KitchenAid Named Presenting Sponsor of Senior PGA Championship Through 2014

PARKER, Colo., May 26 /PRNewswire/ -- KitchenAid, one of America's best known brands of premium kitchen appliances and part of Whirlpool Corporation (NYSE: WHR), has been named presenting sponsor of the Senior PGA Championship, the most historic and prestigious event in senior golf. The sponsorship will extend through 2014, and KitchenAid will be the Official Home Appliance brand of The PGA of America.

The announcement was made today as the golf world focuses on the 71st Senior PGA Championship, which makes its debut at Colorado Golf Club in Parker, Colo.

The KitchenAid sponsorship will begin with the 2011 Senior PGA Championship, at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Ky., and includes Senior PGA Championships in 2012 and 2014 to be hosted at The Golf Club at Harbor Shores in Benton Harbor, Mich.  Benton Harbor is the home of KitchenAid, part of Whirlpool Corporation's unmatched portfolio of leading consumer appliance brands. The Championship dates and the site of the 2013 Senior PGA Championship will be announced at a later date.

"The Senior PGA Championship's tradition of bringing together the strongest field in senior golf now welcomes a legendary partner of the business community in Whirlpool Corporation, one of the world's most respected and recognizable companies, and its iconic KitchenAid brand," said PGA of America Chief Executive Officer Joe Steranka. "The PGA of America is extremely proud to be associated with KitchenAid, Whirlpool Corporation and its nearly 67,000 employees.  We appreciate the company's commitment to the Senior PGA Championship, the communities that will host this great championship and the potential for growing audiences through the company and the KitchenAid brand's influence and support."

As the Senior PGA Championship makes its debut in Colorado this week, it also will make its first appearances in Michigan in 2012 and 2014 at The Golf Club at Harbor Shores, a 6,981-yard, par-71 Jack Nicklaus Design Golf Course, which will officially be opened Aug. 10, with a charity event – Champions for Change – featuring Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Tom Watson and Johnny Miller. The course is part of the 530-acre Harbor Shores development that spans part of Benton Harbor, St. Joseph and Benton Charter Township in Southwest Michigan.

The Harbor Shores project is a leading force in the revitalization of the Benton Harbor and St. Joseph communities, and is expected to quickly become one of the premier golf destinations in the Midwest.

"We are pleased and proud that KitchenAid will be the presenting sponsor of the Senior PGA Championship," said Deb O'Connor, senior manager of brand experience for KitchenAid. "KitchenAid and Whirlpool Corporation have a long track record for doing the right things, including Cook for the Cure, our partnership with Susan G. Komen and the fight against breast cancer, our 10-year partnership with Habitat For Humanity, and many other programs that help improve lives and communities."  

"The Senior PGA, KitchenAid brand and Whirlpool Corporation's alliance presents an opportunity to show how business and golf can help to strengthen and transform lives and communities," said Jeff Noel, corporate vice president, Whirlpool Corporation.  "Hosting the championship in 2012 and 2014 will turn the eyes of the golf world to Benton Harbor Michigan, where the Harbor Shores development is already making a difference and driving positive, lasting change in our community."

About KitchenAid

Since the introduction of its legendary stand mixer in 1919 and first dishwasher in 1949, KitchenAid has built on the legacy of these icons to create a complete line of products designed for cooks.  Over 90 years later, the KitchenAid brand now offers virtually every essential for the well-equipped kitchen with a collection that includes everything from countertop appliances to cookware, ranges to refrigerators, and whisks to wine cellars.  To learn why chefs choose KitchenAid for their homes more than any other brand, visit www.KitchenAid.com.

About Harbor Shores

Harbor Shores is Lake Michigan's first beach and golf resort community, just 100 miles east of Chicago in Benton Harbor/ St. Joseph, Mich. The community's central amenity is an 18-hole, public Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course that offers stunning views of Lake Michigan. The 530-acre master-planned community plans to feature a full calendar of events and world-class amenities, including a marina village and river walk, restaurants and shops, deep-water marinas, a boutique hotel and spa, miles of recreational trails and rivers, and acres of parks and green space. Harbor Shores will be home to nearly 800 residences, including charming cottages, custom homes, town homes and condominiums.

Harbor Shores, a non-profit developer, is investing in the future of Southwest Michigan and building this resort community and golf course, to be a catalyst to support ongoing economic, environmental, and social revitalization efforts. This visionary project is a public-private partnership and truly one of a kind in the country.

About Whirlpool Corporation

Whirlpool Corporation is the world's leading manufacturer and marketer of major home appliances, with annual sales of approximately $17 billion in 2009, 67,000 employees, and 67 manufacturing and technology research centers around the world.  The company markets Whirlpool, Maytag, KitchenAid, Jenn-Air, Amana, Brastemp, Consul, Bauknecht and other major brand names to consumers in nearly every country around the world.  Additional information about the company can be found at http://www.whirlpoolcorp.com.

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.

The PGA of America, 100 Avenue of the Champions, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33418

SOURCE The PGA of America