NEWS

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Verbena McIlwaine is a Charlotte native and is the mother of one daughter, Renek McIlwaine.  As a licensed and professional cosmetologist of 38 years, she has served women in the beauty and wedding industry with honor and pride. As the owner of Verve' Beauty,  she continues to use her gifts and talents in the hair care industry.

Verbena stumbled in the golf space and started her journey by taking lessons for a 2 year period. In 2020, she began playing consistently and her passion for the game fueled her desire to develop her skills.
In 2022, she founded the Butterfly Golf Initiative to support, especially, women on their golf journey. In 2024, she developed the Butterfly Golf Brand and released an apparel & accessory collection to add fashion and style for women golfers.


In 2024, she began the in-depth process of learning the technical side of golf to become a certified instructor to effectively support new golfers. After a two year journey of classes, homework, testing, and passing the PAT, she earned her LPGA CLASS A Teaching Certification in July 2026.

Golf changed his life. Now, he's helping change thousands more.

At 22, Preston Pinkney had never played golf. Growing up in Richmond, California, he never imagined the opportunities the game could unlock. One job, one mentor, and one unforgettable experience at the 2000 U.S. Open changed his trajectory forever.

Today, Preston is the Founder and Executive Director of The Pinkney Foundation, Director of Ace Kids Golf, and Founder of Primetime Golf. With 26 years dedicated to youth development, he has helped introduce more than 10,000 young people to golf and served six years on the Northern California Golf Association Board of Directors.

A 2023 Jefferson Award recipient, Preston brings a powerful message to the PGA Show: golf is more than a game. It's a platform for developing life skills, opening doors to education and careers, and shaping the next generation of leaders.

 The Pro-Duffers Foundation, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that promotes the game of golf, supports academic achievement, and provides financial and mentorship resources for African American youth and minority golfers.thousands more.

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Sapp received seven Pro Bowl and four first-team All-Pro selections and was part of the team that won the franchise's first Super Bowl title in Super Bowl XXXVII. He compiled 96.5 career sacks by the time of his retirement, which are the third-highest career sacks for a defensive tackle and the 28th-highest overall for a defensive lineman. His career was also checkered by controversy from his hard-hitting style of play and occasional verbal outbursts. Along with Lee Roy Selmon and teammate Derrick Brooks, Sapp is one of three players to have their numbers retired by the Buccaneers. He was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2013.

• Rise with LL COOL J: Growing up a few blocks away from LL COOL J in St. Albans, Queens, he joined him as his live show and television coordinator just as hip-hop broke into the mainstream in the mid-1980s. 
• Milestone Performances: He cemented his status with historic television and stage performances on shows like American Bandstand, Soul Train, and Saturday Night Live, as well as classic films like Krush Groove. 
• Accolades: Voted one of the top 25 hip-hop DJs of all time by Newsweek Magazine, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2021 alongside LL COOL J. 

Currently, I am President of Golf Pride, the largest manufacturer of golf grips operating in six countries around the world.  We have been transforming the business from primarily a B2B component supplier to club manufacturers (Callaway, Titleist, etc.) into a B2C brand leader on its own that is now a top 10 golf equipment brand at retail.  

Previously, I was VP of Global Business Development at Callaway Golf Company where I led the purchase and sale of three different businesses.  Prior to Callaway, I was the Category Director of Global Consumer Products at Starbucks Coffee Company where I led a new venture in Japan, Taiwan, and S. Korea that created a completely new $250 million ready-to-drink beverage business.  

I started my career as as a strategy consultant with A.T. Kearney where I worked with a number of Fortune 500 clients across industries on developing and implementing new growth strategies.

"You don't have to see it to hit it."

James Davis is the President and Founder of the Triangle Blind Golf Association (TBGA), a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to empowering blind and visually impaired individuals through the game of golf.

As a blind golfer himself, James understands both the challenges and the transformative power of the game. His passion for golf and his desire to make a difference in his community led him to create TBGA.

James was inspired to start this organization after competing in a blind golf tournament in Pennsylvania.

During that experience, he realized there was nothing like it in his home community in the state of North Carolina. Determined to change that, he returned home with a vision—to build an organization that would provide training, friendship, independence, and opportunity for blind and visually impaired golfers across the state.

ABOUT JAMES

Home Base: Hillandale Golf Course

Durham, North Carolina

Role: President & Founder

Triangle Blind Golf Association

Under his leadership, TBGA hosts weekly training clinics and special golf events at courses throughout North Carolina, with the mission of helping participants develop confidence, build relationships, and achieve greater independence through golf.

Passion: Empowering blind and visually impaired individuals through golf

James's commitment, faith, and perseverance continue to drive TBGA forward as it opens doors, breaks barriers, and proves that vision is not required to pursue a passion and live a full life.

His vision. His passion. Our purpose.

 In Chicago, Tarde met his important mentor, World Golf Hall of Fame entrepreneur Herb Graffis, then in his mid-70s, who encouraged him along his chosen path. Accordingly, in 1977, to pad his résumé for his future job, he joined the PGA of America as an assistant pro at Juniata (he got his amateur status back in 1980). It helped, as he came to Golf Digest as an intern at age 21.

He was hired as a full-time writer and editor for Golf Digest the next year. In 1984, when he was just 28, his vision came true. In an interview for the head job, Tarde told the magazine’s co-founder, Bill Davis, his simple plan: “I’m not looking to change anything. I just intend to make everything better.”

That he did. Right away he hired Jenkins, who had just left Sports Illustrated in a huff and was eager to show off his new fastball. Then, in quick succession, he hired his “Murderer’s Row” of writers including Dobereiner, Tom Callahan, Peter Andrews, Dave Kindred, Dave Anderson and David Owen. Tarde also got cultural icons like John Updike, George Plimpton, Alistair Cooke and Friedman to write for the magazine. Ongoing features like “America’s 100 Greatest Courses,” “The Search for America’s Worst Avid Golfer,” “The Hot List,” “My Shot” and others became popular staples.

Experienced leader with background experiences in golf, education, diversity and inclusion, advocacy, board development, sales, fundraising, volunteerism, nonprofit org and youth development.  Primary interests are creating economic opportunities for all in non-traditional business markets, with an emphasis on increasing minority and female participation.

Diversity and Inclusion advocate, specializing in promoting golf activities in under-served markets.  Affiliations include the Advocates Pro Tour, African American Golfers Digest (blog), Golf 20/20 Diversity Task Force, Hillsborough County Public School District Task Force, National Black Golf Hall of Fame, African American Golfers Hall of Fame and Women of Color Advisory Committee.  

 Charlene, serves as the Chief of Staff for Jim Beatty Golf Ventures LLC. Charlene is also a 26-year retired Afghanistan Operation Enduring Freedom and Iraq Freedom decorated retired veteran. During her 26 year career, she achieved many outstanding accomplishments.

Charlene, was the first female Sailor of the Year on the Naval ship USS Nassau. She was awarded the Navy Commendation Medal with Gold Stars, the Navy Achievement Medal with Gold Stars and many other medals and ribbons.

Charlene, is a native of Florida and has always been a strategic thinker. During her Navy tenure she earned both a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Master of Arts in Organizational Guidance Counseling. She is currently pursuing her Doctorate in Education.

 Born and raised in Chicago, G. Keith Alexander as a young boy had dreams of becoming a disc jockey and eventually became music director, afternoon jock, and leader of the launch team for his native city’s new station WGCI.

His baritone delivery has also resounded over the airwaves of Disco 92 WKTU, 98.7 KISS-FM, former jazz station WRVR, Inner City Broadcasting’s WBLS in the Big Apple, Clear Channel’s Jammin’ 105, and Infinity’s New MIX 102.7.

And while New York City has remained his home throughout his professional career, his appeal has been national. 

 Malachi Knowles, founder of Riviera Beach-based Inner City Youth Golfers, the African American Golfers Hall of Fame and the African American Collegiate & Youth Golfers Hall of Fame, has been inducted into the Florida Black Sports Hall of Fame. Already a member of the Palm Beach County Sports Hall of Fame, Knowles has been involved with golf since he was 10 when he began working as a “shag boy” at the Everglades Club in Palm Beach and at Seminole Golf Club in Juno Beach. Caddies at the Everglades Club were permitted to play there after 4 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Roosevelt High School in West Palm Beach, from which Knowles graduated in 1959, did not have a golf team and Black youths were not permitted at the West Palm Beach Municipal Course, adjacent to the new Forest Hill High, which opened in 1958.