Don Rea Jr. elected as 44th president of the PGA of America

Don Rea Jr. was elected to be the 44th president of the PGA of America on November 7 during the association’s 108th annual meeting, which took place in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Rea is slated to serve a two-year term in the post, succeeding John Lindert, the director of golf at the Country Club of Lansing in Michigan.

Rea is the owner and operator of Augusta Ranch Golf Club, a public course in Mesa, Arizona. He has been a member of the PGA of America for 22 years and was elected as secretary for the association in 2020 and vice president in 2022. Previously, he was president of the Southwest PGA Section from 2013-14 and served on the PGA of America’s National Board of Directors from 2016-19. Rea has also served on the Boards of Directors for the Southwest PGA Section, National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA) and the Arizona Tourism Alliance. Additionally, he spent nine years as a minor league baseball umpire and later rose up to Triple-A. He also umpired several spring training games for Major League Baseball.

During his time on the PGA Board of Directors, he chaired the Junior Golf Committee, which created the American Development Model (ADM) for golf, and the PGA Jr. League Committee.

Rea earned PGA Master Professional Status in 2024, which is the highest educational designation a PGA member can obtain. He currently serves on the Arizona Lodging & Tourism Association Board of Directors to promote the golf and hospitality industry and help educate the public and Arizona legislators on golf industry water usage.

“It’s an honor and a privilege to serve, alongside our Officers and Board of Directors, the more than 31,000 PGA of America Golf Professionals of our Association,” says Rea. “Our Members and Associates are serving millions of golfers through this amazing game every day. I’m incredibly proud of the lives we impact collectively along the way, shoulder to shoulder with our 41 PGA of America Sections. It is our top priority to serve our PGA of America Golf Professionals and provide resources to allow them to thrive and continue to lead as experts of the game.”

PGA of America leadership is chosen every two years when the organization holds its Annual Meeting to elect a new secretary. Delegates from the 41 PGA sections vote for candidates who spent time campaigning for the position. The candidate with the most delegate votes is elected and then serves four two-year terms, one in each of the positions of secretary, vice president, president and honorary president.

Rea will be succeeded as vice president by Nathan Charnes, PGA, general manager and director of golf at WingHaven Country Club in O’Fallon, Missouri. The incoming secretary, chosen by the delegates, will be Eric Eshleman, PGA, director of golf at the Country Club of Birmingham in Alabama. Additionally, six new members of the PGA Board of Directors, including a new independent director, were also sworn in.