Until last month, Ryan Baker was enjoying a 35-year career in broadcast media – including the last 20 at CBS Chicago, where he served as the station’s sports director and reported on events that electrified the city.
So why depart the airwaves to become the chief executive officer of First Tee–Greater Chicago?
“You get very few opportunities in life to see a perfect pivot,” said Baker, 57, who replaced interim CEO Jill Sylvester in July. “This job checks so many boxes with my background in sports and my strong desire to serve the community.”
Baker became familiar with First Tee during its inception in Florida in 1997, when he worked in Orlando. Once he moved back to his hometown of Chicago in 2003, he became involved with the local chapter as a volunteer and supporter, while emceeing events such as a Presidents Cup breakfast before this September’s Medinah Country Club event (First Tee–Greater Chicago received a $250,000 grant from the Presidents Cup last year).
When the Glenview resident heard in 2025 that First Tee was looking for a new CEO, “a bell went off,” said Baker, a University of Illinois graduate. Though he loved covering local championship teams over the years, from the Chicago Blackhawks’ three titles to the once-in-a-lifetime Chicago Cubs victory in 2016 (“the power of sports to unify and inspire is unmatched,” he said), Baker was also enduring a revolution in the media business: the idea of appointment television, such as the 10 o’clock news, had been replaced by the ability to unearth any newsworthy information via a handheld phone. With First Tee-Greater Chicago, he can forgo daily deadlines (along with makeup, which he despised wearing during television segments) while continuing to embrace his role as a storyteller.
“I’m looking forward to amplifying the story of First Tee,” said Baker, who is a CDGA member out of Sunset Ridge Country Club in Northfield. “My greatest asset is a trusted brand in the Chicago market. For many years, I’ve come into people’s homes every night.”
An organization that looks to empower young people through golf, First Tee–Greater Chicago is coming off a fantastic year. During its 25th anniversary in 2025, the non-profit raised a record $3 million. It supports more than 8,000 youngsters annually, offering financial aid for its golf programs and other benefits.
“I’m joining an established winning team,” Baker said. “It’s exciting to teach life skills and mentor young people through the transformative game of golf.
“We’re not trying to nurture the next champion golfer. We’re trying to build a champion in life. That fits my lifestyle during my back nine.”—David A. F. Sweet
