Priest's successor comes from AGA's ranks
HOOVER – The Alabama Golf Association only had to look inside its own building to find a replacement for outgoing executive director Andy Priest.
A national search revealed that the best candidate for the job was already on staff. Jeremy Gardner was announced Wednesday as the new leader of the state’s golf association. He’ll begin his new job in November.
“After a national search with candidates from across the country and golf industry, it was clear that Jeremy was the best individual to lead our organization forward into the future”, said Walker Grant, Alabama Golf Association president in a news release. “His institutional knowledge, established relationships with key stakeholders, respect from his peers and our board of directors, along with an excellent work ethic while developing our junior golf program and foundation activities sets our course for greater success.”
“The Southern Golf Association [a regional association] and Alabama Golf Association have a long-standing and unique relationship where Jeremy’s experience working inside both organizations will keep the continuity intact while understanding the moving parts involved to conduct elite amateur championships”, noted Jimmy Riddle, Southern Golf Association President. “We look forward to Jeremy’s leadership and supporting the transition into his new role”.
Jeremy Gardner, a 33-year-old Denver, Colorado, native, graduated from Metropolitan State University of Denver in 2013 with a degree in Sport Management and Finance. During college, Gardner gained his first experience in golf administration as a tournament operations intern with the Colorado Golf Association. He also served as a USGA P.J. Boatwright intern with the Southern Nevada Golf Association and joined the junior golf department at the Southern California Golf Association as a program coordinator in fall 2014. In September 2015, he returned to the Southern Nevada Golf Association as a Manager of Competitions. In March 2017, he was named the manager of junior golf for the Alabama Golf Association and he was elevated to director in 2019.
Jeremy Gardner grew the AGA’s junior program
“I want to thank the Executive Search Committee led by Walker Grant for entrusting me with the opportunity and responsibility of leading two prestigious organizations such as the Alabama Golf Association and Southern Golf Association,” Gardner said. “I am looking forward to continuing to work with our staff, Board of Directors and member clubs to build on the tremendous momentum that has been established under Andy Priest’s leadership while continuing to elevate and expand our services for our members.”
Under Gardner’s oversight, he built the AGA’s junior golf program that includes elevated state junior championships for boys and girls, new events such as the State 13 & Under and Parent-Child Championships, launched the Junior Golf Alabama initiative, managed the rollout of Youth on Course Alabama, led fundraising efforts for the Alabama Golf Foundation, developed Alabama Junior Golf Rankings, established Alabama Junior Players of the Year awards, serves as the point of contact amongst the various junior golf organizations in the state and as the official in charge for all AGA junior championships, state high school championships and select USGA qualifiers.
Priest is leaving in November to join the Carolinas Golf Association as its Executive Director beginning next January after a nine- year tenure in Alabama.
“I am incredibly proud of Jeremy and excited for both organizations that he was selected to lead them into the future,” Priest said. “He has a deep understanding of the high standards that we built here together as a team and look forward to watching him take the AGA and SGA to new heights.”
Members of the search committee were Grant, Joey Dzwonkowski (AGA Vice President), Susan West (AGA Secretary), Will Swift (AGA Executive Committee), Steve Hudson (AGA Past President), Jimmy Riddle (SGA President) and Hank Perkins (SGA Past President).
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Featured image of Jeremy Gardner courtesy of the Alabama Golf Association
