USGA Appoints Committee To Make Changes In Nominating Process For Its Executive Committee
February 6, 2004 Orlando, Fla. - The USGA Executive Committee voted Friday (Feb. 6) during the Association's 2004 Annual Meeting in Orlando, Fla., to accept a recommendation of the Advisory Committee of the Past Presidents to fundamentally change its nominating process.

While the Advisory Committee of Past Presidents will continue to have an advisory role, control of the nominating process will change. The Advisory Committee of Past Presidents recommended that it no longer control the way members are added or removed from the 15-member Executive Committee.

Instead, the new nominating committee will include the current president of the Association, a recent past president, and independent individuals from USGA member clubs.

Incoming President Fred Ridley has appointed an ad hoc committee to make final recommendations on the make-up of that committee and its selection. The Association's ad hoc committee will be chaired by Fred Nelson, general counsel, and include Paul Caruso, vice president; Trey Holland, past president; and Mary Bea Porter-King, an executive committee member. The committee will report its recommendations to the Executive Committee in coming weeks.

"Over the past two years as President of the USGA, I have spent a great deal of time looking at how we choose members of the nominating committee," said Reed Mackenzie. "These changes to the governance of the Association will serve the best interest of the game."

Speaking on behalf of the Advisory Committee of Past Presidents, Reg Murphy said: "The Advisory Committee of Past Presidents felt it was time to update the nominating process and we are glad the Executive Committee concurred. As the incoming chairman of the 2006 nominating committee, I felt too far removed from the current membership of the Executive Committee to do the job as adequately as a more current past president."