Chrysler Classic of Greensboro and Greensboro Jaycees form Greensboro Jaycees Charitable Foundation

GREENSBORO, N.C. – – The Greensboro Jaycees announced today that it reached an agreement to restructure its charitable foundation and give the foundation oversight responsibilities for the Chrysler Classic of Greensboro. The Greensboro Jaycees Charitable Foundation will be comprised of community leaders and Jaycee membership, working together to oversee the operations, budget and staff of the Chrysler Classic. Additionally, the Foundation’s Board of Trustees will work to strengthen support of the event within the Piedmont Triad and ensure the future of the 67-year-old Chrysler Classic.
As part of the restructuring agreement, Tournament Director Mark Brazil and his professional staff will now report to the Greensboro Jaycees Charitable Foundation. Little else will change operationally – most critically, the Greensboro Jaycees will remain the host volunteer organization of the event and lend its 67 years of expertise to the ongoing efforts.
“The PGA TOUR has mandated that each of its tournaments operate as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization,” 2005 Chrysler Classic General Chairman Justin Conrad said. “Knowing we had to make this change, the Greensboro Jaycees and the Chrysler Classic decided to go above and beyond the TOUR requirements. We are engaging the Triad community and business leaders in building a grassroots model for future-tournament success. We believe our new structure will be one the PGA TOUR can emulate as it changes structures of other tournaments.”
The Jaycees will continue to provide the leadership and chairmanship opportunities that have been mutually beneficial to its members and the tournament, and will work hand-in-hand with the Chrysler Classic’s full-time and contract support staff in key areas including tournament operations, sales and marketing and media relations. As has been the case in 2005, this partnership will continue to ensure a professionally run PGA TOUR event.
“This change will help us take the Chrysler Classic to the next level and secure the future of the golf tournament,” Brazil said. “It puts is in a better position to negotiate for the future and allows us to compete nationally; now we can grow this tournament into the Triad’s event while maintaining the history of the Greensboro Jaycees. The PGA TOUR will want to do business with this tournament because of the strength of the board we have assembled.”
Members of the Greensboro Jaycees Charitable Foundation represent an array of interests in the business, philanthropic and charitable arenas. The inaugural foundation board is as follows:

Mike Bumpass, President of the Greensboro Merchants Association;
Dennis Glass, CEO of Jefferson Pilot;
George House, attorney at Brooks, Pierce, McLendon, Humphrey and Leonard, LLP;
Bonnie McElveen-Hunter, founder of Pace Communications, Chair of the American Red Cross and former Ambassador for The United States;
Bobby Long, local businessman and civic volunteer;
Mackey McDonald, CEO of VF Corporation;
Jim Melvin, chairman of the Bryan Foundation and former Greensboro mayor;
Billy Nutt, AIG United Guaranty CEO;
Dr. Jim Renick, Chancellor of North Carolina A&T;
General Chairman of the Chrysler Classic;
President of the Greensboro Jaycees;
An appointed representative of the Greensboro Jaycees Green Coat Club; and
The Honorary Chairman of the Chrysler Classic.

“I’d like to commend Justin Conrad and the Greensboro Jaycees on what they’ve done this year, not only with the 2005 Chrysler Classic of Greensboro, but also, more importantly, what they have done to help secure the future of the Chrysler Classic,” Foundation member Bobby Long said. “The Greensboro Jaycees have been great stewards of this golf tournament since 1938, and they will continue as the host volunteer organization and a major stakeholder of the Chrysler Classic. If it wasn’t for the Greensboro Jaycees, we wouldn’t be talking about the Chrysler Classic.”
The 2005 Chrysler Classic of Greensboro is set for Sept. 26-Oct. 2, 2005 at Forest Oaks Country Cub in Greensboro, N.C. This year’s tournament marks the 10th anniversary of Chrysler’s title sponsorship and thanks VF Corporation and Harris Teeter for increasing their involvement to the Premier Partner level. Tickets are available at the tournament office at (336) 379-1570. Additional tournament information is available at www.chryslerclassic.org.


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