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NAPLES, Fla. -- The PGA TOUR’s Champions Tour has selected Paul Ross of the Bruno's Memorial Classic in Birmingham, Ala., as its Volunteer of the Year, it was announced Wednesday by PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem and Champions Tour President Rick George.
The presentation was made at a player dinner held in conjunction with this week’s ACE Group Classic in Naples, Fla.
Ross, age 49, earned the honor via a balloting process that included nominations from tournaments on the 2004 Champions Tour schedule. Last year’s 30 Champions Tour’s tournaments had in excess of 20,000 volunteers.
A native and lifelong resident of Birmingham, Ross has been involved in all 13 Bruno's Memorial Classics dating back to 1992. Noted for his organizational and trouble-shooting effectiveness, he has served as chairperson of the Tournament Operations division every year. In that capacity he oversees the Volunteer Shuttle, Ecology, Water & Ice and Parking committees.
Married for more than 20 years, he has a son and a daughter. In addition to the Bruno's Memorial Classic, Ross is active in his son and daughter’s sports lives, is a past president of the Alabama Leukemia Society and supports numerous local Catholic Church charities and events.
“We are grateful for all of our volunteers,” said Bruno’s Memorial Classic Tournament Director John Marovich. “Their level of continuous involvement over the last 13 years with an event of this magnitude is simply amazing. Paul Ross is a great example of the type of commitment that these volunteers exude to the tournament and to the Champions Tour itself.”
“I am truly humbled by this award,” Ross said. “There are so many wonderful volunteers that contribute to the success of not only the Bruno’s Memorial Classic, but all of the Champions Tour events. The opportunity to be part of an annual charitable event that has given back more than $7.7 million to the local charities is why I’m involved.”
“The Bruno’s Memorial Classic has always set a high bar for operational and promotional standards on the Champions Tour,” said George. “Paul Ross represents and executes those standards in excellent fashion. Giving back to communities in which the Champions Tour plays is a key element of what we do and Paul symbolizes it so well.”
Also recognized at the dinner were the Champions Tour Charity of the Year (Camp Miracle/Sacred Heart Foundation of the Blue Angels Classic, Pensacola, Fla.) and the previously-announced 2004 Champions Tour player award winners; Craig Stadler (Player of the Year/Jack Nicklaus Trophy, Arnold Palmer Award and Byron Nelson Award), Hale Irwin (Charles Schwab Cup), Mark McNulty (Rookie of the Year) and Hubert Green (Comeback Player of the Year).
The 2005 Bruno’s Memorial Classic will be played May 16-22 at Greystone Golf & Country Club in Hoover, AL. Bruce Fleisher is the defending champion.
Other finalists for the Volunteer of the Year were Scott Robaska (Bayer Advantage Classic/Kansas City, Kansas), Mary Ann Walker (Blue Angels Classic/Pensacola, Fla.), Helen Stasky (Commerce Bank Championship/Long Island, N.Y.) and Russ & Joan Weigle (Farmers Charity Classic/Grand Rapids, Mich.).
Champions Tour events generate significant sums of money for charity. The three tours of the PGA TOUR and their tournaments have generated more than $920 million for charity since the first recorded donation was made in 1938, with more than $80 million raised in 2004. The PGA TOUR’s “Drive to a Billion” is expected to reach the milestone in the first quarter of 2006.
Reference: www.PGATOUR.com