Golf Ontario Staff Grows to Expand Regional Support for Ottawa Region
Golf Ontario
As the Regional Support Strategy expands to Eastern Ontario Golf Ontario is proud to announce Carol Ann Baxter as Regional Manager for the Greater Ottawa Region. Carol Ann joins Golf Ontario on June 6, 2022, as we expand our reach across the province in the delivery of our Regional Support Strategy. A facility owner (Archie’s Family Golf Centre) in the region, Carol Ann understands the challenges and needs of operators intimately. She will be able to leverage the many relationships she has built over the years in the Greater Ottawa Region to ensure the successful introduction of the RSS with facilities and stakeholders in the region.
“We are thrilled to welcome Carol Ann to the team. I look forward to the launch of the Regional Support Strategy in the Greater Ottawa Region under her leadership,” exclaimed Kyle McFarlane, Senior Director, Golf Operations. “The RSS is about building relationships between facilities, associations and stakeholders and I’m extremely confident that Carol Ann brings the experience and skillset to make that happen.”
As a PGA and LPGA golf professional Carol Ann brings a wealth of industry experience. She formally served as the Regional Director for Eastern Ontario-Outaouais Chapter with the National Golf Course Owners Association and currently holds the role of Executive Director of the PGA of Canada – Ottawa Zone.
“To have the opportunity to facilitate the development and delivery of Golf Ontario’s Regional Support Strategy is an honour,” added Baxter. “My life and life’s work have revolved around golf on so many different levels and I am truly passionate about the game and the business. This platform will allow me to advance Golf Ontario programs and initiatives designed to support the growth and sustainability of golf in the Region and those responsible for delivering them.”
About Golf Ontario
Golf Ontario is Ontario’s Provincial Sport Organization focused on enhancing participation, elevating performance, and supporting the passion of golfers in Ontario. With over 100,000 individual members and 500 member clubs, Golf Ontario is one of the largest golf associations in the world. From rating courses and keeping the integral rules of the game intact to growing the game at the grassroots level and hosting the best amateur tournaments in Canada, Golf Ontario is a passionate group dedicated to Shaping Lives Through Golf.
Golf Ontario Proudly Announces New Course Rating Coordinator
Golf Ontario
Today, Golf Ontario is proud to announce an important new hire that has joined our staff. JJ Alexander began as Course Rating Coordinator on May 24th. JJ joins Golf Ontario in this important service role to our member clubs and facilities and brings well over twenty years of experience to the role as a PGA of Canada Class A Golf Professional. Most recently serving as the Head Golf Professional at Lookout Point Country Club, JJ brings comprehensive experience and knowledge working the course rating system and was instrumental in the introduction of hybrid tees at the club.
“We are extremely excited to have JJ join the Golf Ontario member services team, his industry experience and knowledge of the course rating system will be a tremendous asset for not only Golf Ontario but also for all the clubs that he works,” said Kyle McFarlane, Senior Director, Golf Operations.
About Golf Ontario:
Golf Ontario is Ontario’s Provincial Sport Organization focused on enhancing participation, elevating performance, and supporting the passion of golfers in Ontario. With over 100,000 individual members and 500 member clubs, Golf Ontario is one of the largest golf associations in the world. From rating courses and keeping the integral rules of the game intact to growing the game at the grassroots level and hosting the best amateur tournaments in Canada, Golf Ontario is a passionate group dedicated to Shaping Lives Through Golf.
Golf Ontario welcomes two key members to our Staff
Golf Ontario
Today, Golf Ontario is proud to announce two new key hires that have joined our staff. Nick Taylor joins us as Senior Director, Marketing starting April 14, 2022, and Alexia Tam has just begun serving as our Manager, Diversity Equity Inclusion, HR & Safeguarding.
Nick Taylor (not the golfer:) joins Golf Ontario after building a diverse career across both the for-profit and non-profit sectors, with experience working in markets across Canada and worldwide.
Most recently, Nick served as the Director of Development for Athletics & Recreation at Ryerson University. His focus was on alumni & supporter engagement and managing a portfolio of donors and prospects from annual giving levels to significant and principal gift donors.
Before working in post-secondary education, Nick was part of a high-performing team at The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation (PMCF), serving as Director of Strategic Initiatives and Senior Director of Corporate & Community Partnerships. Over his seven years with PMCF, Nick designed and delivered Canada’s top-grossing single-day golf fundraiser for cancer research, known as Golf to Conquer Cancer, which raised $7 million. He also served the foundation as one of two executives driving the strategy behind the celebrated Princess Margaret Lottery.
In the eight years before joining PMCF, Nick was the Director of Marketing and Commercial Operations for Rugby Canada, a National Sport Organization and member of World Rugby. From 2005 to 2012, the organization experienced its most significant growth years on and off the field.
Nick’s professional experience includes ten years with globally recognized luxury retailer Tiffany & Co. (Canada). In addition, he worked in retail management and B2B corporate sales management with some of Canada’s best-managed companies and brands among his clients.
In joining the team at Golf Ontario, Nick hopes to complement the organization’s strengths and collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to achieve new heights of achievement for golf in Ontario.
“Having stepped away from the amateur sport sector ten years ago to serve one of the country’s largest healthcare foundations, the timing is right to return to amateur sport and all the wonderful values inherent with Golf Ontario,” said Taylor. “I am excited to be joining a team that has delivered significant results against their last strategic plan, as the shift towards the next four years starts to take shape.”
Alexia Tam is a Safe Sport and Athlete Welfare Expert who has demonstrated her commitment and passion for safe, inclusive and healthy sport for the last ten years. She has received several awards and scholarships for her academic contributions to the field of Safe Sport and her interest in the area has been augmented by collaboration with several sports organizations on the development of education, training, and policy implementation. In addition, she has shared her research and recommendations for best practices at several national and international conferences. Through her rich exposure to sport, as an academic, sports practitioner, a coach and an athlete, Alexia is committed to continuing to be an advocate for sport.
Alexia has collaborated with several sport organizations throughout her career with program development, stakeholder education, and program evaluation, including the Coaching Association of Canada, Public Health Agency of Canada, and the Coaches Association of Ontario. Alexia is also on the Board of Directors with Football Ontario and is joining us from Alpine Canada.
After spending nearly two decades as an athlete before turning her attention to coaching, Alexia knows what truly drives success in sport – both on and off the field of play. Her football career started over 15 years ago – when opportunities for women were far and few in between. Since her first day on the field, she’s been committed to bettering herself as an athlete, a coach, and now as a professional in the field. Alexia always says that sport has played an integral role in her identity formation and is excited to create spaces for athletes to make their own positive memories of sport.
Alexia holds a Bachelor of Kinesiology and a Master’s of Science from the University of Toronto and is currently completing her doctorate degree at Canterbury Christ Church University in the United Kingdom.
“I am thrilled to be joining Golf Ontario to support their Safe Sport and DEI portfolio. Safe, inclusive and accessible sport is fundamental for all participants,” said Tam. “I am excited about this opportunity and am looking forward to engaging with the golf community in Ontario.”
ABOUT GOLF ONTARIO:
Golf Ontario is Ontario’s Provincial Sport Organization focused on enhancing participation, elevating performance, and supporting the passion of golfers in Ontario. With over 100,000 individual members and 500 member clubs, Golf Ontario is one of the largest golf associations in the world. From rating courses and keeping the integral rules of the game intact to growing the game at the grassroots level and hosting the best amateur tournaments in Canada, Golf Ontario is a passionate group dedicated to Shaping Lives Through Golf.
