From a hilarious send-off serenade by co-worker Ryan Smith — a parody sung to the tune of Barry Manilow’s “Mandy” — to a part tribute/part roast by other fellow CGA staffers, to a heartfelt toast from boss Ed Mate, to a tremendous turnout for the festivities, Gerry Brown, Laura Robinson and Ann Bley were sent into retirement in high style Wednesday night at Pinehurst Country Club.

A broad cross-section of the Colorado golf community turned out to bid adieu to the three key retiring CGA staff members, recognizing jobs well done.

Seldom do three top staffers in one Colorado golf organization retire within months of one another. But not only is that the case late this year for the CGA, but the three have been employed by the CGA/CWGA for a combined total of 46 years.

About 175 people showed up for Wednesday’s festivities, in honor of Brown, the CGA’s director of course rating and handicapping; Robinson, the CGA’s managing director of membership and integration — and former CWGA executive director; and Bley, the association’s director of finance. Bley retired at the end of August after 17 years on the job, while Brown (26 years at the CGA) and Robinson (three years combined at the CWGA and the CGA) are following suit at the end of the year.

In addition to fellow staffers saluting the three in videos — and taking good-natured digs — even former CGA employees joined in on the fun. That included former CGA executive director Warren Simmons, who hired Brown back in 1992.

In turn, each of the retirees took a few minutes to fondly recall their days at the CGA/CWGA, share a laugh or two, and vow to spend their fair share of time on golf courses in retirement. That will include tee times and stays at The Broadmoor Resort — going-away gifts from the CGA.

To read more about the golf administration careers of the three, click on the following:

— Ann Bley 

— Gerry Brown 

— Laura Robinson 

Several photos from Wednesday’s festivities accompany this story.

Considering he was receiving a golf-related award on Sunday evening, Armando Duarte didn’t used to have the most positive attitude about the game.

“Before I started (caddying), I never knew anything about golf,” the 15-year-old sophomore from Regis Jesuit High School said. “I thought golf was the most boring sport ever. Now, I’m back to playing it. I tried out for my high school team. I didn’t make it but I’m still playing. I think it’s a great thing to do. I got all that from caddying.”

And, specifically, from doing so as part of the Solich Caddie & Leadership Academy, which on Sunday celebrated its seventh season with an awards barbecue at CommonGround Golf Course, the CGA-owned facility where the Academy started in 2012.

Over the seven golf seasons since, the Solich Academy has put together some impressive numbers:

— Now with three sites for the program around the state — CommonGround, Meridian Golf Club in Englewood and Lincoln Park/Tiara Rado in Grand Junction — the Academy has produced more than 8,500 caddie loops over the seven years. That includes a record total of more than 1,500 in 2018, with 46 caddies participating. There were 888 loops at CommonGround, 419 at Meridian and 215 in Grand Junction.

— This fall, a record-tying four Solich Academy caddies became Evans Scholars — three at the University of Colorado and one at Northwestern — after being awarded the full tuition and housing scholarship earlier in 2018. All told, 17 Solich kids have earned Evans Scholarships, almost all at CU.

— Then there are the 10 key elements of the “Code of the West”, which are key parts of the “leadership” aspect of the Solich Academy: 1) Live each day with courage; 2) Take pride in your work; 3) Always finish what you start; 4) Do what has to be done; 5) Be tough, but fair; 6) When you make a promise, keep it; 7) Ride for the brand; 8) Talk less and say more; 9) Remember that some things aren’t for sale; 10) Know where to draw the line.

— And on Sunday, at the season-ending awards barbecue at CommonGround, nearly 150 people showed up for the festivities — caddies, their families, and supporters and organizers of the program.

That included one of the two people who lent their name and foundational support to the Solich Academy — brothers George and Geoff (Duffy) Solich. Both caddied themselves as teenagers — at The Broadmoor Golf Club in Colorado Springs — and subsequently were awarded Evans Scholarships at CU. They’ve long been successful Colorado-based oilmen and philanthropists.

“What always stands out to me is the family support these kids have,” Duffy Solich said after Sunday’s festivities. “It’s really cool to see all these people here.”

Indeed, the Solich Caddie & Leadership Academy continues to blossom. The program promotes the use of caddies by paying their base fees through an educational grant, with participating golfers having the option of adding a tip.

And, as noted earlier, there’s also a hearty leadership aspect to the Academy. Each youngster who participates not only caddies but is required to attend weekly leadership classes and do community-service work each summer.

“I think it’s an amazing program,” said CGA co-president Joe McCleary, who has regularly helped train some of the Solich Academy caddies over the years. “It’s just a great program for the kids. It provides a lot of learning opportunities and I think it’ll make a difference in their lives.

“I’ve said it before: The golf course (at CommonGround) is a laboratory for a variety of programs, and this is one of those perfect programs that fits right into the laboratory.”

And that lab has produced kids like Duarte, who on Sunday was named “Caddie Leader of the Year” at CommonGround for 2018.

“I get discipline out of the program,” he said. “This is pretty much a first job for a teenager like me. It teaches us how it is to have a job.

“Many of my golfers really gave me confidence to open myself up more to new people because I was a really shy person. That was really good for me.”

At all the Colorado courses, the Solich Academy is a flagship program for the CGA, which devotes considerable resources in nurturing and managing it. CGA executive director Ed Mate, like the Soliches, attended CU on an Evans Scholarship. Also playing key roles in the Academy’s success from the assocation are manager of caddie development Emily Olson, director of youth programs Erin Gangloff and director of development Ryan Smith.

The CGA raised almost $40,000 for the Solich Academy this year through two trips that were generously donated by the Bandon Dunes Resort in Oregon — with one being raffled off and the other being awarded through an auction.

BMW, a presenting partner of the CGA, is also the exclusive partner for the Solich Academy at CommonGround.

Besides CommonGround, Meridian, Lincoln Park and Tiara Rado, courses in southeast Wisconsin and in Oceanside, Calif., have taken the Solich Academy template and used it at their facilities, with tweaks as necessary.

“There’s room for people to take the ball and run with it” regarding expanding the program’s concept, Duffy Solich (left) said.

The normal pattern in the Denver metro area is for Solich caddies to spend two years at CommonGround or Meridian, then graduate to other programs around the area such as those at Cherry Hills Country Club, Denver Country Club, Lakewood Country Club, etc.

“It’s so gratifying to go to these other courses and see caddies who have graduated from here thrive at these other courses,” Duffy Solich noted.

Meridian came on board by establishing a Solich Caddie & Leadership Academy chapter four years ago. And now the Englewood-based club is up to 11 caddies who this year produced 419 loops, a season-high for the course. Paul Lobato, the longtime PGA head professional at Meridian, has shepherded the program at the club, and is trying to take it up a notch or two. Lobato and his team at Meridian spend 10 hours working with the kids before ever sending them out to caddie.

“I think we’re holding the kids to different expectations — that we expect them to get better each time out — to raise the level from being just bag carriers and sherpas to being more of a true caddie,” Lobato said.

Lobato finds it very gratifying to see the results — not only at his course, but for the Solich Academy program in general.

“It seems that caddying is very much back in vogue,” he said. “People are requesting them, people are interested in them. They’re interested in kids not only as caddies but as golfers and students and things like that. It is fun to see the growth of it.

“Caddies only used to be at certain places, but now they’re becoming a lot more common around town. Everybody is kind of getting their foot in the door. We just need to bust the door open and get stronger caddie programs with better caddies and people requesting them more.”

Here are the Solich Caddie & Leadership Academy awards that were presented on Sunday:

Caddie Leader of the Year
CommonGround — Armando Duarte
Meridian — Tara Simone
Grand Junction — Chloe Manchester

Congeniality Award
CommonGround — Anthony Montoya-Olivas
Meridian — Kimberly Helfer
 
Rookie of the Year
CommonGround — Lindsi Reyes
Meridian — Antonio Vasquez

Most Improved Caddie
CommonGround — Jaziel Guerrero
Meridian — Aidan McMahon
Grand Junction — Kalea Potter
 
3D Award (Dedication-Determination-Desire)
CommonGround — Simon Seyoum
Meridian — Logan Douglass
 

The Colorado Golf Association (CGA) is proud to announce BMW as the organization’s exclusive automotive partner. Starting this year, BMW of North America and the Colorado BMW Centers become the newest presenting partner for the CGA and the exclusive partner for the Solich Caddie & Leadership Academy at CommonGround Golf Course.

The BMW Championship made a major impact on the Colorado golf scene two years ago at Cherry Hills Country Club. The penultimate event of the PGA TOUR’s FedExCup Playoffs was named the PGA TOUR’s 2014 Tournament of the Year while raising a record $3.5 million for the Evans Scholars Foundation.

BMW will support many of the CGA’s initiatives, including the Hale Irwin Elite Player Program, Community Outreach and Wellness Programs, and the Solich Caddie & Leadership Academy — all based at CommonGround, a course owned and operated by the golf association. The CGA’s mission is to represent, promote and serve the best interest of golf in Colorado.

“We’re obviously very excited,” said Ed Mate, Executive Director of the CGA. “The alignment of the BMW brand and golf is well known. This really came out of the 2014 BMW Championship, their desire to continue to be active in the Colorado golf community and our desire to line that up with our brand.”

The BMW Championship, formerly The Western Open, has raised more than $21 million for the Evans Scholars Foundation since the tournament’s inception in 2007. The foundation provides full tuition and housing college scholarships to high-achieving caddies with significant financial need.

“Building off of a successful 2014 BMW Championship at Cherry Hills, we are thrilled to expand our relationship with the Colorado golf community through this partnership with the Colorado Golf Association and the Solich Caddie & Leadership Academy,” said Tim Rittenhouse, Experiential Marketing Manager at BMW of North America. “Colorado has a rich history in golf and we are excited to work alongside the CGA in such a prominent and passionate golf community.”

The partnership allows BMW and the CGA to create unique programming and experiences for CGA members while enabling BMW to expand its involvement and support of caddie programs across the country.

“Not only has BMW demonstrated a strong commitment to the Evans Scholars Foundation, it’s clear they are committed to helping raise the awareness of the important role caddies play in the game of golf,” Mate noted. “It’s great to have a partner that recognizes the opportunity caddie programs can give to hard-working kids and we’re excited to be a part of BMW’s growing commitment to the game of golf.”

George and Geoff “Duffy” Solich, for whom the Solich Caddie & Leadership Academy is named, are Evans Scholars alumni from the University of Colorado, as is Mate. George Solich served as General Chairman of the 2014 BMW Championship at Cherry Hills. (He’s pictured at left applauding tournament winner Billy Horschel.) And Duffy Solich is the State Chairman for the Western Golf Association, the host organization of the BMW Championship that administers the Evans Scholars Foundation.

For more information about BMW, visit www.bmwusa.com or contact BMW Corporate Communications Manager Phil DiIanni at Phil.DiIanni@bmwna.com or at 201-571-5660.

For information on partnership and other sponsorship opportunities with the CGA, contact Director of Development Ryan Smith at rsmith@coloradogolf.org or at 303-974-2108.
 

In the same week that the CGA marked its official 100th “birthday”, the association celebrated by recognizing six “People of the Century” and by unveiling a keepsake poster (click to view large image) commemorating the last 100 years of Colorado golf.

The CGA was founded on Aug. 20, 1915, when a meeting was held to set up an association that would run the state championships and to appoint the officers for the new organization.

One hundred years later, on Saturday, a centennial kickoff celebration was held at the home of Colorado Golf Hall of Famers Kent and Janet Moore, the honorary chairs for the Nov. 14 Century of Golf Gala that’s set for The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, where Jack Nicklaus will be the featured guest and participate in a fireside chat.

At Saturday’s event, the half-dozen “People of the Century” in Colorado golf that were announced earlier this summer were honored. Those luminaries will also be feted at the Century of Golf Gala at The Broadmoor on Nov. 14. The six honorees are:

Man of the Century — Will Nicholson Jr.

Woman of the Century — Judy Bell

Golf Professional of the Century — Charles “Vic” Kline

Superintendent of the Century — Dennis Lyon

Male Player of the Century — Hale Irwin

Female Player of the Century — Barbara McIntire

For background on the People of the Century, who are pictured at bottom, CLICK HERE.

Five of the six — Nicholson, Bell, Kline, Lyon and McIntire — were on hand for Saturday’s event. Bell and Nicholson are two of the three Coloradans who have served as president of the USGA.

CGA executive director Ed Mate said the six represent “the Mount Rushmore of Golf in Colorado.”

“This is one of those moments where you need to take it all in — to be able to say, ‘I was in the room when these people were honored.'” Mate noted. “I mean, they’re legends of golf in Colorado. Of all the things we could have done to celebrate 100 years, I think this may be the most important, honoring these six people.”

Also on Saturday, the CGA made public a piece of centennial artwork it commissioned — thanks to a generous donation from the Solich Fund — from artist Lee Wybranski.

The poster (pictured at top), entitled “A Century of Golf in Colorado”, features highlights of the last 100 years of golf in the Centennial State. With a mountain backdrop, included are images of Babe Zaharias, Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Annika Sorenstam, all World Golf Hall of Famers who made their mark in the state.

Zaharias, a onetime Denver-area resident, won the 1950 Women’s Western Open, an LPGA Tour event held at Cherry Hills Country Club. Nicklaus captured his first USGA championship in Colorado, the 1959 U.S. Amateur at The Broadmoor. Palmer won his only U.S. Open at Cherry Hills by firing a final-round 65 in 1960, and is depicted tossing his visor in an iconic moment in golf history. And Sorenstam earned her first LPGA title at the 1995 U.S. Women’s Open at The Broadmoor.

A timeline noting another 19 pinnacles of Colorado golf history frame the artwork.

“Art is very personal, but for me it’s a home run,” Mate said of the poster. “Trying to marry history and art in a way that comes out tasteful, I think it’s hard to do. But this is the kind of piece that people who love golf will want to put on the wall. I’m very pleased.”

The poster will be an exclusive gift for Century of Golf Gala major donors and will serve as the cover art for the Gala program. All the net proceeds from the Gala — and related activities — will benefit the Colorado Golf Foundation and its mission of youth development through golf.

The Century of Golf art was the creation of Wybranski, a longtime professional artist who has created the official poster for the last eight U.S. Open golf championships, including this year’s at Chambers Bay in Washington. Wybranski, who is based in Flagstaff, Ariz., also painted artwork for the 2015 British Open, PGA Championship and U.S. Amateur, as well as for many earlier major championships.

“One of the hallmarks of my work, I hope, is bold simplicity,” Wybranski said in an interview on his website, leewybranski.com. “I feel like a poster is not a painting. The point of a poster is to grab someone from across the street. These were advertisements in the old days. The point of it is to create an image that grabs someone, makes them want to stop and come closer and see what it is.”

Several major champions have purchased Wybranski’s original posters for their own collections.

“I view this work as a modest contribution to golf history,” Wybranski said.

Also unveiled Saturday was a limited-edition autographed print (left, next to Mate) provided to the CGA by officials at Castle Pines Golf Club, showing Nicklaus shaking hands with runner-up Charlie Coe after their U.S. Amateur final that Nicklaus won at The Broadmoor in 1959. A limited number of the prints, autographed by both Nicklaus and Coe — respectively, the Castle Pines course designer and a former member at Castle Pines — will be sold as part of the Century of Golf celebration, again with the proceeds benefiting the Colorado Golf Foundation.

Overall, Saturday’s kickoff fit the bill as a key initial step in the buildup toward the Century of Golf Gala.

“I think it was mission accomplished,” Mate said. “We’re inside 90 days (until the Gala) so these people (in attendance) who are so well respected in their circles are going to go back and talk about this event and share their excitement.”

The weekend of the Century of Golf Gala will also include a golf outing on Nov. 14 at 10 a.m., at the historic East Course at The Broadmoor, where Nicklaus and Coe squared off 56 years ago. In addition, The Broadmoor is offering a room rate of $100 (plus service charge and taxes) for Century of Golf participants for the night of Nov. 14.

“This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” said Tom Gysin, a CGA governor and chairman of the Century of Golf Leadership Committee.

The Century of Golf Gala itself will begin on Nov. 14 at The Broadmoor with a cocktail reception at 5:30 p.m., followed by the dinner and formal program starting at 7 p.m.

To reserve spots at the Century of Golf Gala or for sponsorship opportunities or general information, CLICK HERE. Or you can contact CGA director of development Ryan Smith at rsmith@coloradogolf.org, or at 303-974-2108.

(Below are the “People of the Century” who attended Saturday’s kickoff event: From left, McIntire, Bell, Nicholson, Kline and Lyon. Not pictured: Irwin.)

Two organizations that have much in common — not-for-profit status, a membership based almost entirely in Colorado, and a keen interest in youth development — are teaming up for their mutual benefit.
   
Westerra Credit Union, based in Denver, has signed a multi-year agreement to become the first presenting partner for the CGA, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.
   
The co-branding agreement will give Westerra visibility and marketing opportunities on the CGA’s website (COgolf.org), and in its bimonthly newsletter, social media and other communication platforms. 
     
Meanwhile, Westerra will help underwrite the CGA and CJGA tournament seasons and CGA programs at the CommonGround Golf Course, which is owned and operated by the CGA and Colorado Women’s Golf Association. That programming (left) includes the Solich Caddie & Leadership Academy, the Hale Irwin Elite Player Program and Community & Wellness Programs which serve more than 700 Denver and Aurora school students and 365 additional adults and kids.
  
“The alignment is a great value for both of us,” said Ed Mate, executive director of the CGA. “They’re a membership organization, we’re a membership organization. They care a lot about Colorado and the community just as we do. We have a lot of common values. It’s a great fit for them and us.”
   
Dana Russell, manager of marketing and public relations at Westerra Credit Union, seconds that thought.
 
“Their philosophy and structure are so in line with what we do,” Russell said of the CGA. “We’re both very involved with the community and with schools. There are so many nice ties that a partnership will enhance for both of us.”
    
As part of the new agreement, for every person from the CGA who opens accounts at the credit union, Westerra will donate $52.80 to the Colorado Golf Foundation. The Foundation, a separate non-profit from the CGA, helps support such programs as the Solich Caddie & Leadership Academy, the Evans Scholarship for caddies, and the Irwin Elite Player Program.
     
While the CGA was founded in 1915 and now serves about 43,000 members, Westerra traces its Colorado roots back to 1934, when it was started by eight Denver teachers. The credit union now serves more than 90,000 members.         
    
Westerra, a not-for-profit financial cooperative owned and controlled by members who use its services, remains one of the few locally-owned financial institutions in Colorado, with more than $1.2 billion in total assets. 
   
Everyone who lives or works in the five-county Denver metro area can join Westerra. For more information, visit www.westerracu.com.
 
For information on opportunities with the CGA, contact director of development Ryan Smith at ryansmith@COgolf.org or at 303-974-2108.
 

When it comes to the CGA staff, North Dakota giveth and North Dakota taketh away.

In the first decade of the new millennium, it giveth, with two North Dakotans, Dustin Jensen and Briena Goldsmith, moving to Colorado and becoming key, long-term members of the CGA staff.

But in the last four years, it’s taketh away, with both Jensen (2011) and Goldsmith (early this fall) moving back to North Dakota.

And at the beginning of 2015, it’s back in the “giveth” mode as Jensen will return to the CGA to become managing director of operations. Coincidentally, the person who he’s succeeding in that role is Goldsmith, who returned to North Dakota in October after an eight-year run at the CGA.

Jensen will be departing his job with his alma mater, the University of Jamestown, where he essentially has had four jobs: executive director of the booster club, director of alumni relations, and coaching both the men’s and women’s golf teams.

Jensen, 34, will be officially rejoining the CGA on Jan. 5, though he’ll coach the Jamestown golf teams during the spring portion of their schedules so as to not leave the programs in a lurch in mid-season.

“We’re thrilled to have Dustin ‘come home’ to the CGA,” said Ed Mate, executive director of the CGA during all of Jensen’s previous stint with the association (2001-11) and still now. “Frankly, he’s the perfect fit. He’s intimately familiar with the CGA and he’s spent the last four years adding tremendous skills to his tool kit.

“We did a thorough search (in filling Goldsmith’s position), and Dustin competed for the job like anyone else. He has a lot of experience, and he’s learned a lot in North Dakota.”

That will be reflected in his responsibilities in his new role as managing director of operations. He’ll oversee three key operations of the CGA: rules and competitions, junior competitions, and course rating and handicapping.

In other changes in titles and responsibilities, Erin Gangloff will become the CGA’s director of programs, handling programs and outreach efforts; and Ryan Smith will be director of development and communications.

Jensen’s previous stint with the CGA ended with a seven-year run as a popular director of youth programs.

“The CGA has been so important to me,” said Jensen, whose only years spent living outside of North Dakota have come during his time with the CGA. “This is the best move for (wife) Mary and I. Leaving home is the hard part, but I’m coming back to family. I thought I’d end up being either an athletic director or doing this type of stuff, and this is more where my heart is. This is the best fit, and it was the right time.”

Jensen first joined the CGA as an intern in 2001. The next year, Mate hired him full-time. During his seven years as director of youth programs, Jensen significantly increased the CGA’s junior outreach programs and fundraising efforts — especially with the opening of the CGA/CWGA-owned CommonGround Golf Course — as well as the number of junior tournaments. He also played the key role in the CGA hosting the 2011 Junior America’s Cup (left) at Hiwan Golf Club after the tournament was moved from Mexico due to safety concerns. The Colorado team posted its best finish ever in the JAC that year, placing third.

“It’s nice to be tied in with junior golf again, and I’ve worked with men’s championships before,” Jensen said. “The staff is such a good group; it’s like family. You miss it. It’s such a great place to be.”
 

The CGA didn’t have an official employee until 1963, when Wilford Woody was hired as executive secretary at the princely salary of $100 per month, plus expenses.

To say that the scope and reach of the CGA’s work have grown by leaps and bounds would be a grand understatement. For a partial rundown on what the CGA and CWGA do, CLICK HERE. 

Which brings us to the CGA’s latest effort to maximize what the game of golf can be in Colorado. Recently, the association hired its first director of development, who will be responsible for raising money for the Colorado Golf Foundation, which was launched in January 2013. The foundation in turn provides funding support for Colorado-based youth-development programs and organizations which use golf to build important life skills and character, emphasizing instilling hard work and self-reliance in young people in the process.

Though the Colorado Golf Foundation is a separate entity from the CGA, the CGA runs it on a day-to-day basis. And many of the key association-supported programs, most notably at CommonGround Golf Course — including the Solich Caddie & Leadership Academy, the Hale Irwin Elite Player Program, and the course’s community and outreach partnerships — are funded through the foundation. CommonGround is owned and operated by the CGA and CWGA.

So when Colorado native Ryan Smith started as the CGA’s director of development last month, he took on a very important role.

“The mission of the Foundation — youth development and character-building and (youngsters) developing skills to be future leaders — is one I really believe in,” Smith said recently. “The mission really resonates with me.”

Smith (pictured above) calls himself a career fundraiser and a golf advocate. The 37-year-old most recently worked as director of development and communications at Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver. Over the six years he held that position, he said his resource development team raised a little over $25 million in private contributions for Habitat for Humanity.

“He’s a passionate golfer and a native of Colorado, but most importantly he’s spent a career in development,” CGA executive director Ed Mate said. “We’re golf administrators; we don’t know how to raise money. He’ll cultivate donors and our programming will get better as a result. Everything comes back to that programming, and he’ll shed light on that.”

Smith’s first major public event in his new job was the Colorado Golf Foundation Tournament fundraiser at CommonGround on May 29. That event raised $44,750 for the Foundation.

One of the first priorities for Smith is to create a strategic plan for fundraising for the foundation, which was launched thanks to a seven-figure lead gift from businessman and philanthropist George Solich. The Solich Caddie & Leadership Academy was named for George and brother Geoff (Duffy) Solich, both of whom caddied as youngsters and attended CU on an Evans Scholarship.

“We want to get a plan in place to meet our objectives for 2014,” Smith said. “Another priority is to recognize the (2015) centennial of the CGA — how to tell the story of the history of golf in the state, and what the next 100 years could look like and how the foundation plays a part in that.”

Smith also plans to take part in the BMW Championship’s community partner program leading up to the PGA Tour event being held at Cherry Hills Country Club Sept. 4-7. “That’s a neat opportunity early on — to build a base of relationships,” he said.

Smith has been meeting with Colorado golf leaders and foundation board members, and will continue to do so in the near future.

“I think there will be a learning curve,” he said. “I’ll be spending the first couple of months being a sponge, getting to know the golf community and leaders of all the peer organizations. I have a lot of work to do to familiarize myself with everything, but I’m so excited to be working with the foundation.

“I’m used to working with a lot of different people. There are many opportunities to build a lot of goodwill — and build a culture of philanthropy.”

Smith, who was born in Fort Collins, is a fourth-generation Coloradan and has spent all but six years of his life as a resident of the state. He graduated from Colorado State University with a business administration degree, with an emphasis on entrepreneurship. He was also once a tennis coach for the city of Fort Collins’ CARA program.

“Early on, I realized the value of competition,” Smith said. “Professionally, that lent itself to (the position with the CGA).”

At the CGA, Smith can be reached at ryansmith@cogolf.org, or at 303-974-2109.