The Texas Golf Association has a new Executive Director. The 112-year-old association’s Executive Committee on Oct. 15 announced that Stacy Dennis was selected to be its new leader.
Formerly the Managing Director of Membership Programs and the TGA Foundation, Dennis succeeds Rob Addington, who recently resigned after his 19 years as the TGA’s Executive Director. Dennis officially took over on Dec. 1.
The Huntsville, Texas, native has worked for the TGA since January 2015. During her previous role, Dennis oversaw significant membership growth with the addition of more than 17,000 individual members and nearly 50 new Member Clubs. In 2016, Dennis spearheaded the “Breaking 100” campaign that celebrated the centennial anniversary of Women’s Golf in Texas. She helped raise more than $80,000 for Women’s programming and generated almost 500,000 page views with her 100 profiles of the most prominent women in Texas golf history.
Dennis also bolstered the TGA Foundation’s charitable endeavors by relaunching its Bill Penn Grant and TGA Works programs. Named after the TGA’s first paid Executive Director, the Bill Penn Grant allocates up to $5,000 annually to community outreach organizations that provide local level instruction, educational materials and encouragement to junior golfers. TGA Works is an internship program that gives deserving high school students opportunities for paid internships at TGA Member Clubs.
After zero applications and awards for either program in 2015, Dennis has grown both to the point of 50 applications and eight grants awarded this year. She also greatly improved the strength of field ratings for the TGA’s Women’s Championships. Only one state association championship in America received a higher field strength rating than the 2018 Texas Women’s Stroke Play Championship, for example.
Addington announced his imminent resignation in July. During his nearly two decades at the helm, Addington led the TGA to historic growth and established it as one of the most influential Allied Golf Associations in the country. Addington hired Dennis in 2015, and now she steps in to fill his position as the operational and administrative leader of the TGA.
Upon learning of Addington’s impending departure, the TGA’s Executive Committee established an Executive Search Committee comprised of seven TGA Board Members with diverse backgrounds to identify and select the ideal candidate as his replacement. Chaired by Leslie Henry, who is in line to become the President of the TGA’s Board of Directors in 2020, the committee undertook an exhaustive, three-month national search to fill the leadership role.
A group of several qualified candidates was narrowed to four finalists, from which Dennis was selected. The Search Committee made a unanimous recommendation to the TGA Executive Committee, which made the ultimate decision to hire Dennis as the new Executive Director.
“First of all, we have an exceptional Board,” Henry said. “Everyone contributes. We really worked hard on this; it was quite a collaboration. All four finalists were strong and viewed as equal.”
During the in-person interview portion of the search process, the tide turned in favor of Dennis.
“When Stacy came in and gave her presentation, it was unbelievable,” Henry said. “She blew us away, and we knew then that this was our next Executive Director. She already has a long-term plan. She’s thought about the future of the TGA, every aspect of it, for a long time.”
Prior to joining the TGA, Dennis was General Manager of the Elkins Lake Recreation Corporation in Huntsville and has 20 years of executive management history in the golf industry. She’s also one of the most decorated amateur competitors in Texas.
After completing her collegiate career at Texas A&M, Dennis won the Texas Women’s Amateur Championship in 2004 and 2009. She won the Women’s State Four-Ball Championship twice (2009, 2015). On the national level, Dennis was a U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur semifinalist in 2012.
She now becomes only the third paid Executive Director in the TGA’s storied history. The late Bill Penn was the first (1988-2001), followed by Addington in 2001.
“The truth is, I just really love golf and think golf is good for our world,” Dennis said. “It is exciting to have an opportunity to have an impact on the game at all of the levels the TGA serves. I’m inspired by the prospect of collaborating with so many outstanding staff members, volunteers, and the other organizations who are also passionate about getting more people playing more golf.”
While Addington is leaving the TGA, he will still be involved in sports management. He is moving into a leadership position for Anera Sports, a new venture that provides association management, championship administration and consulting services. He said he is excited about the new Executive Director selection and thinks Dennis will successfully lead the TGA to the next level.
“Stacy’s experience with the TGA and her background as an accomplished player will serve her well as she leads the TGA,” Addington said. “I think she will continue to expand the role of the association to more golfers in the future. She is innovative, thoughtful and the right person for the job.”
