Earlier this month, nearly one-thousand-chapter staff, coaches, educators, industry leaders, participants, partners, trustees and alumni from 160 chapters across the world visited ChampionsGate in Orlando for our biennial conference to celebrate The First Tee’s 20th anniversary.
The conference also marked the retirement of CEO Joe Louis Barrow, Jr. after eighteen incredible years and the introduction of Keith Dawkins, formerly of Nickelodeon, as his successor. The First Tee’s Board Chairman, Commissioner Tim Finchem, presented Joe with a special watercolor created to recognize his contributions to our organization that will permanently hang at The First Tee home office
(pictured above).
“It was a great week of education and celebration of Joe Louis Barrow’s incredible accomplishments,” said Steve Rockoff, Chairman of the Children’s Golf Foundation. “We definitely had the most attendees and I am very thankful for our chapter Trustees and my fellow Directors that joined us at the meeting.”
Over 20 attendees from our Chapter participated in the week-long conference of classes and general sessions. The chapter hosted a reception for all of our attendees
(pictured right). The team of Carl Mistretta-Executive Director, Coach Rick Hengstenberg and Coach/alum Emily Valentine won a nine-hole scramble tournament at the resort’s par three golf course.
