staff at headquarters in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., as senior director, PGA Foundation
PISCATAWAY, N.J., February 13, 2013…The New Jersey Section of The PGA of America today announced that longtime Executive Director Scott Kmiec has accepted the position as Senior Director, PGA Foundation, at The PGA of America’s Corporate Headquarters in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. Succeeding Kmiec as Executive Director is Chris Bauer of Manalapan, N.J., who most recently served as the Section’s Director of Operations. As part of the executive changes, the NJPGA has tapped Chris Hunt, the current Assistant Executive Director, to serve as the new Director of Operations.
Kmiec, 40, a graduate of Rutgers University and former baseball captain, started with the NJPGA as a collegiate intern in January of 1995 and was promoted to the Executive Director role in December of 1997. He was responsible for managing the daily activities of the Section’s nearly 500 PGA Professionals, all dedicated to growing the game of golf. Kmiec also played an integral role in the creation of the New Jersey Golf Foundation (NJGF), the charitable arm of the NJPGA, designed to introduce boys and girls of all ages and backgrounds to the game of golf, including the popular “Golf In Schools” program that impacts more than 100,000 kids annually.
Bauer, 32, a graduate of Rutgers University, Cook College (2002), started with the NJPGA as a collegiate intern in June of 2001. He began as a full time employee on June 1, 2002, serving as Tournament Administrator and working into the position of Director of Operations where he has managed daily activities in conjunction with the successful NJPGA tournament program, among other responsibilities. Effective immediately, Bauer will assume the role as Executive Director, and will work closely with Kmiec to ensure a seamless transition.
Hunt, a former collegiate golfer and a graduate of Elon College, started with the NJPGA as a collegiate intern in May of 1998. In 1999, Hunt was hired as the full-time Junior Golf Coordinator, eventually becoming the Section’s Tournament Administrator in 2000. He assumed the Assistant Executive Director position in 2001 and now moves on to become the Director of Operations. In this role, he will continue to oversee the NJPGA Junior Tour, which has more than tripled in size under his leadership, and the popular NJGF Golf In Schools Program, which has become a model program for all PGA Sections to follow.
In his new role at PGA Headquarters, Kmiec will support the strategic mission of the PGA Foundation and its programs, including PGA R.E.A.C.H. (Recreation, Education, Awareness, Community, Hope), PGA H.O.P.E. (Helping Our Patriots Everywhere), the PGA Golf Management Diversity Scholarship program, and local philanthropic support in The PGA’s 41 geographical Sections nationwide. In addition, Kmiec will support the goals of the golf industry’s efforts to grow the game, and he will oversee all fundraising efforts including gifts and endowments, and partner with and engage the 41 Sections.
For more information on the NJPGA, please visit www.newjersey.pga.com.
About The PGA of America
Since its founding in 1916, The PGA of America has maintained a twofold mission: 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 PGA enables its professionals to maximize their performance in their respective career paths and showcases them as experts in the game and in the multi-billion dollar golf industry. By creating and delivering world-class championships and innovative programs, 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. As The PGA nears its centennial, The PGA brand represents the very best in golf. The New Jersey Section is one of 41 geographic sections throughout the country and has been in operation since 1925. In 2012, the NJPGA was the recipient of the Herb Graffis Award, presented annually to a PGA Section that shows extraordinary or exemplary contributions in player development and growth of the game programming.
About The New Jersey Golf Foundation
The New Jersey Golf Foundation (NJGF) was created by the NJPGA in 2004 to support programs to grow the game of golf in New Jersey. Over 100,000 youth have been involved in programming designed to introduce people of all ages and backgrounds to the game of golf. The NJGF Golf in Schools Program is run annually at more than 160 schools throughout New Jersey.
Contact:
Tara Olivo (tara@mastrocomm.com)
Ari Edelman (aedelman@mastrocomm.com)
Mastro Communications @ (732) 469-5700
