OUR LEADERSHIP
John Easterbrook Jr., PGA
Chief Membership Officer
The PGA of America
John Easterbrook Jr., PGA, joined the PGA of America in January 2017 as the Association’s first Chief Membership Officer. He directs the core PGA Member-focused areas of the Association—including PGA Career Services, Education, Member Services, and Section Business Operations.
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He also briefly served as Interim CEO before Seth Waugh was named CEO of the PGA of America in September 2018.
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A more than 30-year member of the PGA, Easterbrook delivers a critically important perspective to the PGA of America’s leadership team, focused on creating enhanced career opportunities for the PGA’s Membership and developing PGA Professionals worldwide.
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For 20 years, he served as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Troon, the largest third-party management company in the world. Easterbrook was responsible for the day-to-day operations of a vast global business that included more than 15,000 associates (including more than 450 PGA Professionals) at 280 courses in 33 countries and 37 states. In addition, he was instrumental in the growth of the company’s portfolio and oversaw the development of Troon’s operating standards and financial benchmarking. As a member of the senior executive committee, Easterbrook also directed field operations, sales, and marketing. Prior to Troon, Easterbrook served in executive roles in the golf divisions at Hyatt Hotels and Marriott International.
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The grandson of a PGA Professional and the son of a college football coach, Easterbrook earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Wyoming, where he played on the golf team.
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Easterbrook and his wife, Lori, have three daughters: Alexandra, Kelsey and Morgan.
Scott Kmiec
Senior Director
PGA ExecuSearch
Scott Kmiec serves as the PGA ExecuSearch Senior Director. Previously, he served as the Senior Director of PGA of America Career Services, the organization’s largest department for 7 years. He has been a PGA of America employee since 2013, starting as the Association’s first PGA REACH, Senior Director responsible for supervision of the PGA’s charitable foundation. Kmiec oversaw the programming, funding, and strategic direction of the Foundation and its three key pillars; YOUTH, MILITARY, and DIVERSITY/INCLUSION.
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Kmiec is a PGA of America “lifer” having spent 19 years with the PGA of America’s New Jersey Section prior to transitioning into his current role. The Rutgers graduate and former baseball team captain began his career as a collegiate intern with the New Jersey PGA in January of 1995. He quickly ascended to the role of Executive Director and was responsible for the operations of the Section activities including the NJPGA’s successful Tournament program–Junior Tour–and Employment/Club Relations activities. During his tenure, the New Jersey Section enjoyed significant growth in membership, sponsorship, and community engagement, the highlight being the creation of the NJPGA’s charitable arm, the NJ Golf Foundation.
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Under Kmiec’s management, the NJ Golf Foundation became a respected leader in the New Jersey golf community providing outreach programs for introduction to the sport for youth, women, and military veterans. The NJGF’s signature “Golf in Schools” initiative had grown to over 150 schools and 100,000 youth under his leadership and expanded the reach of the sport to locations across the state. The NJGF also partnered with Plainfield Country Club on a successful educational initiative called “The Path to College program,” which provided underserved families with scholarships, SAT preparation, college visits, and counseling for their children to attain higher education.
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In 2012, the New Jersey PGA was honored by the PGA of America with the “Herb Graffis” award, which is presented annually to a PGA Section for its efforts in Player Development. Similarly, the efforts put forth by Kmiec and his long-tenured team led the NJPGA to be announced as the 2014 recipient of the Metropolitan Golf Association’s Distinguished Service award. Kmiec was individually honored by the NJPGA and NJSGA in 2015 when he was named the NJ Golf Distinguished Service Award winner.
Ken Ferrell, PGA
Executive Recruiter
PGA ExecuSearch
Ken Ferrell is a 36-year member of the PGA of America and was inducted into the Southern California PGA Hall of Fame in 2019. He previously served Southern California and the Aloha PGA Sections in Career Services for 14 years with additional interim support to Northern California, the Southwest, Sun Country, and North and South Texas Sections.
With experience at high-end private and resort facilities, his green grass experience includes positions as facility lessee, General Manager, Regional Director of Golf, and Head Golf Professional. He also led growth of the game instructional programs as Director of Golf Instruction for the Arnold Palmer Golf Company at multiple facilities while securing exclusivity for Nike Golf programs for the greater Los Angeles and Palm Springs regions. He founded two golf companies, one as the lessee of a state-of-the-art golf practice center, restaurant, and lounge, and the other which opened, managed, and/or consulted to over 30 new or existing golf properties in the Western U.S. and Mexico. Additionally, Ken served as the Director of Golf and Career Services for ten years at an accredited two-year golf management program and assisted them in the opening of three new campuses nationwide.
Ken co-founded the Southern California Section Associate Association and has held positions on their Board of Directors.
