Jim Beatty, founder of the African American Golf EXPO and Forum, announced today that Club Management Association of America will present a special panel focused on attracting more people of color to management opportunities in the hospitality and golf industry on January 22 during the 2026 EXPO. The panel will be moderated by Brian Watkins, Director of Certification and Education at CMAA and will consist of Bryan Harrison, CCM, General Manager, New Albany Country Club, New Albany, OH, Joe Moultrie, CCM, Clubhouse Manager, Wicker Point Golf Club, Lake Martin, AL, Joshua Singleton, CCM, General Manager/COO, Pine Valley Country Club, Wilmington, NC and Matt Barksdale, Vice President of Golf, Pinehurst Resort and Country Club, Pinehurst, NC.
They will talk about their respective paths in the club management profession, the recently formed  Black Club Professionals Alliance, as well as their efforts in working with HBCU’s to recruit new talent into the field. This will be a very popular panel at the EXPO and one in which you will be able to share information with your network. There are 1.6 million jobs in the golf industry and this panel will address some of the most sought-after positions in the industry. You do not want to miss this great session.
About The EXPO
The mission of the EXPO is to educate and inform African Americans and all people of color about the jobs, careers, and business opportunities in the $102 Billion Golf industry. African Americans represent less than 3% of the industry. The EXPO started in 2021 and has been held in Atlanta, GA, Charlotte, NC, Louisville, KY and West Palm Beach, FL. Over 2000 people have attended with an economic impact approaching $2M. The EXPO founder and organizer is Jim Beatty, CEO of Jim Beatty Golf Ventures. The EXPO 2026 dates are January 21 – 24, in Orlando, Fla., at the Orange County Convention Center collocated with the PGA Show. Visit the EXPO website for schedule and detail at www.aagolfexpo.com, Information is updated daily.
About Club Management Association of America (CMAA)
Founded in 1927 as the Club Managers Association of America, CMAA is the largest professional association for club management professionals with more than 8,100 members throughout the US and internationally. In 2018, CMAA became the Club Management Association of America, a name better representing the composition of its membership. Our members contribute to the success of more than 2,600 country, golf, athletic, city, faculty, military, town, and yacht clubs.
The objectives of the Association are to promote relationships between club management professionals and other similar professions; to encourage the education and advancement of members; and to provide the resources needed for efficient and successful club operations. Under the covenants of professionalism, education, leadership, and community, CMAA continues to extend its reach as the leader in the club management practice.
CMAA is headquartered in Alexandria, VA, with 38 professional chapters and 40 current and prospective student chapters. Visit https://www.cmaa.org/ for more details.
About Pinehurst Resort and Country Club
Three times, Travel + Leisure Magazine has named Pinehurst the Best Golf Resort In America. Three times, the U.S. Open has chosen us to host their championship tournament. On countless occasions, the famed No. 2 course has represented the pinnacle of a golfer’s lifelong journey through this great game. And, in perhaps its greatest accomplishment, Pinehurst was named the first-ever U.S. Open Anchor Site, chosen to host the championships planned for 2024, 2029, 2035, 2041 and 2047.
Far more than simply a golf resort, Pinehurst is where the American golf story is rooted, and where it continues to flourish. And while Payne Stewart’s famous putt that won the 1999 U.S. Open may be seared in our collective conscience, behind it are archives of equally impressive moments from the past 100 years. Join us for the best golf in North Carolina, played on some of the finest golf courses in the world, and write your own chapter in our continued saga. Go to https://www.pinehurst.com/ for more detailed information.
