Illinois Junior Golf Association announced that its Board of Directors has appointed Matt Wennmaker the Association’s fifth paid Executive Director effective February 15, 2020. Wennmaker previously held the position of Associate Executive Director of the IJGA.
“We have built a tremendous staff for the Association over the years, and the Board of Directors determined that we had the best person for the Executive Director position in house,” said Sandy Prisby, IJGA Board President. “We want to thank Jordan Abel-Haq for his time with the Association and wish him luck in his new venture.”
Wennmaker, who currently resides in Geneva, IL, with his wife and son, is the first Executive Director of the Association who also played in IJGA events growing up as a junior golfer from Oregon, Illinois. He played collegiate golf for Illinois Wesleyan University, earning All-American Honors, before interning with the Association during the summer of 2010. Wennmaker started full-time with the IJGA in 2011 as a Tournament Manager and has held a variety of roles including Manager of Communications and Events, Director of Communications and Events, Senior Director of Programming, and most recently, Associate Executive Director.
“I am very excited to begin this new role and I look forward to all of the challenges it may bring,” said Wennmaker. “Jordan has taken the IJGA to another level since becoming the Executive Director in 2015, growing stronger each and every year. I hope to build upon that growth as we continue to provide more playing opportunities to junior golfers, primarily in Illinois but also the Midwest. Having worked in almost every position since first interning for the IJGA, I have full confidence in the staff we have built over the years, and that we will continue to be one of the best junior golf associations in the country.”
Wennmaker replaces Jordan Abdel-Haq, who has resigned his position as the Executive Director of the IJGA, effective February 15th, to pursue an opportunity outside the golf industry. Abdel-Haq leaves the Association after 10 years of service, having served as the Director of the Playing Member Division, the Associate Executive Director and Executive Director since August of 2015.
“During my time with the Association, we have grown the Association not only through the relationships we have built with our members, their families and our allied golf associations in Illinois, but also in the massive strides in the overall financial health of the Association,” said Abdel-Haq. “I am also very proud of the enhancements and growth in our programming and event offerings, but even more so of the fact that we have consistently increased our yearly financial assistance awarded to junior families in times of need.”
The Board of Directors has also appointed Brett Dreier to the role of Associate Executive Director. Dreier previously held the position of Senior Director, Playing Member Division and has been with the association full-time since 2013 after completing the IJGA internship in the summer of 2012.
The Illinois Junior Golf Association is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to providing playing opportunities for its members ages 8-18, conducting educational clinics and events, and serving as a junior golf informational clearinghouse. Each year, the IJGA provides and manages over 150 separate events throughout the state of Illinois. These include one day 9-hole and 18-hole tournaments, and 36-hole and 54-hole major championships.
