Illinois PGA Foundation and Section Announce Move to New Headquarters

Mar 5, 2020

GLENVIEW, Ill. – March 5, 2020 – The Illinois PGA Foundation and Section have announced their intent to purchase the former Western Golf Association/Evans Scholars Foundation (WGA/ESF) office building at One Briar Road in Golf, Ill. The building was constructed in 1955 and was occupied by the WGA/ESF for 64 years. The Village of Golf municipal offices and the U.S. Post Office will remain tenants of the building.

“The Illinois PGA Foundation and Section have enjoyed a wonderful relationship with KemperSports and The Glen Club where we’ve been fortunate enough to have a rent-free office space for nearly 20 years. Their generosity cannot be overstated.  The Glen Club has also been home to the Illinois Golf Hall of Fame, which the Foundation manages,” said Carrie Williams, Executive Director of both the Illinois PGA Foundation and Section. “But the time has come for us to establish our own headquarters and John Kaczkowski (President/CEO of the WGA/ESF) and the WGA/ESF Board have given us an incredible opportunity to make that happen.”

The building purchase was made possible by the WGA’s recent move to its new headquarters building on Patriot Drive in Glenview, Ill., which allowed the organization to consolidate several offices and employees under one roof.

“As an allied association working in the Chicagoland-area golf business, the WGA/ESF has enjoyed a strong and collaborative relationship with the Illinois PGA and when we were ready to sell the building we immediately thought the Illinois PGA Foundation and Section were the perfect organizations to carry on the tradition of a golf association owning and occupying it,” said John Kaczkowski, President and CEO of the Western Golf Association and Evans Scholars Foundation.

“From a few boxes of folders in the Executive Director’s car trunk to an Oak Brook office space to Ruffled Feathers Golf Club to The Glen Club and now the purchase of our own building, the Illinois PGA Section and Foundation have come a long way,” said Jim Miller, PGA, of Bloomington Country Club, president of the Illinois PGA Section.

The Illinois PGA Section was formed in 1921 and its mission is to promote the enjoyment and involvement in the game of golf and to contribute to its growth by providing services to its member golf professionals in the areas of competition, employment and education. The Illinois PGA Foundation was formed in 1991 and focuses its community efforts on promoting the goodwill and growth of the game initiatives. Some key programs of the Foundation include PGA Jr. League, Drive Chip and Putt, GolfWorks Illinois, the Illinois Golf Hall of Fame and college scholarships.

Today, the Illinois PGA is comprised of more than 600 PGA members and more than 200 associates working at more than 300 golf facilities throughout northern and central Illinois. The Illinois PGA conducts more than 40 tournaments annually for its members and apprentices as well as managing the state’s Opens Series which includes the Illinois Open Championship, Illinois Senior Open Championship and the Illinois Super Senior Open Championship. 

“This is an exciting time for both the Foundation and the Section and will truly set up the two organizations, staffs and membership to fulfill our missions and continue to grow the game while contributing to the communities we serve well into the future,” said Tim O’Neal, president of the Illinois PGA Foundation and PGA Life Member.

The Illinois PGA Foundation and Section expect to move into the building later this year once renovations are completed. The Illinois Golf Hall of Fame will remain at The Glen Club with complementary displays planned for the new headquarters.

About the Illinois PGA/Illinois PGA Foundation
The Illinois Section of the PGA of America is a professional organization serving the men and women golf professionals in northern and central Illinois who are the recognized experts in growing, teaching and managing the game of golf. The Illinois PGA is responsible for the administration of competitive golf tournaments, educational opportunities, support programs and growth of the game initiatives. With more than 800 members and apprentices, the Illinois PGA is one of the 41 regional Sections that comprise the PGA of America. The Illinois PGA Foundation focuses its community efforts on promoting the goodwill and growth of the game with an emphasis on activities that benefit youth. Foundation initiatives include: GolfWorks Illinois, Youth-based Scholarship Funds and the Illinois Golf Hall of Fame. For more information about the Illinois PGA and the Illinois PGA Foundation, please visit www.www.ipga.com and join us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.           

 
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CONTACT:
Kevin Quinn
Illinois PGA Communications
708.336.1294 mobile
kbquinn@pgahq.com