Rhett Evans

GCSAA Chief Operating Officer

J. Rhett Evans joined the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) staff July 9, 2009 as chief operating officer. He is involved with planning and directing key aspects of organizational operations, including policies, objectives and strategic initiatives. Evans is responsible for developing and implementing key programs that support GCSAA’s short- and long-term financial and operational goals to ensure future sustained growth.

Prior to arriving at GCSAA, Evans was director of the parks, recreation and commercial facilities division for the city of Mesa, Ariz., where he managed a staff of more than 700, through a team of 12 supervisors and three assistant directors, in all program areas, including a convention center and amphitheatre, spring training baseball complex (Chicago Cubs), cemetery, two golf courses, recreation and aquatic complexes and 2,600 acres of park space. He managed a $32.5 million annual operating budget and a $28 million capital improvement budget.

In his time as director, Evans grew ancillary revenues and customer per-capita spending by 43 percent by improving concession and merchandise operations. He also enacted a staff reorganization that resulted in a 25 percent increase in daily productivity and 23 percent increase in customer satisfaction. Evans arrived in Mesa in 2001, serving as director of the convention center and amphitheatre for the city until 2005, before he advanced to Mesa’s parks, recreation and commercial facilities director.

Evans also has experience in facility and events management, working as the director of the McKay Events Center in Orem, Utah from 1997-2001, and director of operations at the Delta Center and Franklin Quest Field in Salt Lake City for the five years prior to that.

Evans earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology with an emphasis in business, and a master’s degree in recreation management and leadership with an emphasis in public administration from Brigham Young University. He is also a graduate of the Public Assembly Facility Management School.

Evans, 40, (born Sept. 29, 1968) is a native of Prescott, Ariz. He and his wife Colleen, reside in Lawrence, Kan., with their daughter Caitlyn and son Seth.