LE ANN FINGER APPOINTED SECRETARY OF THE SOUTHWEST PGA

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - Le Ann Finger has been appointed Secretary of the Southwest PGA by a unanimous vote of the Board of Directors at the Association’s board meeting. Finger fills the vacated role of former Secretary Bernie Eaton, who recently was named Executive Director of the Southwest PGA. Finger will serve as Secretary until the Southwest PGA Annual Meeting on June 5, where she will run for Vice President. Finger becomes the first woman to serve as an officer of the Southwest PGA in the 65-year history of the Section.

"We extremely honored to have Le Ann serving in an officer leadership role for the Southwest PGA," said Al Sutton, President of the Southwest PGA. "Le Ann has volunteered her time serving on the Board of Directors and numerous committees over the years. Her leadership and expertise in governance of the Section will benefit the entire Southwest PGA membership for many years."

Finger, PGA, LPGA, the Director of Golf Operations for the Arizona Golf Association located in Scottsdale, was born and raised in West Des Moines, Iowa and is a graduate of St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications and Education and was a four-year letter winner and captain of the women’s golf team. Shortly after graduating from St. Olaf, she took her first job in the industry, serving as an Assistant Golf Professional at nearby Northfield Golf Club. Finger returned to St. Olaf to coach the women’s golf team for seven seasons while coaching the men’s team for four seasons.

Finger earned her membership in the PGA of America in 2006, and among her more than 20 years of industry experience, worked for the PGA of America for six years. In her role with the AGA, Finger conducts more than 50 tournaments and championships, for nearly 85,000 amateur golfers in the state of Arizona.

"It’s an honor to be appointed to serve as Secretary of the Southwest PGA Section," said Finger. "I look forward to continuing the great work that our officers and board have done with forming our strategic plan and driving it forward for our members. We are on a great path to make the Southwest Section PGA one of the best Sections in the country."

A member of the Southwest PGA Board of Directors since 2020, she served on numerous committees including the chairwoman of the Education and Junior Golf Committees. Finger previously served on the PGA of America National Membership Committee, The First Tee National Growing Girls Golf committee and the LPGA National Hall of Fame Committee.

One of Finger’s greatest accomplishments within golf was when she earned the title of PGA Master Professional in 2019, at the time, becoming only the 10th woman to earn PGA Master Professional status, the highest educational achievement that can be obtained by a PGA Member. She is one of only 210 women nationwide who are both a member of the PGA of America, and an LPGA Class A Professional.

She was honored with the 2019 Southwest PGA Player Development Award, which recognizes a PGA Professional for extraordinary and exemplary contributions and achievements in the area of player development. She earned the same award in 2014 by the Southeast Chapter of the South Florida Section PGA.