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Main MenuAl Sutton Appointed Secretary of the Southwest PGA
Mark Deatherage added to the Board of Directors as an independent director
April 17, 2018 – Al Sutton has been appointed Secretary of the Southwest PGA by the Board of Directors at the Association’s board meeting. Sutton fills the vacated role of former Secretary Mike Scully, who recently resigned as a Southwest PGA officer. Attorney Mark Deatherage was also appointed as the first independent director on the Board of Directors of the Southwest PGA at the same meeting. Sutton will serve as Secretary until the Southwest PGA Annual Meeting in June 2019, where he will run for Vice President. Deatherage will serve a two-year term on the Board of Directors.
“We extremely honored to have Al and Mark serving in leadership roles for the Southwest PGA,” said Jamey Lewis, president of the Southwest PGA. "Both individuals are invaluable and their expertise will benefit the entire Southwest PGA membership for many years.”
Sutton, PGA Director of Golf at Paradise Valley (Ariz.) Country Club, earned his membership in the PGA of America in 1993. Before his current position at Paradise Valley, Sutton worked as the first assistant golf professional at some of the top facilities in the country including: Baltusrol Golf Club in Springfield, N.J., Navesink Country Club in Middletown, N.J., and Fiddler's Elbow Country Club in Far Hills, N.J. He earned his first PGA Head Golf Professional position in 1996 at Mendham (N.J.) Golf & Tennis Club, where he remained for three seasons before accepting the PGA Director of Golf position at Waynesborough Country Club in Paoli, Pa.
Sutton was elected by the membership to the Southwest PGA Board of Directors in 2016. He served on numerous committees during his time in the Southwest PGA. After his election to the Board, he was appointed chairman of the Education and Hall of Fame Committees. In his short time as Education Chairman, Sutton and his committee has administered numerous seminars and education opportunities for Southwest PGA membership.
Before relocating to Arizona, Sutton volunteered his time with the board of directors and served on many committees in New Jersey and Philadelphia. He was honored as the 2006 Southwest PGA Merchandiser of the Year for Private Facilities and the 2008 PING Fitter of the Year.
He earned a B.A. in Economics in 1980 from the University of Iowa and his J.D. in 1985 from the University of Kansas, where he also earned the Order of the Coif – presented to a law student who graduates in the top 10 percent of his or her class.
In his 32 plus years of practicing law, Deatherage has represented a diverse group of business and individual clients in varying commercial litigation matters. He brings a vast amount of knowledge and expertise to the Southwest PGA Board of Directors.
Deatherage has published works in various mediums and has performed numerous speaking engagements throughout this career. Among his many honors and awards, he was named AV Preeminent Peer Review Rating, Martindale-Hubbell, The Best Lawyers in America, Commercial Litigation, 2011-2018; Litigation - Real Estate, 2017-2018, Southwest Super Lawyers, Commercial Litigation, 2011-2014, Arizona's Finest Lawyers, 2011 and “Lawyer of the Month,” Volunteer Lawyers Program.
About The Southwest Section PGA
The Southwest Section of the PGA of America is a professional organization serving the men and women golf professionals in Arizona and Southern Nevada who are the recognized experts in growing, teaching and managing the game of golf. The Southwest PGA is responsible for the administration of competitive golf tournaments, junior golf programs and events, educational opportunities, support programs and growth of the game initiatives. With over 1284 members and apprentices, the Southwest PGA is the fifth largest of the 41 regional entities or Sections that comprise the PGA of America.
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