Vision For the Future (March 2009)

Thank you for electing me to a second term…although I’m not so sure I really want to do this for another 18 months!

Now that we’ve gotten past the difficult part of the meeting, I would like to share with you my vision for the future of this organization.

First, along with Barb, I want the OGA to be a kinder and gentler organization as we move forward to solid financial footing. 

We started down the right path by initially restructuring the organization by bringing Barb Trammell on board to oversee our core business, the association, but also our subsidiary organizations. 

Now, with the economy as it is, we’ve been forced to reflect on how we manage our day-to-day operations, cutting our budgets wherever possible and doing more with less. 

We’ve also made a concerted effort to open the lines of communication and work more closely with our allied associations in the golf industry, creating the Golf Alliance of Oregon with the Oregon Chapter of the PGA, the Oregon Golf Course Superintendents Association, the Oregon Golf Course Owners Association and the Club Managers of Oregon. 

The next step is to change the way we govern the organization.  The time has come to structure our boards to be more consistent with modern business practices.  My goal is to do just that. 

So what does this mean? 

It means having a board that not only finds the talent to address our ever changing world, but one that better reflects the makeup of our organization. 

•    With more than 60% of our membership consisting of public golfers, we need more representation from public clubs.

•    With more than 90% of our golfers having double-digit handicaps, we need an organization that services the needs of the average, Joe and Jane golfer.

•    We need more representation from all parts of our region including central, eastern, southern and coastal Oregon as well as Southwest Washington.

•    We need to establish departmental committees (as other golf associations have done) to provide assistance and oversight for all aspects of our business. 

•    We need to offer all our stakeholders, from superintendants, golf course owners and operators as well as golf professionals a seat at the table.

•    Finally, we need to provide you a pathway so that you have an opportunity to give even more back to the game and serve on the Executive Committee.

A great leader of our country once asked the nation……
“Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country!”     Today, I am asking you, our OGA Directors…… what can you do for the OGA!

For now, I am not really asking much of you.  

Your most important role is simply to promote and inform all your members as well as the managers at your golf course what programs and services are available to them.  And just in case you are not sure of your responsibilities as an OGA Director, a flyer to remind you is on your tables.

Thank you. 

At this time, I’d like to make a call to the floor to see if there is any other Old Business to discuss.