ING Introduces The Jan Stephenson Entrepreneur Award, To Be Given At The ING Spring Conference

The International Network of Golf, “where media and the golf industry connect,” has created the ING Jan Stephenson Entrepreneur Award, recognizing outstanding business achievement in the golf industry.

The award periodically will go to “a person who has utilized innovative and leadership abilities while developing an idea into a successful venture in the golf industry.”

And the first recipient will be the award’s namesake, 2019 World Golf Hall Of Fame inductee Jan Stephenson. She will be recognized at the 29th Annual ING Spring Conference, set for May 19-23, 2019 at the Chateau Elan Hotel and Conference Center in Sebring, Florida.

The non-profit International Network of Golf, the industry’s only media-based networking organization, conducts this annual gathering of media and golf companies and leaders. Anyone in the golf industry and media is invited to join ING and attend the conference. Call 407-474-0531 for details.

Stephenson will enter the Word Golf Hall of Fame this June thanks to a playing career that produced 41 worldwide victories, 16 LPGA Tour wins, three major championships including the 1983 U.S. Open Championship, and 10 LPGA Legends Tour victories. She joins fellow ING Member Dennis Walters, Retief Goosen, Peggy Kirk Bell and Billy Payne as the newest inductees.

Her ventures in the golf industry carry Hall of Fame credentials as well. They include:

• Jan Stephenson Wines. Her award-winning lineup includes Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot and Jan’s Reserve.
• Golf course design – Generally acknowledged as the first woman pro to turn her hand to architecture, Stephenson interned with Pete and Alice Dye before striking out on her own as an architect. Working with their son Perry Dye, Stephenson designed Walkabout Golf Club in Mims, FL.
• Golf course ownership – With partners Mike and Diane Vandiver, Stephenson took over a struggling Tarpon Woods Golf Club in East Lake, FL. They have refurbished the popular track and turned it into a Purple Heart course, one of five in the country. The support staff is comprised entirely of military veterans, and caters to that segment of the golfing population.
• Jan Stephenson’s Crossroads Foundation. Says Jan, “I started Jan Stephenson’s Crossroads Foundation to provide assistance and emotional healing to those who protect our freedoms every day. I have come to deeply appreciate the extraordinary gift of freedom the United States Military provides to this great country and to the world.” The foundation has been recognized as a partner organization by the Military Order of the Purple Heart Service Foundation.
• Jan Stephenson Silver Rum. This is a premium White Rum made with green sugarcane and high quality molasses and artfully proofed with Artesian well water.

The ING Spring Conference will feature a full schedule of networking and educational events:

• ING One-On-One Appointment Show: This is a series of 15-minute, private meetings between exhibitors and attendees.
• ING Demo Lab: Attendees test the latest equipment, training aids and instructional tips on the range and putting green.
• EDUCATION: Sessions include the Entrepreneurs Panel, Generational Marketing, Social Media Marketing and more.
• GOLF: Various golf tournaments will be conducted, both in team and individual formats.
• NETWORKING: Several networking sessions are planned, including the Opening Night Welcome Reception at Rafter T Ranch and the Tuesday Night Banquet.

Plus, at this year’s conference there will be an extended stay program on Thursday May 23, with golf, attraction tours and drag racing at the famed Sebring International Raceway.

To register for the ING Conference, or to find out more about ING, visit www.inggolf.com, or call 407-474-0531.

ABOUT ING

The International Network of Golf has been networking the golf industry since 1990. Anyone in the golf industry or media, at any level, can benefit from being a member of ING. We all have our roles in the golf industry, but we come together under the ING umbrella to help each other grow our businesses and careers.

Along with the Spring Conference, ING also offers the ING Hospitality Room at the PGA Merchandise Show for its members, and conducts the annual ING Media Awards and the ING Industry Honors programs. www.inggolf.com.