University of North Carolina Athletics
Suzy Whaley Elected Secretary Of PGA Of America
November 23, 2014 | Women's Golf
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Suzy Whaley, who played on the North Carolina women's golf team 1985-86 – 1988-89, was elected Secretary of the PGA of America at the Association's 98th Annual Meeting in Indianapolis, Ind. Whaley, from Farmington, Conn., will serve a two-year term.
Whaley is a certified PGA Professional, LPGA member and the Director of Instruction at Suzy Whaley Golf at the TPC River Highlands in Croswell, Conn. She was elected as District 1 Director on the PGA Board of Directors in November 2010, thus becoming the second woman ever to be elected to the PGA Board.
In July 2003, Whaley was the first woman to qualify for and participate in a PGA TOUR event in 58 years, following the legendary Babe Zaharias, the only other woman to have ever achieved the rare golf feat. To reach that special niche in golf history, Whaley captured the Connecticut PGA Section Championship, also a first by any PGA of America woman professional.
Her teaching accolades include being named one of the 2013 Golf Digest Top 50 Best Teachers in America. She guided her Connecticut Team to the 2014 PGA Junior League Golf Championship, where it finished fifth.
Derek Sprague, from Malone, N.Y., was elected the 39th President of the PGA. Sprague has held leadership roles at both the National and Section PGA levels since 1998. He previously served as PGA Secretary from 2010-12, and as Vice President from 2012 until Oct. 24, 2014, when he was named PGA Interim President.
Succeeding Sprague as Vice President is Paul Levy of Indian Wells, California, who served the past two years as Secretary and held the roles of Secretary and Interim Vice President from Oct. 24, 2014 until today.
Sprague, Levy and Whaley will each serve two-year terms.
The Board of Directors extended the role of Honorary President Allen Wronowski of Bel Air, Maryland, for two additional years.
In addition, three new members of the PGA Board of Directors were sworn in at the PGA Annual Meeting. The new PGA Board members are Jeff Drimel of St. Michael, Minnesota; Tim Fries of Kenmore, New York; and Kyle Heyen of Arvada, Colorado. The new PGA District Directors each will serve three-year terms.
The PGA Board of Directors is composed of the Association's President, Vice President, Secretary, Honorary President and 17 Directors. The Directors include representatives from each of the PGA's 14 districts, two Independent Directors and a member of the PGA Tour. New District Directors are elected by their local PGA Sections.
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