The PGA of America has found its new chief executive officer in former Deutsche Bank Americas CEO Seth Waugh, the Association announced on Tuesday. Waugh will replace Pete Bevacqua who is leaving the PGA to become the President of the NBC Sports Group.
Waugh is no stranger to the PGA. He is nearing the end of his three-year term as an independent director on the PGA of America’s board of directors. Most recently outside of golf, Waugh has been a senior advisor and then a managing director at Silver Lake, a global leader in technology investing. He will continue to be a senior advisor at the firm.
NEW: Seth Waugh named PGA of America CEO: https://t.co/N5P1I8E2jw pic.twitter.com/t9VVDkhC7b
— PGA of America (@PGA) August 28, 2018
“It is an honor and privilege to be invited to lead this remarkable Association into its second century,” Waugh said. “Like so many, I share a passion for the game that has given so much to me, and in the process, has somehow become a huge influence in my life. The opportunity to work with the nearly 29,000 PGA Professionals and others in the game to give back and to help our beautiful sport evolve is a true gift. I look forward to getting into the field to engage with our Members, learn more about the issues that matter most to them, and look for ways to enhance their careers and lives. I am grateful for the trust that the Officers and the Board are showing in me. It will be exciting to see all the good that we can do together as an Association and an industry.
“Leaving Silver Lake has been the hardest decision of my career, and I want to thank my partners for their support and commitment to excellence. There is a reason they are the best in the world at what they do.
“I am also grateful to my predecessor Pete Bevacqua for leaving the PGA in such strong shape, with a long-term strategic plan that will be the road map for our planning. Because of Pete’s good work and the work of the leadership team, the PGA Staff, the Board and Officers, and our Sections, I take over at a time that allows us to optimize our impact—and put particular focus on how to add value to our dedicated Members. I am truly grateful for the game of golf and this amazing opportunity, and I can’t wait to get started.”
During Waugh’s time at Deutsche Bank, he played a major role in developing the relationship between the bank and the PGA Tour, which culminated with the advent of the Deutsche Bank Championship in 2013.
