PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. (June 22, 2021) – The PGA of America has named PGA Members Kendall Murphy and Ed Winiecki as PGA Career Consultants for the Northern California and Southern California PGA Sections, respectively. Murphy and Winiecki join the PGA Career Services Department, which includes a team of 22 field consultants strategically located across the country to forge stronger relationships with both PGA Members and employers.
PGA Career Services offers a toolbox of invaluable resources to meet the hiring requirements demanded by employers today, while better serving employers, PGA Members and individuals seeking to gain employment within the golf industry.
“The PGA is committed to establishing stronger relationships with golf industry employers, while ensuring that PGA Members and golf industry professionals are prepared and equipped to advance their career paths to the highest level,” said PGA President Jim Richerson. “As PGA Members with an outstanding background in golf administration, both Kendall Murphy and Ed Winiecki will serve PGA Professionals and the golf industry in ensuring that top candidates are hired for the best position possible.”
Having grown up in Oakland, California, this is a return to Murphy’s Northern California roots. He previously served as the Assistant Director and Program Coordinator of the PGA Golf Management Program at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), where he is also an alumnus of the program. Prior to that, Murphy served as the Tournament Director at The Broadmoor Golf Club in Colorado Springs and the Assistant Coach for the Saint Mary’s College of California golf team, while earning his Master of Arts degree in Kinesiology and Sport Management.
Among his accomplishments, Murphy has served on the PGA of America’s National Education Committee and the Advisory Council for the PGA WORKS Collegiate Championship, and is currently Honorary President of the Southern Nevada Chapter of the Southwest PGA Section. He also worked for the PGA of America for nearly two years as a PerformanceTrak Representative, researching and analyzing golf data.
Murphy was named PGA Professional of the Year in 2018 and 2019 for the Southwest PGA Section’s Southern Nevada Chapter. In 2016, he was the Chapter’s PGA Player Development Award recipient, and in 2018 he was named “Rebel Pride” Golf Professional of the Year at UNLV.
Throughout his 30-year career in the golf industry, Winiecki has served in many capacities including Assistant Professional, Head Professional, General Manager, Tournament Director, Executive Director and Regional Manager. He also served seven years on the Board of Directors for the Southern California PGA Section, and more recently seven years on the Board of Directors for the Northern California PGA Section. In 2010, he was named Golf Professional of the Year for the Southern California PGA, then received the same high honor for the Northern California PGA in 2017 — the only PGA Professional to be honored by both Sections. In 2020, Winiecki also became a Certified Club Manager.
PGA Career Services was created to assist golf industry professionals throughout their careers while creating lifelong partnerships with employers to support their needs in today’s golf economy. The department continues to add resources and specialty services, highlighted by the 2020 launch of ExecuSearch powered by the PGA of America, a premium executive placement service for the golf industry that has become a valuable tool for both PGA Members and employers.
Additional resources available through PGA Career Services include career consulting, resume review, job placement outreach and continuing education resources, among others.
The PGA Career Services Department is led by Scott Kmiec, Senior Director of Career Services, along with Regional Team Leaders: Don Sweeting (Southeast), Tim Marks (Central), Kelly Gilley (West) and Jonathan Gold (Northeast), who are also responsible for managing their respective sections.
Below are the 22 Career Consultants, with the PGA Sections in their coverage areas:
- Jason Boaz, PGA – Southwest, Sun Country
- Ken Ferrell, PGA – Aloha
- Keith Fisher, PGA – Kentucky, Northern Ohio, Southern Ohio
- Kelly Gilley, PGA – Northern Texas, Southern Texas
- Jonathan Gold, PGA – Metropolitan, New Jersey, Philadelphia
- Kathy Grayson – South Florida
- Monte Koch, PGA – Pacific Northwest, Rocky Mountain
- Chris Kulinski, PGA – Central New York, Western New York, Northeastern New York
- Jacqueline Madison, PGA – Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota
- Tim Marks, PGA – Illinois, Wisconsin
- Michael Mueller, PGA – Carolinas
- Jim Remy, PGA – Connecticut, New England
- Todd Smith, PGA – Michigan, Indiana
- Keith Soriano, PGA – Colorado, Utah
- Greg Stenzel, PGA – Middle Atlantic, Tri-State
- Don Sweeting, PGA – Georgia
- Sean Thornberry, PGA – Global
- Doug Turner, PGA – Gateway, Midwest, South Central
- Kevin Walls, PGA – Alabama-NW Florida, Gulf States, Tennessee
- Kendall Murphy, PGA – Northern California
- Ed Winiecki, PGA, CCM – Southern California
- Jim West, PGA – North Florida
