Ex-PGA Of America Diversity Officer: Organization Lacked Inclusiveness, Diversity As Championed In Floyd Statement
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After the death of George Floyd and ensuing protests, PGA of America President Suzy Whaley and CEO Seth Waugh both penned letters asking for ideas from members and imploring the organization to be more inclusive.
From Whaley’s letter:
Together, each one of us has the power to effect change and build an industry that is accepting, compassionate, and proud to stand together. Stand with us in the possibility and the hope that we cannot ignore our lack of inclusion. Stand with us and let’s all take the necessary steps to change it. Please feel free to share your thoughts and ideas through email at Inclusion@pgahq.com.
And from Waugh:
We recognize that golf can’t cure all of society’s challenges. But because of our nearly 29,000 PGA Golf Professionals, I believe we are positioned to lead the conversation and take action on how golf can help. We are certainly not proud of every chapter in golf’s imperfect past, including our own failings, but we can certainly be proud of the future we can build together if we become a committed part of the solution. PGA WORKS and PGA LEAD are intentional steps we have taken to make a difference in our sport. But now we must do more and reach higher.
One person who shared his thoughts in response to the letters: Wendell Haskins, a four year member (2014-17) of the PGA staff who started as the director of inclusion efforts followed by a promotion to marketing role.
And now with a CMO job and some distance from Palm Beach Gardens, Haskins penned this letter about his experiences as a black executive for the PGA. As always, I urge you to hit the link and read it all.
Some of the key points, which Haskins says he had never shared publicly, kicks into gear with this on trying to right the wrongs committed against Charlie Sifford:
· When I started at the PGA of America in 2014 as Sr. Director of Diversity I proposed that I pursue the Presidential Medal of Freedom for Charlie Sifford (golf’s Jackie Robinson and PGA member) as well as petition the board to induct him into the PGA of America Hall of fame. This was to give Sifford the deserved recognition while he was alive and to create an opportunity for atonement and better relations between the PGA of America and the Black community.
· In November of 2014 no PGA of America leadership came to Washington D.C. to congratulate Charlie Sifford for receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
· Charlie Sifford was denied being expedited into the PGA of America Hall of Fame at 92 years old. My petition was denied by the board and Sifford ended up being inducted posthumously.
· My peer-supervisor directed one of my co-workers to blind copy her on all of her emails with me regarding the Sifford initiative. (Yes, my white coworker was kind enough to inform me)
· My peer-supervisor instructed me to return 12 complimentary Delta Travel certificates that I arranged through my relationship with a Delta Airlines Employee (who happened to be African American and my college alumni) to fly certain dignitaries that had written letters to the President, to attend my PGA private dinner congratulating Sifford. The people included Jim Brown, Bill Russell, Alonzo Mourning, Renee Powell, Pete McDaniel, Jesse Jackson, Ken Chenault and others. Subsequently, I was not approved to invite these guests and the dinner for Sifford was diminished to a humble gathering. My supervisor at the time emailed me saying, “if people weren’t going to the actual White House ceremony she didn’t see why anyone would be interested in attending a dinner for Sifford.”
It doesn’t get any better from there on the Sifford front. Especially given that he’s talking about things like this going on in the last five years. And this:
· In 2014 Ted Bishop was permanently ousted as PGA President for his Facebook comments stating that Ian Poulter “sounds like a little school girl squealing during recess”, meanwhile Donald Trump said he can “grab women by the pu@#y” and is awarded the organizations major championship. This is dreadfully inconsistent with the organizations stated values.
And…
· In 2016 I tapped NBA All Star Chris Paul to do a “Thanks PGA Pro” commercial in a national campaign promoting the PGA professionals. The commercial featured Chris, his father and brother enjoying golf and fun banter with their PGA professional Jeremy Story at Sage Valley https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivriHmpY0QY . I was confused and disappointed when the Senior Director of Media didn’t want to release the commercial on Golf Channel because he felt it was “too different.”
He goes on to make several recommendations.
5. Compensate Your Minority Employees Fairly There aren’t any Black employees at the PGA of America HQ that earn a six-figure salary (with the exception of possibly one).
6. Reinstate the PGA Post Graduate Diversity Program This program attracted more Black people to become PGA professionals. Bring it back.
And…
8. Tie Diversity Into Performance Diversity requires setting goals, creating benchmarks and accountability. If there are no consequences for not meeting certain goals and expectations around diversity it’s pointless.
9. Rename The Horton Smith Award – He was a racist.
