Allen Wronowski, Ted Bishop, Derek Sprague Elected Officers of The PGA of America

BOSTON, Nov. 6, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Allen Wronowski of Bel Air, Md., was elected the 37th President of The Professional Golfers' Association of America today by delegates at the Association's 94th Annual Meeting in Boston. Wronowski previously served as Secretary of the Association from 2006-2008 and as Vice President from 2008-2010.

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Wronowski, 56, succeeds Jim Remy of Ludlow, Vt., who will serve on The PGA Board of Directors as Honorary President. Succeeding Wronowski as Vice President is Ted Bishop of Franklin, Ind., who served the past two years as Secretary.

Derek Sprague, 43, of Malone, N.Y., was elected Secretary. In addition, seven new members of the PGA Board of Directors were sworn into office.

A native of Baltimore, Wronowski is the PGA director of golf at Hillendale Country Club in Phoenix, Md., where he had also served as assistant professional and PGA head professional since 1979.

Wronowski's record of service to the Association began in 1983 at the Section level, and includes a term (2001-2004) as District 10 director on the PGA Board of Directors.

As a national officer, Wronowski has expanded his passion to enhance player development by strongly supporting the core values of PGA Professionals, particularly in their impact upon junior golf, minorities and diversity. Since 2007, Wronowski has served as chair of the Junior PGA Championship; was chair (2007, '08) of the PGA Professional National Championship; was co-chair (2009, '10) of the National PGA Junior Golf Committee; was chair of the PGA Board of Control (2007, '08) and since 2009 has been a board member of the Folds of Honor Foundation.

Wronowski fell in love with the game of golf as a high school junior. In 1976, he began his professional career and later became active in Middle Atlantic PGA (MAPGA) Section governance soon after being elected to PGA membership in 1981. He served on the MAPGA board of directors and held every elected office in the Section, including that of President.

Wronowski's impact on the MAPGA included his creating a business plan for the Board and committees that is still a standard today; implementing a mentoring program that continues to be utilized by all chapters; and guiding an investment fund that increased Section reserves to $1.9 million, and led to a permanent headquarters in Stafford, Va.

In 1999, the MAPGA named Wronowski its Section Golf Professional of the Year; and in 2002 he earned the MAPGA Bill Strausbaugh Award for his work in the employment arena for the members of the Section.

PGA Vice President Ted Bishop served as District 6 Director on the PGA Board of Directors and since 1991 has worked as general manager and PGA director of golf at The Legends of Indiana Golf Club in Franklin, Ind. He served as PGA Secretary from 2008 to this month.

Bishop has served on the PGA Board of Directors since 2006, and served on the PGA Board of Control from 2002-05. As PGA Vice President, he oversees the finances of The PGA of America. He also was chairman of both the PGA Budget and Finance Committees and is a past chair of the PGA Code of Ethics Task Force.

Bishop was elected to PGA membership in September 1985, and has served in a leadership capacity at either the Section or National levels since 1989. From 1997-98, Bishop served as president of the Indiana PGA Section, and was the 1998 Indiana PGA Golf Professional of the Year. He also is a two-time (1996-97) Section Bill Strausbaugh Award recipient and was the Section 1991 Horton Smith Award winner.

PGA Secretary Derek Sprague is the PGA general manager and head professional at Malone (N.Y.) Golf Club, and was elected to PGA membership in 1993. Sprague has served in a leadership capacity at both the Section and National levels since 1998. Since 2007, he has represented District 1 (Connecticut, New England and Northeastern New York Section) on the PGA Board of Directors.

The new PGA Board members are: Michael Ahrnsbrak of Winchester, Va.; Stephen Cox of Bonita Springs, Fla.; Leo De Gisi of Medford, N.J.; Gil Gusweiler of Loveland, Ohio; Michael Haywood of Tucson, Ariz.; Suzy Whaley of Farmington, Conn.; and independent director John Jacob of Aventura, Fla. The new PGA District Directors 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.

About The PGA of America

Since 1916, The PGA of America's mission has been twofold; to establish and elevate the standards of the profession and to grow interest and participation in the game of golf.  By establishing and elevating the standards of the golf profession through world-class education, career services, marketing and research programs, the Association enables PGA Professionals to maximize their performance in their respective career paths and showcases them as experts in the game and in the multi-billion dollar golf industry.  By creating and delivering dramatic world-class championships and exciting and enjoyable golf promotions that are viewed as the best of their class in the golf industry, The PGA of America elevates the public's interest in the game, the desire to play more golf, and ensures accessibility to the game for everyone, everywhere.  The PGA of America brand represents the very best in golf.

SOURCE The PGA of America