WHEW! New LPGA Commish Unleashes All Of The Essential Business Jargon In First Press Release!

I was worried we might get some straight shooter but judging by his first press release quote, new LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan is going to pick up right where the Brand Lady left off, at least in the B-speak department. More on that momentarily.

Ron Sirak's story about the Oct. 28 announcement calls the naming a "bit of a surprise." Golfweek was first to post to break the news by a few minutes, linking Beth Ann Baldry's story noting Whan's bio.

Whan, believed to be 44, most recently has been president and CEO of Mission-ITECH Hockey. The 1987 graduate of Miami (Ohio) University served as executive vice president/general manager of North America TaylorMade Adidas Golf from 1995 to 2000, and he also worked at Wilson.

I received the press release dated October 28 and it notes a few key details, such as this pertaining to the Rear Admiral and interim Commish, Marty Evans:

Evans will work with Whan during a transition period before he officially assumes the Commissioner helm in January 2010. Both Whan and Evans will attend the LPGA Tour Championship Presented by Rolex the week of November 16 in Houston, where a player meeting will be held and the 2010 LPGA season schedule will be released.

“The LPGA is a resurging, resilient association, and Mike will be a leader around which the wonderful LPGA staff and all of our stakeholders—players, fans, sponsors, TV partners, tournament owners and others—will rally,” Evans said. “Mike will enjoy working within the reenergized climate of collaboration that we’ve all worked so hard to create this season. I’m looking forward to working closely with him during the transition period as we celebrate the close of a tremendous season and look forward to the LPGA’s 60th year in 2010.”

Re-energized climate of collaboration? Militaryspeak translation: mopping up post-Brand Lady will make Mike look like a genius, all thanks to me.

As for the new Commish and his first words...

“It is rare to work for an organization that combines all the passions in your life, but with the LPGA, I feel I’ve been presented with the unique opportunity to do just that,” Whan said. “First, this is an association surrounded by passionate, value-driven people. Second, I’m energized by brand building and the work involved in marketing and growing a sport. Third, I simply love the game of golf—both the life lessons it teaches and the friendships it helps create.”

He's energized by brand building...he's talking life-lessons and dropping the essential G-word...but an organization surrounded by passionate, "value-driven" people? Now that's special. To slip the V-word in so artfully speaks to the great potential this man has.

Nice work committee. The blogosphere thanks you.

And by the way, don't write to tell me that he meant value in the sense of morals, character, etc... That would have been values-driven people.

By the way, anyone care to share their definition of value-driven people? I looked it up in Ambrose Bierce's Devil's Dictionary. No luck.