Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida (29 November 2016) – The coveted 2016 HSBC Golf Business Forum Innovation Award, which recognizes the industry’s most creative and dynamic individuals, was presented Tuesday night to Glen Black from Air2G2 at the conclusion of day one at the world’s premier golf business event at the Marriott Sawgrass Resort and Spa. The HSBC Golf Business Forum brings together international golf industry executives and decision makers for the largest and most significant gathering in the world and is being held in the United States for the first time.
A resident of nearby Jacksonville, Florida, Glen Black was presented with the award at the HSBC Golf Business Forum Gala Dinner, having been selected by a panel of ten industry experts including Giles Morgan (Global Head of Sponsorship & Events, HSBC), Dr. Paul Hawkins (Founder/Creator, Hawk-Eye Innovations), Andrea Sartori (Global Head of Sport, KPMG), Jim Nugent (Founder and Publisher, Global Golf Post) and Joe Beditz (President and Chief Executive Officer, National Golf Foundation), beating the competition from a short list of five from more than 50 entries.
Commenting on the becoming the first American winner in the award’s history, Glen said, “We’re absolutely thrilled to be here at the HSBC Golf Business Forum and humbled to be included in the short list for the award, let alone take away the prize. We’re really proud of our innovative approach to agronomy and truly believe our product has changed the landscape of the business and being recognized like this means a lot to us. One of our aims is to bring our product in to the forefront of every groundskeeper, agronomist and owner’s mind and hopefully this recognition will help us achieve that.”
The Air2G2 aerification machine, manufactured by Jacksonville’s GT AirInject, Inc., revolutionizes how turf managers on golf courses, sports fields and at landscape companies think about aerification practices. The Air2G2 injects air into the soil profile and is the only machine on the market today that utilizes air injection technology, allowing for healthier turf and immediate access instead of a delay for recovery with the usual plugging process. Air2G2 is distributed internationally and is used at more than 80 world-class golf facilities such as Medinah, Muirfield Village, Oakland Hills, Ridgewood and Royal Dornoch and at top sports facilities for the U.S. Military Academy, Chicago Cubs, Manchester United Football Club, Boston Red Sox and Green Bay Packers.
The HSBC Golf Business Forum continues Wednesday with Annika Sorenstam headlining discussions along with panels including Anthony Scanlon, Mike Davis, Mike Whan and Tim Finchem.
For more information on the HSBC Golf Business Forum please go to – www.golfbusinessforum.com or follow us on Twitter @_GolfBusiness
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About HBSC
HSBC provides a comprehensive range of financial services to customers through four global businesses; Global Retail Banking and Wealth Management, Global Commercial Banking, Global Banking and Markets and Global Private Banking.
The HSBC Group
HSBC Holdings plc, the parent company of the HSBC Group, is headquartered in London. The Group serves customers worldwide from around 4,400 offices in 71 countries and territories in Europe, Asia, North and Latin America, and the Middle East and North Africa. With assets of US$2,608bn at 30 June 2016, HSBC is one of the world’s largest banking and financial services organisations.
About HSBC Golf Sponsorships
HSBC’s global commitment to golf encompasses all levels of the game, from grassroots to elite.
HSBC is a proud patron of The Open Championship and this partnership with The R&A creates a centre of gravity to a global golf portfolio that spans HSBC’s key markets. In Asia, HSBC has spearheaded the arrival of world class golf events with its flagship WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai and HSBC Women’s Champions in Singapore. The $9.5m WGC-HSBC Champions is renowned as ‘Asia’s Major’ and has made such an impact, that Rory McIlroy describes China as “an unstoppable force in world golf.” HSBC has been co-title sponsor of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship since 2010 and the event has quickly become one of the biggest events on the European PGA Tour.
However, underpinning those international flagship events is a longer-term ambition to create a legacy from HSBC’s global tournaments through its sponsorship of youth development and grassroots programmes. In China, HSBC supports the HSBC China Junior Golf Program, a sustainable long-term structure and framework upon which the future of Chinese golf is being built. In Hong Kong, HSBC supports the HSBC Hong Kong Junior Golf Programme, a structured pathway for children to try the sport for the first time, develop their skills and, for those talented enough, the chance to represent Hong Kong on the international stage. In the UK, HSBC is sponsor of HSBC Golf Roots – The Golf Foundation’s national development programme which promotes the sport in schools, helps youngsters into clubs and uses golf to promote important life skills.
For more details on HSBC’s golf activities, visit www.hsbcgolf.com
About IMG
IMG is a global leader in sports, events, media and fashion, operating in more than 30 countries. The company represents and manages some of the world’s greatest sports figures and fashion icons; stages hundreds of live events and branded entertainment experiences annually; and is one of the largest independent producers and distributors of sports media. IMG also specializes in sports training; league development; and marketing, media and licensing for brands, sports organizations and collegiate institutions. In 2014, IMG was acquired by WME, a leading global entertainment agency.
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