SPEAKERS

Speaker line-up developing daily; visit often for updates.

Anirban Basu | Chairman & CEO | Sage Policy Group

Anirban Basu is Chairman & CEO of Sage Policy Group, Inc., a Baltimore-based economic and policy consultancy he founded in 2004. He serves the Chief Economist function for many organizations, including the Maryland Bankers Association and Associated Builders and Contractors. The Baltimore Business Journal named him one of the region’s 20 most powerful business leaders in 2010. In 2022, he entered the Daily Record newspaper’s Circle of Influence. He is the Distinguished Economist in Residence at Goucher College, where he teaches History of Economic Thought. He holds four graduate degrees, including a J.D. and a Ph.D.

Rachel Carter | Senior Director of Membership | NGCOA

Rachel Carter is the Senior Director of Membership at the National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA), where she leads strategic initiatives to enhance member engagement and growth. With nearly 30 years of experience in the golf and country club industry, which began with American Golf Corporation in 1998, Rachel has held leadership roles at prestigious institutions, including the Monterey Peninsula Country Club in Pebble Beach, CA. She is a recognized thought leader, contributing to industry publications such as Golf Business, Board Room Magazine and Club Director. She is often asked to lead panel discussions for industry events including the annual PGA Show and Golf Inc. Rachel is a member of the Board of Trustees for the Colorado Open Foundation, which serves to foster and encourage the sport of golf in Colorado through financial support for educational programs aimed at developing the interest and ability of Colorado’s youth. She is an ad-hoc member of the Colorado Golf Coalition which advocates on behalf of the golf industry throughout the state. She is also a member of the Colorado Golf Association and the Meadows Women’s Golf Association.

Whitney Crouse | CEO & Founding Partner | Bobby Jones Links

Whitney serves as company strategist and the idea generator for Bobby Jones Links and the company’s client clubs, primarily working on the company’s business and not in it. A Rice University graduate, he is a member of the PGA and CMAA member and is a former member of Merion Golf Club, where Bobby Jones won the Grand Slam. Whitney began his golf career managing resort properties on Hilton Head Island. For the past 30 years, he has been developing, building, and managing golf properties in the southeast. He has written for Golf Digest, published two golf books, and is a currently a member of the NGCOA’s Board of Directors.

Sir Nick Faldo | Six-Time Major Champion | World Golf Hall of Famer

A former world #1 player, six-time Major Champion, and World Golf Hall of Fame member, Sir Nick Faldo is the most successful European golfer in history. With his three Open Championship and three Masters victories, Sir Nick has etched his name among the all-time greats of golf. He is also an iconic Ryder Cup figure, having represented Europe in the prestigious event a record eleven times.

In addition to his on-course accomplishments, Sir Nick has ventured into the world of golf course design. Through his company, Faldo Design, he has created a portfolio of over 40 stunning courses across five continents and in 20 different countries. These projects reflect his passion for the game and embody his mantra of strategy and memorability.

Sir Nick transitioned seamlessly into the world of television commentary, providing
insightful analysis and expert opinions as lead CBS analyst for over 18 years. His engaging personality and in-depth knowledge of the game made him a popular figure among viewers.

One of Sir Nick’s most significant contributions to the sport is the creation of Sir Nick’s charitable trust, The Faldo Series, in 1996. With tournaments held around the world for boys and girls aged from 7-25 years of age, it is aimed at developing tomorrow’s champions. For over 28 years the Faldo Series has provided countless young golfers with the opportunity to compete and develop their skills, fostering the next generation of golf talent.

Sir Nick is one of very few PGA Life Members. In 2009, he was awarded a knighthood by Queen Elizabeth II for his services to golf – the only British male golfer in the modern era to receive such an honor. Sir Nick Faldo’s illustrious career has secured his place as one of the all-time greats of golf.

Gil Hanse | President | Hanse Golf Course Design

Gil Hanse began his career in golf course design while studying at Cornell. He was the recipient of the prestigious William Frederick Dreer Award, which allowed him to spend a year in Great Britain studying the earliest examples of golf course architecture. While in Britain, Gil interned with the firm of Hawtree and Son, the oldest continuously practicing golf course architectural firm in the world. Subsequently, Gil was an associate, and then a design partner, in Tom Doak’s Renaissance Golf Design, based out of Traverse City, Michigan.

In 1993, he founded Hanse Golf Course Design based on the principles of creating a small firm that takes a personal interest in the design and construction of each project. The company’s courses are simple and elegant in appearance, yet sophisticated in strategy and interest. In 1995, Hanse was joined by his design partner, Jim Wagner, and the two have worked together for 33 years, sharing the design responsibilities on all projects. Gil is one of only a handful of American architects to build a course in Scotland, where he constructed the 18–hole Craighead Golf Links for the world’s seventh oldest golf club, the Crail Golfing Society.

He was chosen to design and oversee creation of the Olympic Course in Rio for the 2016 Olympic Games. He has also established himself as a top restoration specialist, with his resume of work including: the Kittansett Club, Tillinghast’s Fenway in Scarsdale, New York, TPC Boston, Los Angeles Country Club, Plainfield Country Club (NJ), and currently The Links at Spanish Bay.

Jay Karen | Chief Executive Officer | NGCOA

Jay Karen is the CEO of National Golf Course Owners Association, where he leads the golf industry’s trade association and initiatives to support the success of the golf course business. In his role at NGCOA, he has chaired the board of the industry-wide advocacy coalition, We Are Golf, and served on the Golf USA Tee Time Coalition board, a joint initiative with the PGA of America, and the advisory board of the World Golf Hall of Fame. The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, CBS Radio, New York Times, Washington Post, NPR, the Golf Channel, Golf Digest and many others call upon Jay for his insights on the golf industry. Jay has also served as CEO of two associations in the lodging and hospitality industry, and he is a certified association executive by the American Society of Association Executives. Jay currently serves on the board of directors of the US Travel Association and ASAE. Jay is an Honorary Commander for the Joint Military Base in Charleston and a mentor in the College of Charleston’s MBA program.

Jordan Klein | Managing Director | Baird Global Investment Banking

Jordan Klein is a Managing Director and leads Baird’s Global Travel, Leisure & Hospitality advisory practice. Since joining Baird in 2012, Jordan has advised on over 50 transactions in the sector, including sell-side, buy-side and growth capital raises. Within the golf sector, Jordan led the sale of Invited’s The Woodlands assets to Arcis, KemperSports capital raise with Kohlberg, sale of selected golf assets of CBIGG to Sculptor, sale of Concert Golf Partners to Clearlake Capital Group, GolfTEC’s acquisition of SkyTrak, the sale of Trip Logic (including ShipSticks) to a private investor group, on the buyside in the Troon transaction and the sale of Sequoia Golf to ClubCorp (now Invited). Over his 22 years in investment banking, he has advised on ~$100 billion in transactions. Jordan started his career as an Analyst and Associate for Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc. and JP Morgan, and subsequently as a Vice President with Lazard, all based in New York. Jordan received his Bachelor of Science in Finance and International Business from the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University.

Jon Last | President | Sports and Leisure Research Group

Jon Last is founder and President of Sports and Leisure Research Group. Last’s 25+ years of professional experience includes seven years as VP Corporate Marketing for Golf Digest Companies, and eight years at the PGA of America, where he oversaw marketing research, consumer marketing, and retailing. He holds an M.B.A. from Wharton and a B.A. from Tufts. He is a former national president of the U.S. Marketing Research Association (MRA) and served on the national board of directors for the Executive Women’s Golf Association. Last has been recognized by Golf, Inc. as both one of the top innovators in the golf industry as well as one of the top advisors in golf. He is a former President of Marketing Research Institute International and continues to serve on their board of directors as Marketing Chair. He is one of the creators of the highly acclaimed “Back to Normal Barometer” in March of 2020, which has continuously pulsed public opinion surrounding the COVID 19 pandemic.

Charlie Rymer | MCOR26 Emcee | Executive Vice President | Arcadian Land

A native of Cleveland, Tenn., who grew up in Fort Mill, South Carolina, Charlie Rymer dominated the South Carolina junior golf scene in the mid-1980s before earning All-America honors at Georgia Tech and playing on the PGA Tour. He moved from playing competitively to broadcasting golf in 1998, where he joined the Golf Channel and became one of the top analysts for over 20 years. Along with working in the golf media space, Charlie founded the “Yours and One other Foundation” in North Florida’s PGA Section, which aims to fix challenges facing North Florida’s youth and veteran communities. He most recently served as the Executive Vice President of McLemore Club in Rising Fawn Georgia and is currently the Executive Vice President of Arcadian Land.

John Sawin | Senior Vice President, Golf | Pebble Beach Company

John is the Senior Vice President of Golf at Pebble Beach Company, where he is responsible for the operations, course conditions, guest experience, financial performance, and strategic development projects at its six golf facilities: Pebble Beach Golf Links, Spyglass Hill Golf Course, The Links at Spanish Bay, Del Monte Golf Course, the Pebble Beach Golf Academy, and The Hay. John also serves as the PBC lead for all tournaments conducted at Pebble Beach Resorts, including the 2027 U.S. Open, annual AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, PURE Insurance Championship on the PGA TOUR Champions, and the TaylorMade Pebble Beach Invitational. John is originally from Pennsylvania and earned a BA in Economics from Princeton University.

Michael Sharp | President & Chief Executive Officer | CourseCo, Inc.

Now with 30+ years of experience in the golf management industry, Michael is widely respected and recognized throughout the United States for his operating knowledge and innovation. Having played a key role in CourseCo’s growth from a small regional company of 10 courses to a national company with over 45 courses, Michael’s passion still remains working directly with the teams at the facilities and communities in which they operate. As President/CEO of CourseCo, Inc., he has spearheaded the company’s growth while maintaining a focus on its four core principles: financial performance, community programming, environmental stewardship and stakeholder communication.

Robert Silva | Vice President of Business Development | Escalante Golf

Mr. Silva has been in the golf industry and the food & beverage b usiness for over thirty-five years. His talent for growing business, introducing strategic initiatives, and leading investor group/finance teams has been instrumental in the growth of Escalante. As the partner responsible for club and resort acquisitions, raising capital, business development, and investor relations/communications, Mr. Silva has developed relationships that complement the vision and mission of Escalante.

Michael Williams | Executive Director, Cyrano Communications | Contributor, Golf Business

Michael has had success in industries ranging from High Tech companies to foreign exchange banking. But his life has been defined by his abilities in the media and communications, for his experience in world affairs and his passion for the game of golf.

Michael has established himself as a leading voice for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. His “Open Letter to the Golf Industry from a Black Man Who Loves the Game” became a template that inspired the leadership of the game to implement long-needed change. In addition, Michael’s article for ESPN about his handling of a PGA Tour professional who admitted to dressing up in blackface garnered praise from around the world and was recently recognized as one of the best articles of 2020 by the Golf Writers Association of America.

Michael is also known as one of the political world’s most astute commentators as the moderator of “Issues in the News”, the flagship political and current events program for Voice of America. A sought-after speaker and communications expert, Michael has counseled some of the most influential individuals and organizations in the world on topics including crisis management, corporate re-branding and diversity/inclusivity issues.

In 2005, Michael launched his first radio show on FOX News Radio, “Sticks and Stones”. Since that launch, Michael has established a reputation as a savvy broadcaster and as an incisive interviewer and writer. An avid golfer himself, Michael has covered the game of golf and the golf lifestyle including courses, restaurants, business, travel and sports marketing for publications all over the world.

In his first year as host of The 19th Hole Golf Radio Show on CBS Radio in Washington, D.C., Michael led the show to becoming the top-rated golf show in the 7th largest market in the United States and was named the recipient of the 2014 Middle Atlantic PGA Earle Hellen Award for the Outstanding Media Person of the Year. The 19th Hole with Michael Williams is now a podcast with 40 thousand listeners per week on GolfWRX.com.

Michael is a member of the United States Golf Association, the Golf Writers Association of America and the National Association of Black Journalists.