Jim Beatty, president of Jim Beatty Golf Ventures and expo organizer announces Mark Lowry, president of the National Player Development Foundation, as a keynote speaker at the 2nd annual African American Golf Expo & Forum being held on August 27-31 in Charlotte, NC. Mark will speak and conduct a workshop on the need to fund golfers of color on a competitive level.
JIM ENCOURAGES EVERYONE TO REGISTER AND MAKE THEIR HOTEL RESERVATIONS NOW. REGISTER AT https://aagolfexpo.com/register-here.
Mark Lowry’s work and success with instituting a player development system were well documented in the mid-90s when, in 1995, he was selected to create and launch the Chicago Public School’s Elementary school golf training program to feed a struggling high school team program. By 1998, the program began to receive national acclaim as over forty elementary schools were offering after school golf instruction while simultaneously,
Mark expanded the high school golf program with growth from nine of the CPS system’s seventy-three high schools to over thirty who competed and advanced from city competition to producing qualifiers at the regional and state level. In 1998, Lowry joined the new industry initiative, The First Tee, where for 20 years he held positions in senior leadership. Lowry played a key role in developing the strategies that would guide the development and operations of the organization from a concept to a nationally recognized youth golf development organization.
As Vice President of Network Management, Mark oversaw the development and support of the organization’s eight national regions and over 150 network chapters. These experiences gave rise to the National Golf Player Development Foundation (NGPDF).
Lowry says, “The time has come to support the efforts of the players, parents, organizations and institutions that are working to deepen the competitive player pool of players of color. The NGPDF, through its efforts to secure individual, corporate and industry funding resources and developmental partnerships, will identify deserving young players of color and provide support to individuals, programs and institutions that equally share the goal to increase the competitive player pool representing minority communities.”
THE NATIONAL GOLF PLAYER DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION, LLC
The NGPDF Is a Not For Profit 501c3 established to create funding sources to create additional funding sources to: 1)Support the development of skilled, competitive male and female golfers of color; 2) Connect aspiring golfers of color with instructors and development programs in their local community; 3) Assist in connecting competitive golfers of color with programs and tournaments that will advance their developmental skills at strategic competitive levels that include junior golf, high school, collegiate and professional and assist with support resources to educate parents, coaches and instructors involved with the development of competitive golfers of color. The NGPDF has established both governance and advisory board.
The mission of the National Golf Player Development Foundation, LLC is, “To provide unprecedented funding opportunities to programs that provide skill development and playing opportunities to young people of color and connect them to premier experiences in competitive golf.”
The AFRICAN AMERICAN GOLF EXPO AND FORUM
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 the $84 Billion golf industry to African Americans.
The objectives of the EXPO are to :
- Promote economic growth, diversity and inclusion in golf to African Americans and other underrepresented groups
- Provide a friendly and welcoming environment for golf industry leaders to develop relationships with African Americans who are entrepreneurs, community programmers, and golf enthusiasts.
- Help grow the industry by featuring subject matter experts in learning forums, seminars, and networking opportunities
- Provide funding to grassroots organizations involved in teaching and promoting golf to the African American community.
Register at www.aagolfexpo.com/register-here to attend the EXPO and make your room reservations
