Sentry with its title sponsorship of the PGA Tour event wanted to promote the company and its new brandsentry
Sentry Insurance last week signed a long-term extension to stay on as the title sponsor of the PGA Tour event at Kapalua, and Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan "still smiles" at how the initial partnership came together, according to Doug Ferguson of the AP. Five years ago, when Wisconsin-based Sentry "decided to have a grand opening to celebrate the redesign" of Kapalua's Plantation Course and its new clubhouse, it "hired a band to play" for the occasion. Insert PGA Tour rules official Ken Tackett, a man with jazz "in his blood" and SentryWorld HQ GM Mike James' "old friend." Monahan recalled Tackett reached out to him and said he "just played this gig for an unbelievable company called Sentry' and they're interested in talking to us.'" Monahan said the Tour then "passed that on" to PGA Tour Exec VP/Corporate Partnerships Brian Oliver, but added, "When you hear something like this you're like, 'Really? Playing where?'" Monahan: "People that relate to people, and people that listen, and people that connect to people can create opportunities. And that's what Ken did." Ferguson notes Sentry was "looking to promote its company and its new brand" and knew golf "could be a powerful vehicle for relationships, the backbone" of the company (AP, 1/6).
