USGA New Hires Help Create "More Fluid" Structure, Aid Growth

Jim Vernon Likely To Be Named USGA President

The USGA will host its annual meeting in Houston next week and "not in recent memory have there been so many new faces (or familiar ones with new responsibilities) within the governing body," including USGA Equipment Standards Committee Chair Jim Vernon, who is set for election as President on February 9, according to Ryan Herrington of GOLF WORLD. The USGA last month hired Chris Wightman as Managing Dir of Communications and Alex Withers Dir of New Media, then earlier this month promoted Kevin O'Connor to Senior Dir of Handicapping, GHIN, Regional Affairs & Information Systems. USGA Chief Business Officer Pete Bevacqua, who reports directly to USGA Exec Dir David Fay and is responsible for "all commercial endeavors," said, "We've created a more fluid, efficient structure." However, Herrington writes some staffers privately "are cool about the future, citing the recent departures of longtime employees," including the December retirement of Senior Dir/Regional Affairs Tony Zirpoli. The USGA's '07 annual report is set to be released at the meetings, and it will report a net income in FY '07 of $1.21M on revenues of almost $137M, a "noteworthy improvement" from a $6.13M deficit in FY '06. Bevacqua indicated a priority for this year is signing two more corporate partners to join Lexus and AmEx, and sources said that RBS "may be the third in place, as soon as next month, and that IBM is the likely fourth partner" (GOLF WORLD, 1/25 issue).