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President's message |
Woodward a choice to make members proud
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As most of you by now know, the GCSAA Board of Directors has selected Mark J. Woodward, CGCS, currently golf operations manager for the city of San Diego, to be the association’s next chief executive officer.
Mark’s selection comes after conducting a national search to replace Steve Mona, who became the chief executive officer of the World Golf Foundation March 3.
Speaking for the board, I think this choice is one that can make all GCSAA members proud.
Mark has been a committee participant, a member of the board of directors and was 68th president of the association in 2004. He’s in his 30th year as a GCSAA member and became a CGCS in 1986. He’ll be the first golf course superintendent to serve as GCSAA’s permanent chief executive.
He has a strong track record of service to GCSAA and success as a superintendent and administrator. His efforts have bolstered golf operations for the city of San Diego, and he currently is preparing the city’s Torrey Pines Golf Course for the U.S. Open in June.
Mark will begin his new duties at GCSAA HQ in Lawrence, Kan., July 1. Learn more about him on Page 20 of this issue of GCM.
Upon learning of Steve Mona’s new opportunity, the board discussed priorities for this important search. It set criteria for the CEO position and for a qualified search firm to assist us. We also invited members to provide input via phone or e-mail.
The search firm presented to the board candidates who met the position criteria, and the board reviewed résumés and interviewed its top candidates, from which we selected the new CEO.
Clearly, Mark has everything we as a board were looking for, including an understanding of the superintendent’s role at the golf facility, the ability to work successfully with a volunteer board of directors, a history of hiring and leading staff and the ability to clearly articulate GCSAA’s mission, vision and values to all of GCSAA’s diverse constituencies.
In our judgment, he also has the ability to strengthen the association’s brand, develop coalitions to protect and grow the Golf Industry Show and to further the mission of The Environmental Institute for Golf.
In a nutshell, Mark is a results-driven, goal-oriented businessman with the member and customer focus we were looking for, and with the professional image, demeanor and unimpeachable moral character and judgment the association needs to lead it into the next portion of the 21st century.
It took the board a while to make sure that its choice would be the perfect fit for GCSAA. And though it will be a few weeks before Mark walks into association headquarters as the new CEO, it’s important to him and to GCSAA that he is able to complete the hosting of the U.S. Open. As I said in my statement announcing Mark’s hiring, the Open is a wonderful celebration of the game, and it’s only fitting that he finish his integral role in conducting the event.
Mark Woodward has a family background and a professional lifetime in golf. He knows GCSAA and its members, and we in turn know him. The board is extremely pleased with his selection, and we know you will be too.
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