Indiana's Ted Bishop Elected 38th President of The PGA of America

BALTIMORE, Nov. 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Ted Bishop of Franklin, Ind., was elected the 38^th President of The Professional Golfers' Association of America today at the Association's 96^th Annual Meeting at the Hyatt Regency Baltimore. Bishop previously served as Secretary of the Association from 2008-2010 and Vice President from 2010-2012.

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Bishop, 56, succeeds Allen Wronowski of Phoenix, Md., who will serve on The PGA Board of Directors as Honorary President. Succeeding Bishop as Vice President is Derek Sprague of Malone, N.Y., who served the past two years as Secretary.

Paul Levy, 52, of Indian Wells, Calif., was elected Secretary. In addition, six new members of the PGA Board of Directors were sworn into office.

A native of Logansport, Ind., Bishop is the PGA general manager and director of golf at The Legends Golf Club in Franklin, Ind., a facility where he oversaw the construction and development of the 45-hole complex. The Legends Golf Club is home of the Indiana PGA Section and Indiana Golf Association.

Bishop played a key role in the organization of the Indiana Golf Foundation. His efforts in the early 1990s helped establish the Indiana Golf Academy and the expansion of the Indiana Golf Hall of Fame.

After graduating from Purdue University with a Bachelor's Degree in Agronomy in 1976, Bishop began his professional career as a PGA Professional and superintendent at the Phil Harris Golf Course in Linton, Ind. He was elected to PGA membership in September 1985, and has served in a leadership capacity at either the Section of National levels since 1989. From 1997-98, Bishop served as president of the Indiana PGA Section.

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 chair 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 Vice President Derek Sprague, a native of Malone, N.Y., served from 2007-2010 as District 1 Director on the PGA Board of Directors, and serves as PGA general manager and head professional at Malone (N.Y.) Golf Club. He was elected PGA Secretary in November 2010. Elected to PGA membership in 1993, Sprague has served since 1998, in a leadership capacity at both the Section and National levels. He began service on the Northeastern New York (NENY) PGA Board of Directors in 1998, and served as Section president from 2003-2004.

PGA Secretary Paul Levy is the president of club operations and development for Sunrise Company, and the chief executive officer at Toscana Country Club in Indiana Wells, Calif. Elected to PGA membership in 1986, Levy has served in a leadership capacity at the Section and National levels since 1992. From 2004 through 2008, he has a member of The PGA of America Board of Control.

The new PGA Board members are Bud Rousey of Pensacola, Fla.; James Richerson of Kohler, Wis.; Bob Philbrick of Oklahoma City, Okla.; Bill Hulbert of Yorba Linda, Calif.; Daniel Koesters of Las Cruces, N.M; and independent director Dottie Pepper of Saratoga Springs, N.Y. 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 its founding in 1916, The PGA of America has maintained a twofold mission: 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 PGA enables its 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 world-class championships and innovative programs, 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. As The PGA nears its centennial, the PGA brand represents the very best in golf.

SOURCE The PGA of America