What's Up at the PDGA?
What's Up at the PDGA?
Meet the Membership & Growth Team
This is the fourth article in a series that goes behind-the-scenes to highlight the structure and the people of the PDGA. Six department teams, each led by a director, make up the PDGA organizational structure: Operations, Event Support, Technology, Marketing & Media, Membership & Growth, and Competition. All report to the executive director. Above: Membership & Growth Director Brian Graham addresses the media at the 2022 PDGA Champions Cup.
Membership & Growth Overview
The general mission of the Membership & Growth department of the PDGA is a straightforward one:
To attract and retain members by providing them with member benefits and excellent customer service.
How the team members that make up the group accomplish this mission – that requires an understanding of a series of ongoing projects and programs that require organization, coordination, messaging and innovation. Categorical examples include:
- Memberships & Fulfillment
- Youth & Education
- Partner Relations
- Committees
- International Programs
Not only does the team respond to every member who reaches out with questions regarding membership benefits, membership orders, and any other questions related to the department, it also continuously researches trends and strategies in membership associations that may lead to a variety of enhancements to the membership experience, including new benefits that will provide our members with discounts or deals exclusive to PDGA members.
The Membership & Growth team oversees PDGA awards, elections, financial grants and other operations, and facilitates partnerships with organizations like the World Flying Disc Federation and the Disc Golf Hall of Fame. PDGA committees under the guidance of the department include those focused on women, seniors, military members and diversity within the sport.
The Team
- Brian Graham, Director of Memberships & Growth
- Vic Allen, Memberships Manager
- Nick Wilder, Memberships Program Manager
- Breiner Enterprises, PDGA Fulfillment Partner
Membership & Growth – Current and Future Projects
The Membership & Growth department oversees a number of long- and middle-term projects, some of which recur either annually or based on other cycles. Thus, the group is in various stages of development and execution on these projects and is always procuring physical supplies, facilitating strategic partnerships, and planning the logistics for its initiatives. Examples in the upcoming months include:
PDGA Annual Awards - Later in 2022, the PDGA will recognize a number of individuals for their achievements in disc golf:
- Male Player of the Year - Headrick Cup
- Female Player of the Year - J & P Cup
- Senior Player of the Year - Jim Olsen Sr. Award
- Male Rookie of the Year
- Female Rookie of the Year
- Bob West Memorial Sportsmanship Award
- Volunteer of the Year
- Brent Hambrick TD of the Year
- E.D.G.E./PDGA Educational Award
- PDGA Europe Awards
- Special Awards
- Honored Sportswoman Award*
Annual Elections - In July, the PDGA will hold its annual elections for new Board of Directors members as well as State/Provincial Coordinators. The call for candidates is currently underway.
Women’s Global Event - On August 6-7, 2022, the sixth edition of the PDGA Women’s Global Event will take place around the world. Last year’s event included 99 individual events and more than 3200 participants plus hundreds of staff and volunteers. The Membership & Growth team is preparing for a larger event in 2022.
What’s Up at the PDGA?