Golf is an $84 billion industry, and major PGA of America Championship events like the Ryder Cup and PGA Championship generate substantial entertainment and tourism dollars for host cities and surrounding areas each year. Accordingly, building a supply chain representative of the population is imperative for the PGA. Outreach efforts to diverse business associations include those within host cities, states, and national associations.
Darrell Searcy, President and CEO of Chandler Campbelle & Daschle (CC&D) — a minority-owned, South Florida-based management consulting and value-added reseller firm — annually works alongside the PGA of America and its prime supplier, The Convention Store, at the PGA Championship.
Similar to many business owners, Searcy is always looking for the next opportunity he can explore to further grow his business, and he found that through the PGA of America’s Diverse Business Opportunity Exchange. The Exchange is designed to assist PGA of America Major Championship Prime Suppliers in identifying prospective, certified minority-, women-, Veteran-, disabled-, and LGBTQ-owned business suppliers, which offer goods and services in specific categories.
“We’re excited to provide an opportunity to connect our prime suppliers each year with qualified diverse suppliers, to bring value, service, and innovation to the supply chain for each of these world-class events,” said PGA of America Chief People Officer Sandy Cross.
Attending the Exchange provided CC&D the opportunity to meet with executives from The Convention Store, of Millersville, Maryland, which provides transportation system design and management for conventions, trade shows, sporting events, and more. As a result, they secured a deal to provide logistics services at the PGA Championship.
“The hardest part of being a small business owner is managing the business, while trying to grow it at the same time,” said Searcy. “The PGA provided me with an opportunity to do both. I am forever indebted to the PGA of America for this great opportunity.”
Searcy is also able to support a passion for growing the number of youth of color participating in golf. This comes through a unique partnership between PGA REACH — the PGA of America’s 501(c)3 foundation — and African American Fraternity Sigma Pi Phi’s social action program. Accordingly, youth of color in these communities are provided access to golf courses at no cost, along with PGA Professional instruction, equipment, and uniforms. Sigma Pi Phi helps transport the children to and from the course to help ensure the kids have equal access.
Meanwhile, PGA Jr. League is the flagship youth program of PGA REACH, whose mission is to make the program accessible to all interested boys and girls in the United States and around the world. The program focuses on fun, recreation, good health, and sportsmanship. PGA Jr. League is recreational and developmental in nature, and works with PGA Sections and local youth organizations across the country to offer an alternative, social golf format that is coached by PGA and LPGA Professionals.
CC&D’s partnership with the PGA of America has evolved to help create PGA Jr. League programs in minority communities in seven cities nationwide. They have also introduced the game to youth who have historically been unengaged with the golf community.
Searcy’s success serves as a prime example of what the PGA of America’s Diverse Business Opportunity Exchange can do for businesses nationwide.
Companies interested in registering for the potential opportunity to participate in the PGA’s Diverse Business Opportunity Exchange should visit PGASupplierInclusion.org and follow @PGA on Twitter. A variety of products and services are needed each year, such as logistics, food products, temporary housing, florals, labor and more.