Scott Kmiec Honored At Njsga/njpga Celebration Of Golf
Scott Kmiec, longtime Executive Director of the New Jersey PGA and current Senior Director of PGA REACH - the PGA of America’s Charitable Foundation – was honored as recipient of the New Jersey Golf Distinguished Service Award Winner at the 12th annual NJSGA/NJPGA Celebration of Golf on Thursday, October 22, at Crestmont Country Club in West Orange.
The Distinguished Service Award is presented annually by the NJPGA in collaboration with the New Jersey State Golf Association to an individual for their selfless service and contributions to the game of golf in New Jersey, consistent with the honor, values and traditions of the game.
Installed into the NJPGA Hall of Fame at the Celebration of Golf were Baker Maddera of Rock Spring Club, Mark Schaare, formerly of Knob Hill who now lives in Florida, and Doug Steffen of Baltusrol Golf Club.
Honored by the NJSGA were Player of the Year Max Greyserman of Crestmont, Women’s Player of the Year Taylor Totland of Hollywood and Senor Player of the Year Ron Vannelli of Forsgate.
Spring Brook Country Club was named NJSGA Caddie Scholarship Foundation Club of the Year.
Bill Castner of Plainfield West 9 was recognized for winning the National PGA Bill Strausbaugh Award for development of youth golf.
NJPGA Special Awards winners were Ridgewood’s David Reasoner, Player of the Year and Merchandiser of the Year (private club), Spring Lake’s Matt McKeon, Assistant Professional of Year; Montclair’s Brian Dobbie, Youth Player Development Award; Black Bear’s Bryan Jones, Horton Smith Award; Rick Hartigan, Salesman of Year; Upper Montclair’s Tyler Hall, Assistant Player of Year.
Also, Hamilton Farm’s Mike Adams, Teacher of Year; Canoe Brook C.C., Club of Year; Eagle Ridge’s Kevin Beirne, Merchandiser of Year (public club) and Player Development Award; Canoe Brook’s George Deitz, Bill Strausbaugh Award; Spring Lake’s Bill King, Patriot Award and White Beeches’ Jim McGovern, Senior Player of Year.
Scott Kmiec now works out of the PGA of America’s Corporate Headquarters in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
“Part of my job is sharing what the professionals here are doing so successfully in the areas of Youth Development of golf, helping the military and in diversity and translating that to the other sections in the rest of the country,” Kmiec said at the event.
“Receiving this award is humbling for me. It’s an honor to have you name put alongside those who have previously won the Distinguished Service Award,” Kmiec added. “We make sure golf is accessible for all. The game has impact no matter what the individual’s background. We make sure we bring it to all. Those were the principles the PGA was founded upon.”
A graduate of Rutgers University and former baseball captain for the Scarlet Knights, Kmiec started with the NJPGA as a collegiate intern in January of 1995. In just two short years, he was promoted to the role of Executive Director, in December of 1997. During his 17-year stint as Section ED, Kmiec was responsible for managing the daily activities of the Section’s nearly 500 PGA Professionals, operating more than 100 member-based tournaments, and elevating the Association’s junior golf programs, among other responsibilities. One of the highlights of Kmiec’s tenure was the creation of the New Jersey Golf Foundation (NJGF), the charitable arm of the NJPGA Section, which was established in 2004 with a mission to positively impact lives and communities through the game of golf.
His passion for the game and instilling the life enhancing values it can bring was paramount and he continues to share that passion in his new role with the PGA of America and their efforts to grow the game of golf throughout the PGA of America’s 41 Sections.
In his current job, which became full-time when Pete Bevacqua took over as PGA executive director, coincides directly with what he had installed at NJPGA - managing the PGA’s charitable arm on a daily basis, particularly the three pillars of youth, military and diversity. Just two years ago, Military HOPE was in four locations. It is now in 46 with 20 more locations in development. Diversity includes not just ethnicity, but those challenged mentally and physically.
