Jim Beatty, President of Jim Beatty Golf Ventures and Founder of the African American Golf EXPO and Forum (EXPO) announced that Carter Bonas, a 13-year-old golf industry CEO will exhibit at the EXPO in Orlando coincident with the PGA Show January 22 and 23. EXPO exhibits will be held at the Hyatt Regency, 9801 International Drive, Orlando, FL 32819 from 6:30 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. in Florida Ballroom B/C. The public is invited to attend this historic event at no cost. Anyone planning to attend this free must register in advance . Please click here to register.
At just 13-years-old, Carter Bonas is changing the business world as we know it. Carter is the founder and CEO of Spectrum Golf and is dedicated to teaching the game of golf, but his mission goes beyond the greens helping future entrepreneurs reach the next level.
Carter also holds a charity golf tournament every year on “Carter Bonas Day – April 25th” proclaimed by the city of Lauderhill, Florida attracting NFL players like Jeff Dellenbach, Weslye Saunders who have struggled with mental health and Doug Flutie who also has a son on the spectrum. Carter just launched Spectrum Vitamin Water and started his own 501c3 nonprofit which offers free golf lessons and gear to children.
According to Jim Beatty, ”Carter serves as a great example of the opportunities in golf available for African Americans of all ages and backgrounds and encourages others to find their niche in the $102 Billion golf industry.”
Carter’s mother Dr. Thelma Tennie also stated that Carter Is inspiring others to embrace their differences and work hard to achieve their dreams. Let us all congratulate and support Carter Bonas, CEO of Spectrum Golf.
About the EXPO
The mission of the African American Golf EXPO and Forum is to promote the game, the business, the industry, the careers and the opportunities in golf for African Americans and to grow the game The objectives are to promote economic growth, diversity and inclusion in golf for African Americans and other underrepresented groups. The EXPO provides a friendly and welcoming environment for golf industry leaders to develop relationships with African Americans and other underrepresented entrepreneurs, community programmers, and golf enthusiasts.
The EXPO helps grow golf and the industry by featuring subject matter experts in learning forums, seminars and networking opportunities.
The EXPO was founded in 2021 by Jim Beatty and has been held in Atlanta, GA, Charlotte, NC, Louisville, KY, and Palm Beach, FL, and is celebrating its 5th year anniversary in Orlando coincident with the PGA Show.
About Carter Bonas
Carter Bonas, named his apparel Spectrum Golf, because he ranks high on the Autism Spectrum Scale. He decided to showcase his apparel at the PGA Show 2022, which is one of the largest golf merchandising shows in the nation. That set off a tsunami of media coverage. His first interview was LIVE with the GOLF CHANNEL. That led to interviews with the PGA, PGA Magazine, Golf Digest, Golf Life TV, Club and Resort Business magazine, Europe Times News, Golf weekly and USAToday.com, Golf Central Magazine, North Central Florida Golfer Magazine and many more. https://www.cartersspectrumgolf.com/book-carter—press.html#/
Carter was unable to speak until he was 4-years-old. When he finally went to school, he underwent intense bullying, to the point one day he told his teachers, “If one more bad thing happens to me today, I’m going to kill myself.” This was devastating to his mother, Dr. Thelma Tennie, a licensed therapist and life coach. She created a nonprofit in Carter’s honor in 2015 called Healing Arts Institute of South Florida, Inc., HealingArtsSFL.org. The nonprofit offers NO COST Mental Health Services primarily to youth 22 and under and their families, across the State of Florida by way of licensed and intern therapists.
Carter’s exposure caught the attention of Legendary Golf Hall of Famer, Ernie Els, whose son also has autism. Els, has a foundation called Els for Autism, invited Carter to walk the course with him during the Chubb Classic Golf Tournament in Naples, Florida last year, which put Carter and Spectrum Golf on the World Stage.
In 2022, Carter was a featured speaker at the Inclusion and Diversity Summit, called SOAR, at Dow’s LPGA’s Great Lakes Bay Invitational in Midland, Michigan. He also sold Spectrum Golf apparel in the merchandising tent, and first met Golf Pro Anita Uwadia, who he now sponsors with Spectrum Golf Apparel.
In 2022,Carter played in the South Florida HBCU Golf Classic, alongside the Founder, William McCormick who was instrumental in Carter receiving a full four year scholarship from Florida Memorial University.
In 2022 The Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism named Carter as one of the foundation’s four “Golf Flutie Fellows” as the foundation kicked off its Inaugural golf program as part of its’ “Stars of the Spectrum” programming.
In 2022 Carter was named SPORTS ILLUSTRATED’s Sports KID of the YEAR and was featured on NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt and NBC Nightly News Kids Edition!”
In 2023 Carter was named the 2023 UPS Unstoppable CEO, and was featured in their MASTERS partnership Campaign.
