Lead Golf Together Summit

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in the Leadership of Golf
October 6 - 7, 2021  |  Hotel Bennett  |  Charleston, SC

The National Golf Course Owners Association is hosting the industry’s first Lead Golf Together (LGT) Summit, an opportunity for the leaders of golf’s allied organizations to specifically address the pronounced lack of diversity on executive teams and governing boards throughout the sport and industry. This is not a new collaborative initiative as much as it is an opportunity for each invited organization to learn and improve in their own universe.

The Lead Golf Together Summit will be an industry catalyst for long overdue and critically necessary change. It will provide the governing and staff leadership of golf’s national allied organizations with support for their own Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) efforts through a collaborative opportunity for active listening, participatory learning and hands-on development of action plans that can transform the culture and complexion of the leadership tables that shape and serve the sport. LGT is meant to be a resource for each organization to make its own change.

Financial management and execution of the LGT Summit will be administered through the NGCOA Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization. Any net proceeds from the event will be used specifically on industry DEI initiatives.

Speakers



James E. Clyburn
Majority Whip
U.S. House of Representatives

valentino_dixon_square2.jpg
Valentino Dixon
Artist/Lecturer



Derek Douglas
VP for Civic Engagement and External Affairs
The University of Chicago



Ray Halbritter
Nation Representative and CEO
Oneida Indian Nation



Robin Herrington
North America Brand Director - Golf
Nike



Sheila Johnson
CEO
Salamander Golf and Resorts



Maurice Jones
CEO
OneTen Organization



Renee Powell
Executive Director
Clearview Foundation



Michael Williams
Moderator
Lead Golf Together Summit



Jay Karen
CEO
National Golf Course Owners Association

Agenda


Tuesday, October 5

4:00 PM - 7:00 PM   Check-in and badge pick-up
We recommend you arrive on Tuesday if you're playing in the Golf Outing on Wednesday morning

Wednesday, October 6

The first day of the Summit will begin with the golf outing at the newly-renovated Charleston Municipal Golf Course (a newly renovated public gem that has been named one of the Top 20 Municipal Courses in the country with its own story about racial integration). The evening will include opportunities for attendees to connect socially, which will help create a positive environment for Day 2. The evening will also feature a "fireside chat" with Valentino Dixon, who spent over 25 years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit, before his drawing of Augusta National Golf Club started a chain of events that would eventually lead to his freedom.

8:15 AM - 8:45 AM    Grab-and-go light breakfast

8:45 AM - 3:00 PM    Golf Outing (shuttle service to course; lunch, refreshments on-course)

3:00 PM                   Shuttles return to Hotel Bennett

6:30 PM - 8:00 PM    Welcome Reception & Dinner

8:00 PM - 9:00 PM    Fireside Chat with special guest Valentino Dixon

Thursday, October 7

The second day will feature a mix of conversations that address the process of creating an equitable and inclusive leadership culture throughout the businesses of golf, and breakout/workshop time for each organization to examine its own unique opportunities.

8:00 AM - 9:00 AM     Breakfast

9:00 AM - 9:30 AM     Welcome and Opening Remarks

9:30 AM - 10:00 AM    Presentation: Establishing the Language and Benefits of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion // Speaker: Michael Williams

10:00 AM - 10:45 AM   Panel Discussion: Challenges and Successes in Recruiting Diverse Populations for Boards // Panelists: Sheila Johnson, Ray Halbritter, Renee Powell 

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM   Panel Discussion: Challenges and Successes in Recruiting Diverse Populations for C-Suite and Management Level Positions // Panelists: Robin Herrington, Derek Douglas, Sheila Johnson

12:00 PM - 1:00 PM     Lunch

1:00 PM - 2:00 PM      Presentation: Establishing Best Practices for Diversifying Organizational Structures // Speaker: Maurice Jones

2:00 PM - 2:45 PM      Q&A with Majority Whip Jim Clyburn

3:00 PM - 3:45 PM      Breakout Session: Discussion on Best Practices for Diversifying Organizational Structures // Moderators: Maurice Jones, Michael Williams

3:45 PM - 4:30 PM      Mastermind Session / Q&A

4:30 PM - 5:00 PM      Closing Session

COVID-19 Information

We're excited to return to in-person events, and the health and safety of our participants is our highest consideration. To aid in the prevention of virus transmission, we have implemented policies and procedures that will ensure we keep our Lead Golf Together Summit participants as safe as possible, while still providing a fun and engaging conference experience where our community can reconnect after a long period of separation.

Please bring proof of vaccination with you to the LGT Summit. Fully-vaccinated participants are no longer required to wear masks or social distance, BUT all unvaccinated participants will be required to wear masks at all times during indoor functions, or outdoors when in close proximity to others, unless they are a designated speaker or panelist, or are engaging in dining activities.

Read the Hotel Bennet's COVID-19 Protection Policy here. If you have questions about the policy or the event, please email our event staff.


Thanks to our Supporting Sponsors



City of Charleston Municipal Golf Course
The Charleston Municipal Golf Course was built on James Island and opened in 1929. An almost year-long $2 million renovation and restoration project was completed in December 2020; click here to read about the course and its renovation.
Hotel Bennett, Charleston, SC
The LGT Summit program and accommodations will be at the Hotel Bennett, Charleston’s newest premier hotel and a Salamander Hospitality property. Salamander Hospitality is owned by one of the industry’s few Black golf course owners, Sheila Johnson. Please book your room by September 13, 2021; contact Sherea Malcolm, NGCOA's Events Manager, at smalcolm@ngcoa.org for assistance.