newjerseynewsroom.com

Marketing pro takes helm of one of the world's high profile sports organizations for women

BY JERRY MILANI

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

Wednesday morning in New York brought showers but perhaps the brightest face on a gray day at Madison Square Garden was that of Michael Whan, who was selected as the surprise choice to be the LPGA's newest commissioner.

The 44-year-old Whan, who previously worked for sports brands TaylorMade Golf, Wilson Sporting Goods, Mission-Itech Hockey in California as well as for Procter and Gamble, was introduced in an early morning press conference before starting a whirlwind tour to get out and meet the players, and the partners of a tour which has had more than its share of challenges in the past few years.

Whan constantly used words like "surprised and excited" when describing the LPGA's future, displaying an attitude, and even more important, a strong business and branding pedigree, that the LPGA could definitely use. His predecessor, Carolyn Bivens, was an accomplished business woman but did not have a sports background to match, and alienated players and Tour partners before resigning earlier this year.

Whan's mixed background of sports, branding and marketing emerged from a host of big names in the search, including WNBA commissioner Donna Orender, former USTA Pro Tennis head Arlen Kantarian and New Jersey resident and USGA SVP of Marketing Pete Bevacqua as potential suitors. However it was his dedication to expand the game on a global scale, his solid experience running a variety of sports brands and his passion for and understanding of the components of the game of golf that pushed Whan to the top, according to officials. He will not begin his job until January, but will spend his transition time looking at potential new sponsors and learning all he can about the nuances of running what remains arguably the most lucrative and high profile professional sport for women on the planet.

Will all this positive energy mean anything for golf fans in New Jersey, which despite being the home of the USGA, lost the annual Sybase Open from the Upper Montclair Country Club? Perhaps, as LPGA officials confirmed that several sites are being considered for a new or moved LPGA event in the Garden State, with an announcement anticipated in the next few weeks. The return of an LPGA event to New Jersey would give the Tour a much needed presence in the area at a time of year when brands are making all the key decisions on spending for 2010.

"I don't think anybody was immune to the business downturn in 2009, but at the end of the day, having been on the brand side of the big corporate brands, they're always looking for partnerships that can build their business and build their brand," Whan added. "The LPGA represents a very unique and powerful one."