Wisconsin PGA Announces 2013 Special Award Winners The Wisconsin Section, PGA is pleased to announce our 2013 WPGA Special Award winners. These awards recognize the extraordinary accomplishments of our Wisconsin PGA Professionals on and off the course. Award winners will be honored at a reception on Monday, March 11 th at Brookfield Suites. This reception is part of the Wisconsin PGA spring meeting and merchandise show. Below is a list of the winners followed by a detailed write-up about each winner. WPGA Golf Professional of the Year Jim Richerson, Whistling Straits / Blackwolf Run Teacher of the Year David Roesch, Storm s Golf Range Assistant Golf Professional of the Year Garrett Mack, West Bend CC Junior Golf Leader Dirk Willis, Whistling Straits / Blackwolf Run Bill Strausbaugh Award Brian Baus, Horsehoe Bay GC Player Development Award Wes Warren, North Shore CC Horton Smith Award Paul LoCicero, The Legend at Bristlecone Merchandiser of the Year (Private) Eddie Terasa, North Hills CC Merchandiser of the Year (Public) Jim Lombardo, Erin Hills GC Merchandiser of the Year (Resort) Josue Reyes, Whistling Straits / Blackwolf Run Press Contact: Chris Hoel choel@pgahq.com (414) 443-3572 Jim Richerson, PGA 2013 Golf Professional of the Year The Wisconsin PGA would like to congratulate Jim Richerson on being named the 2013 Wisconsin Section, PGA Golf Professional of the Year. The award is the most prestigious honor that can be bestowed upon a Wisconsin PGA member by the Section. First introduced in 1973, Richerson will become the 39 th different Wisconsin PGA member to win the award. Since 2007 the Kirksville, MO native has occupied one of the most important roles in golf in Wisconsin, as the General Manager and Director of Golf for the Kohler Company. Currently he oversees all facets of the company s golf business, which includes the management of Whistling Straits, Blackwolf Run and The Duke s St. Andrews, part of the Old Course Hotel Golf Resort & Spa in St. Andrews, Scotland. Along with his daily responsibilities, Richerson has be an integral part of the success of the three most recent major championships hosted by the Kohler Company. He has served as the General Chairman of 2007 U.S. Senior Open, 2010 PGA Championship, 2012 U.S. Women s Open and will once again serve in the role at the 2015 PGA Championship. A graduate of William Jewell College in Liberty, MO, Richerson was elected to PGA membership in 1995. Before arriving in Wisconsin, his career path took to him some of the top golf destinations in the country, where he was featured in top managerial positions. Included in that list are the Director of Golf for the Ritz Carlton Golf Club in Orlando and the Senior Director of PGA Golf Properties for the PGA of America. After his arrival to the Kohler Company, Richerson has been actively involved in several committees and on boards throughout the golf industry. He currently is the Northeast District Director for the WPGA, sits on the Wisconsin State Golf Association Board of Directors and was recently elected as the District 6 Director for the PGA of America.
It is very humbling anytime you are recognized by your peers. Richerson said. The Wisconsin PGA is comprised of some of the best golf professionals in the country. To be awarded with this honor, is truly special. The Golf Professional of the Year award will also mark the third straight year that Richerson has brought home an honor bestowed by the Wisconsin Section. In 2011 he was recognized for his efforts in education with the Horton Smith Award and in 2012 for his work in mentoring PGA professionals, as the Bill Strausbaugh Award winner. David Roesch, PGA 2013 Teacher of the Year Germantown resident, David Roesch is the 2013 recipient of the WPGA Teacher of the Year award. He currently teaches full time and offers his teaching services at both Storm s Golf Range and Currie Park Golf Dome. Born and raised in the Milwaukee area, Roesch grew up working at Tripoli Country Club under the influence of longtime PGA Professional, Steve Bull. As he learned more about the golf business, his game started to excel and he became one of the top junior golfers in the state. His playing ability eventually led him to the University of Wisconsin to play golf. In the spring of 1997, he earned his degree from University of Wisconsin. The following summer he was able to earn the prestigious honor of WSGA Player of the Year, which in turn vaulted him into the world of professional golf. Over the course of the next eleven years, Roesch was able to compile some impressive accomplishments before turning his talents to the teaching side of things. Included in those accolades were a victory in the 2004 Wisconsin State Open, an NGA Hooters Tour win, a tie for 31 st at the 2004 U.S. Open and two years worth of membership on the PGA Tour s Nationwide Tour. In 2009 he embarked on the road to becoming a PGA member and was elected to membership in the spring of 2012. Over the course of his playing and teaching career, Roesch has been influenced by several great instructors, most notably by Dr. Jim Suttie. His teaching method starts with identifying three main things, the desired ball flight of the student, the student s physical capabilities and the student s natural motor pattern. After these elements are defined, the proper fundamentals are worked on to receive the desired results. Although Roesch puts in his fair share of regular lessons (around 1500 in 2012) with his students, he also finds time to help teach the game to a younger generation. Over the course of the past few years he has worked with both grade and high schools to implement spring after school programs to help grow the game. He also lends a helping hand as a volunteer assistant coach for the Men s Golf team at Marquette University. It is truly an honor to receive the WPGA Teacher of the Year award. Roesch said. Several accomplished PGA members have won this award before me, and it is humbling to be in their company.
Garrett Mack, PGA 2013 Assistant Professional of the Year presented by TaylorMade-adidas-Ashworth Golf Garrett Mack of West Bend Country Club is the 11 th winner of the TaylorMade adidas- Ashworth Golf Assistant Golf Professional of the Year Award. TaylorMade adidas- Ashworth Golf is sponsoring this award to recognize and reward upcoming future leaders of the game. Born and raised in Milwaukee, Mack will reach his second anniversary of becoming a PGA member in late March of this year. His past employment experiences have helped him along the way to this prestigious award, as he has spent time at Milwaukee CC, Silver Spring CC and Grand Geneva Resort. In his second season as the first assistant professional at West Bend CC, Mack truly exceled and was a difference maker at the club. He played a key role in almost every facet of the golf operations, including the hiring and scheduling the golf operations staff, overseeing the outside services staff, doubling his lessons given and several other important daily tasks. Besides the important role he has played at the club, the Milwaukee resident has also taken initiative to help out several causes. This past season he was able to participate and sit on the board of directors of a member run charity event that raised over $100,000 for the Mario Lemieux Foundation. He also was able to coordinate a golf equipment and clothing drive amongst the West Bend members that benefited the First Tee of Milwaukee County and Goodwill. Mack also stepped up to the plate in 2012 for the Wisconsin Assistant Golf Professionals Association and the Section. He currently holds the WAGPA communications chair post, organized a spring teaching seminar for his fellow assistant professionals and also spent time as a volunteer golf instructor at the Devin Harris Basketball Camp. Dirk Willis, PGA 2013 Junior Golf Leader Dirk Willis, Director of Operations for Whistling Straits and Blackwolf Run is the 2013 Junior Golf Leader award recipient. As a member of the board of directors for the Golf Coaches Association of Wisconsin (High School), he has been instrumental in the development of hundreds of junior golfers during his time at the Kohler Company courses. He currently is the Head Coach for Kohler High School and has created a terrific introductory program on the middle school level to help develop junior golfers in the Kohler area. At the Kohler facilities, Willis also plays a key role of overseeing the Kohler Golf Academy for Juniors. Being a part of it since 1994, he has helped the Academy grow its participation to over 150 junior golfers annually. The Marquette and Northwestern University graduate also has developed a passion for helping junior golfers receive college scholarships. In 2011 he started and developed the G.C.A.W. College Showcase, which brings talented junior golfers together with college golf coaches for a multi-day exhibition. In only its second year of the existence the exhibition had 104 players from throughout Wisconsin demonstrating their talents.
The Junior Golf Leader award is an incredible honor. Willis said. I ve dedicated a good portion of my career in developing young men and women as golfers and people. To be recognized for those contributions is extremely humbling. Willis also was recognized by the Section for his resort merchandising efforts in 2004, 2005 and 2007. The run of awards was then culminated by being named the National PGA Resort Merchandiser of the year in 2008. Brian Baus, PGA 2013 Bill Strausbaugh Award The Bill Strausbaugh Award is presented each year to the PGA member who has shown outstanding integrity, commitment to mentoring PGA Professionals and has made a significant impact on the careers of PGA Professionals. The award also considers the member's service to the Association, and involvement in community and charitable activities. This year s winner of the WPGA Bill Strausbaugh award is Brian Baus. Born in Milwaukee and raised in Janesville, Baus graduated from Luther College in 1998. He embarked on his path to becoming a PGA member in the same year and was elected to membership in 2000. The Director of Golf at Horseshoe Bay GC exemplifies the key qualities of a Bill Strausbaugh Award winner. Over the course of his career he has been fortunate enough to work under some wonderful golf professionals, who showed him the value of being a good mentor. He has learned to be dedicated to his staff members that work beneath him and always be looking at ways to make them excel beyond expectations. It means a great deal to me. Baus said. I feel that the best way to run your operation is to make sure you take a strong interest in your staff and guide them down the right path. The other facet of the Bill Staughsbaugh award winner is the recipient s service to the Association and involvement in the community and charitable activities. Baus is currently serving as a member of the Board of Directors for the Wisconsin Section and is also the cochair of the member promotions committee. He also has been able to help out his own community through large fundraising efforts with the Door County YMCA and volunteering his time with the Salvation Army. Wes Warren, PGA 2013 Player Development Award Annually the Wisconsin Section s Player Development Award is awarded to a PGA Professional that excels at introducing new players to the game while helping existing golfers continue to develop and enjoy the game more. This season s winner is North Shore CC, Head PGA Professional, Wes Warren. Warren, the President of the WPGA Junior Foundation has taken great pride in the steps he has taken to grow the game at his facility. He has used and started many of the PGA Programs that do just that, such as Tee It Forward, PGA Family Course and Get Golf Ready. This past season he used Get Golf Ready to engage 19 lady members that seldom made an appearance at the course. Their husbands were avid golfers but they didn t play much. That was up until this past summer. Through the use several ideas, the North Shore CC golf staff was able to engage them and increase their use of the golf course. Their interest of the game
continued throughout the season and they have now developed into their own regular group that coordinates times to play together. Albeit a different age category, Warren s efforts in player development have also been exemplary with Junior Golfers. He was honored just last year by the Wisconsin Section as Junior Golf Leader of the Year 2012 and also in 2009. The Ferris State University graduate has also been fortunate enough to receive the Professional of the Year accolade in 2010. Paul LoCicero, PGA 2013 Horton Smith Trophy Paul LoCicero of The Legend at Bristlecone is the 2013 Horton Smith Trophy winner. It is the second time that LoCicero has been awarded the honor, with the other coming in 2007. The award is annually given to the WPGA member that contributes to the education and betterment of their fellow PGA members. The Menomonee Falls resident is being honored by the Wisconsin Section for the fourth time. His other previous honors were the 2001 Public Merchandiser of the Year and 2011 Junior Golf Leader of the Year. LoCicero is currently in his second stint as education chair and is also the vice president of the Wisconsin Section. He has sat on Section s board of directors since 2005 and has always been a driving force behind making sure PGA members better themselves through education. During his two terms as education chair he has helped arrange several important education seminars for the Wisconsin Section membership. Included in the list are noteworthy instructors such as Hank Haney, Peter Krause, Todd Sones, Mike Malaska and Terry Dill. The Legend at Bristlecone Head PGA Professional has also done his part in reaching out to the golfers through public forums to help them improve. He has provided articles to Wisconsin Section publications, an online instructional series to JSOline.com and also done instructional seminars at the Milwaukee Golf Show. Eddie Terasa, PGA - Private Merchandiser of the Year Eddie Terasa, Head PGA Professional at North Hills CC is being honored as the Wisconsin PGA Private Merchandiser of the Year for the first time. The Madison native has held his current role at North Hills CC since 1996. With this accolade, the 10-time WPGA Section Stroke Play Champion has now won four WPGA special awards. A list that also includes the 1995 Horton Smith Award, 2009 Bill Strausbaugh Award and 2009 Golf Professional of the Year honor. In an era where competition for merchandise sales is everywhere, Terasa has been able to beat the odds by increasing his shop sales by a very notable margin the past two seasons. The Waukesha resident along with his staff have been able create some great new merchandising ideas to peak their members interest and keep them engaged. Merchandiser of the year would not have been possible without the support of the North Hills members. Terasa said. It was truly a staff effort that made the season a success.
Jim Lombardo, PGA - Public Merchandiser of the Year As the 2013 Public Merchandiser of the Year, Jim Lombardo adds another great honor to the accolades that Erin Hills GC has been awarded since opening in 2006. The Ironwood, MI native has been on board at Erin Hills GC since it opened and has been a key part of the merchandising philosophy and plan. As Head PGA Professional, he has been privy to the knowledge of buyer Stephanie Williams and Rich and Barb Tock, as they have helped the club build a very successful merchandising operation. Lombardo credits Tock as helping influence and guide him during the early years of his career, as he first worked for him as an assistant professional at Ozaukee CC. in the late 90s. Lombardo s other past work experiences have also helped him along the way, as he worked for high profile resorts and clubs in Arizona, which included Troon North, Eagle Mountain GC and Desert Mountain. Along with day to day operations, Lombardo assisted with each of the USGA National Championships hosted at Erin Hills. He was the 2008 U.S. Women s Amateur Public Links Volunteer Co-Chairman and also the 2011 U.S. Amateur Committee Chairman. The UW- Eau Claire graduate will also surely have an important role when the U.S. Open visits Erin Hills GC in 2017. Josue Reyes, PGA - Resort Merchandiser of the Year For the fourth straight season, Kohler Company Merchandising Manager, Josue Reyes has taken home the Wisconsin Section, PGA Resort Merchandiser of the Year. The University of Central Florida graduate continues to excel in leading the merchandising operation at the world class resort courses. 2012 marked another banner year for the operation, as he and his team were charged with leading the entire merchandising plan for the 2012 U.S. Women s Open. His key duties for the event included all facets of running the merchandising tent along with the training and scheduling of over 100 volunteers to help staff the event week. Previous to his employment at Kohler Company, Reyes also coordinated the retail operation at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Orlando, FL. By leading the way for both retail operations, Reyes along with the help of his fellow staff members have been fortunate to be recognized in Golf World and AGM 100 Best Golf Shop. Winning this award is recognition to all the ladies and gentlemen who work and/or assist our retail operations at Blackwolf Run and Whistling Straits. Reyes said. This is a team award, not an individual one.