Diana Murphy Elected To Second Term, USGA Creates New "President-Elect" Position Because It Beats Rolling Back The Ball

That great bungler of names has been elected to another year of butchery, much to the joy of those now looking forward to 2017 USGA trophy presentations. Because it sure isn't Erin Hills anyone is excited about.

More disconcerting or hilarious or just plain bizarre in the annual USGA press release on Executive Committee coming-and-goings was the news of a "president-elect" position. With this by far the latest announcement of the upcoming navy-and-grey set, it's hard not to wonder if this president-elect position was inspired by the election.

The "position" replaces the Vice Presidency, which was quietly eliminated last year. The move is yet another sign that the USGA Executive Committee is busy obsessing about the details of governance more than actually governing, but we already knew that given the ease with which 150-pounders hit 325-yard drives and they counter by saying things leveled off a long time ago.

Anyway, really good to see consulting gurus McKinsey get their foot in the door on the EC level, that should work a few miracles...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DIANA MURPHY NOMINATED FOR SECOND TERM AS USGA PRESIDENT

FAR HILLS, N.J. (Nov. 16, 2016) – Diana Murphy has been nominated to serve a second one-year term as the 64th president of the United States Golf Association by the USGA Nominating Committee, as the organization prepares for its 123rd year of service to the game of golf.

In addition, there are three newly nominated candidates for the 15-member Executive Committee: Thomas Barkin, Stephen Beebe and William Siart. Their collective experience encompasses expertise in strategic planning and nonprofit leadership, as well as a passion for environmental sustainability. If elected at the USGA’s Annual Meeting on Feb. 4, 2017 in Washington, D.C., they will replace retiring members William Fallon, Malcolm Holland and Asuka Nakahara.

“Bill, Asuka and Malcolm have shared their time and experience to help guide the USGA through one of the most pivotal strategic planning periods in our history,” said Murphy. “I have been privileged to work with them and all of the successful professionals with such diverse talents who have advanced the game and the USGA’s leadership of it. Volunteers have always been at the heart of our mission, and we appreciate all they have done and will continue to do.”

The committee also nominated Mark Newell, a four-year Executive Committee member, as president-elect. The new officer position replaces the role of vice president eliminated in 2016, and supports succession planning for future association leadership. Newell, who served as USGA general counsel in 2011-12, currently chairs the USGA Rules of Golf Committee. He has focused significant efforts on a multi-year Rules modernization project led by the USGA and The R&A, and he continues to provide support and leadership toward the development of a world handicap system.

Current officers Sheila Johnson and George Still have been nominated to continue their service as secretary and treasurer, respectively. The eight committee members nominated to continue their service are: Michael Bailey, Stuart Francis, Thomas Hough, Robert Kain, Martha Lang, Gregory Morrison, Mark Reinemann and Clifford Shahbaz.

In addition, Robert Weber has been nominated to serve a second term as USGA general counsel.

Notable experience and achievements of the three committee nominees are as follows:

Thomas Barkin, 55, of Atlanta, Ga., is a senior partner at McKinsey & Company, a global management consulting firm. For the past 30 years, Barkin has dedicated his professional career to providing executive-level strategic and business counsel to clients across multiple industries. For the last seven years, he has been the company’s global CFO and chief risk officer, with oversight of finance, legal and information technology functions, among others. Barkin earned his bachelor’s, MBA and law degrees from Harvard University. He currently serves on the executive committee of the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce and is a member of the Emory University Board of Trustees, and he is a former chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. A lifelong avid golfer and current member of East Lake Golf Club and the Capital City Club in Atlanta, he continues to try to play as well as he did when he won his junior club championship at age 16 in Tampa, Fla., and enjoys playing the game both in the United States and abroad.

Stephen Beebe, of La Quinta, Calif., put himself through the University of Idaho College of Law by working on golf course maintenance crews, after spending most of his high school years working on the grounds staff at Blackfoot (Idaho) Municipal Golf Course. He credits that work for his passion for sustainability and efforts to highlight golf’s responsible management practices. Beebe, 71, became president and CEO of the J.R. Simplot Company in 1993, guiding one of the country’s largest privately owned companies through continued global expansion until his retirement in 2002. He has served on the grounds committee at every club where he has been a member, and continues to support courses in his current home state of California on drought-related issues. Beebe competed in the 1986 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship, and is a past member of the Idaho Golf Association Board of Directors. He is a member of the Citrus Club/PGA West and the Quarry Golf Club in La Quinta, Calif.

William Siart, of Pacific Palisades, Calif., a career banking executive, has dedicated his retirement years to supporting public education and the arts. He is the founder and chairman of Excellent Education Development (ExED), a California-based nonprofit with a mission to provide business and support services to public charter schools that deliver high-quality education in low-income neighborhoods. He is a member of the board of trustees and the executive committee of the University of Southern California, and the chairman of its finance committee. He also serves as a trustee of the J. Paul Getty Trust, which guides the largest privately endowed museum in the world, and is chairman of its finance committee. His collective charitable work earned him the Woodrow Wilson Award for Public Service in 2006, an accolade whose recipients include heads of state and international leaders. He earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Santa Clara University, and an MBA in finance from the University of California, Berkeley. He served as chairman and CEO of First Interstate Bank from 1994 to 1996, capping more than 35 years in the financial sector. Siart, 69, is a member of The Los Angeles Country Club, Merion Golf Club, Riviera Country Club and The Vintage Club.

The full Nominating Committee report will be distributed to USGA member clubs by Dec. 10, 2016, along with the complete schedule of the Annual Meeting, to be held Feb. 4 at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Washington, D.C. The day-long event will culminate in the USGA Annual Service Awards Dinner, which recognizes achievements by industry professionals and volunteers who have served the game of golf.