Scott Kmiec Joins PGA Of America; Chris Bauer To Lead Njpga

Pictured: NJPGA 2012 staff, from left, Greg Zohovetz (Tournament adminstrator), Chris Hunt, Chris Bauer & Scott Kmiec

The New Jersey State Golf Association congratulates Scott Kmiec, long-time executive director of the New Jersey section of The PGA of America, who has accepted the position of senior director, PGA Foundation, at the PGA of America’s corporate headquarters in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.

At the same time, the New Jersey PGA section has announced that Chris Bauer, most recently the section’s director of operations, will succeed Kmiec as executive director. Also, Chris Hunt, the current assistant executive director, will serve as the new director of operations.

Kmiec, 40, is a former baseball captain at Rutgers University, and started at the New Jersey PGA section as an intern in 1995. He was named executive director in December of 1997. He was responsible for managing the daily activities of the section’s nearly 500 PGA professionals. He also played a critical role in the creation of the New Jersey Golf Foundation, the charitable arm of the NJPGA.

The Foundation introduces youth of all ages and backgrounds to the game of golf and includes the popular “Golf in Schools” program that impacts 100,000 children annually. NJPGA, under Kmiec, also supported local First Tee programs.

As senior director of PGA of America, Kmiec will support the strategic mission of the PGA Foundation and its programs, including PGA R.E.A.C.H. (Recreation, Education, Awareness, Community, Hope), PGA H.O.P.E. (Helping Our Patriots Everywhere), the PGA Golf Management Diversity Scholarship program, and local philanthropic support in The PGA's 41 geographical Sections nationwide.

In addition, Kmiec will support the goals of the golf industry's efforts to grow the game, and he will oversee all fundraising efforts including gifts and endowments, and partner with and engage the 41 Sections.

"The PGA of America is fortunate to have someone with Scott's experience to lead the PGA Foundation," said Darrell Crall. "Scott's familiarity with our 41 section Leaders will help us collaborate our fundraising and operational efforts to build greater awareness of the PGA Foundation.

"It is an honor to be named senior director of the PGA Foundation," said Kmiec, who will report to Crall. "The PGA Foundation and PGA Professionals have helped millions of Americans through this game that we love. I'm excited to take what I have learned at the Section level and hope to make more of an impact, especially as The PGA approaches its Centennial."

Bauer, 32, is a graduate of Rutgers’ Cook College, was also an intern, and began as a full-time employee in June, 2001, serving as tournament administrator. As director of operations, he managed daily activities in conjunction with the successful NJPGA tournament program.

Hunt, a former collegiate golfer at Elon College, was also an intern at NJPGA and in 1999, was hired as full-time Junior Golf coordinator. A year later, he was named tournament administrator. He assumed the assistant executive director position in 2001. As director of operations, he will continue to oversee the NJPGA Junior Tour, which has tripled in size under his leadership, and the NJGF “Golf in Schools” program, which has become the model program for other PGA sections to follow.