OGA CEO Barb Trammell to retire in 2022
The Oregon Golf Association announced that Barb Trammell, who has served as the organization’s chief executive officer since 2007, will retire in 2022. Barb will continue serving as CEO until the OGA’s Executive Committee has found a successor.
“I am proud of everything the OGA has achieved over the last 15 years,” said Barb. “I want to thank the talented and dedicated team that we have put together at the OGA, and the outstanding support of the OGA’s Executive Committee in ensuring our success. Without them the OGA would be in a far different place. This organization is in excellent hands and I am grateful for having been afforded the opportunity to lead it.”
As CEO, Barb oversaw the daily affairs of the state amateur golf association and the operations of the association-owned OGA Golf Course in Woodburn, Ore. Under her leadership, the OGA has grown from an organization with declining annual membership to one that has gained membership for four consecutive years with more than 45,000 unique members and more than 300 clubs in 2021.
In addition to OGA championships flourishing under Barb’s guidance, the organization made great strides in developing additional playing opportunities designed to target under-served audiences. That includes the OGA Tour, a series of casual, one-day individual and partner competitions played throughout the state by men and women of all skill levels and abilities; and Women’s Interclub Play, a team match-play format for women representing their clubs.
Barb was also instrumental in forming the Golf Alliance of Oregon, a consortium of key golf industry partners in the region to serve as the voice of advocacy for golf. Through its collaborative efforts, the Golf Alliance co-funded three separate Economic Impact Studies, helping educate state legislators on the positive benefits of the business of golf. The consortium proved vital in the golf industry’s regional efforts to weather the pandemic.
She also served as the president of the International Association of Golf Administrators (IAGA) in 2017, after serving several years on the IAGA’s board of directors.
From her column in the June 2022 issue of Pacific Northwest Golfer magazine, Barb recounts:
It’s a strange feeling now to know that I am writing my last column for Pacific Northwest Golfer magazine, as I retire from my post as CEO of the Oregon Golf Association. Although announcing back in November that 2022 would be my last year with the OGA, as I write this, the realization that the search for my successor is nearing completion has hit home and with it brings a wave of emotions.
I leave knowing that the Association is in a good place and poised for continued success. Though I am proud of what has been accomplished on my watch, all the credit goes to the talented staff of the OGA as well as the Executive Committee who provides volunteer direction and strategic guidance. Through their efforts I am confident that the OGA will thrive far into the future and leave no stone unturned when it comes to fulfilling the mission and vision of the organization: “Enriching lifestyles through golf.”
I am appreciative of the many relationships I have made during my time as CEO. People are truly what makes a job rewarding and fun and I am fortunate to have forged so many impactful and meaningful relationships during my tenure that I know will last well beyond the day I walk out of my corner office for the last time.
Finally, I am thankful. Thankful to everyone who has shared with me their time, their comments, their insight, their questions and yes, even their criticisms. I am a better person for it.
So, I will not say goodbye just yet. But as that day draws near, I am humbled as I bid a fond farewell to all who I have had the pleasure of meeting and getting to know. You helped make my time here such a wonderful and memorable experience. And although I look forward to my next chapter, I will indeed miss this great ride I have been on for the last 15 years.
“There is no question that the OGA is in a better place today than where it was in 2007, and we are incredibly thankful for what Barb has done in her tenure,” said Jeff Allen, president of the OGA Executive Committee. “She leaves big shoes to fill after taking the helm of an organization with significant challenges and setting it on a much steadier course. Her expertise, energy, and passion for the game are unparalleled. She will be missed, but thanks in large part to her leadership the OGA will continue to thrive.”
Prior to joining the OGA, Trammell was founder and president of VisionFore Solutions, an independent global golf consulting company that specialized in event management, competitions expertise, and rules education. Before launching her own company, Barb served as Senior Vice President of Operations for the LPGA Tour. Barb started her 19-year tenure at the LPGA Tour as a rules official.
Widely regarded as an expert on the Rules of Golf, she was among the first women to be invited to officiate The Masters, The Open Championship, U.S. Open, and the PGA Championship. She also served on the USGA’s Rules of Golf Committee for 15 years, which helped advise the most recent changes to the Rules of Golf. A graduate of the University of Alabama, Barb is a Class A member of the PGA of America and has also held roles as PGA club professional and Division I college golf coach.
