Miller Honored as Horton Smith Award Winner

Oct 10, 2019

AWARDS CENTRAL

Miller Wins Horton Smith Award

Riverside, Iowa – PGA Life Member and Master Professional Lisa Miller has been named the 2019 Horton Smith Award winner. The Horton Smith Award is based on a Professional’s entire record and achievements over their career. The guidelines for this award include various types of educational seminars brought to the section, contributions made to building the PGA image, leadership and networking ability, promotion of the game of golf within the community, techniques used to encourage membership support of the various seminars, articles written for publication in books or magazines and any sectional or nationally recognized coursed attended by the nominee which enhance the PGA Professional.
 
Miller gained her Master Professional in June of 2005.  At that time there were 333 PGA Master Professionals and she was the eleventh female to gain this honor.

“It is an honor to receive my second (2008) Horton Smith award from the Iowa PGA Section. It will soon be 25 years since I joined the adjunct faculty for the PGA’s Professional Golf Management Program,” said Miller, “The advances in the PGM 3.0 program are remarkable. The new program utilizes the newest educational tools and emphasizes leadership skills that employers find most desirable.  My overall mission has been to positively impact PGA Associates professional journey.  It is so rewarding to teach future PGA members and I am so honored to receive this award for doing something I love.”
 
Miller retired in 2017 as the Director of Cedar Rapids Golf Operations having worked for the City since 2001.  Miller also has continued her service to the Section as Vice-President of the Iowa PGA Foundation.  Miller is a twenty-five year member of the PGA having become a Quarter Century Club Member in 2019.
 
“Lisa has been a part of our adjunct faculty team for 25 years,” said Director of Education Todd Sammons, PGA, “She has been available to teach at a moment’s notice and has always been willing and eager to pass along her knowledge to the next generation of PGA Professionals.
 
Though Miller has retired from daily operations she continues to teach seminars at the PGA of America’s Professional Management Program in Port St. Lucie, Florida.  Miller also reviewed associates work experience portfolios until 2015. This program is for the associates/apprentices wishing to gain their Class A membership into the PGA of America.
 
She is also a member of the PGA Master Professional Faculty for the last thirteen years assisting PGA Members to reach their goal in achieving Master Professional Status.  She is currently mentoring six PGA Members through the Master Professional program/process.

Miller has shown great passion and energy to the game of golf within the Iowa PGA Section as well as within her community. Her energy to manage her members as well as serve the Iowa PGA Section is second to none.  The Iowa PGA is proud to announce Lisa Miller as the 2019 Iowa PGA Horton Smith Award Winner.

Mason Wins Strausbaugh Award

Riverside, Iowa – Greg Mason of the Iowa PGA Section has been named the Bill Strausbaugh Award winner by the Iowa PGA Awards Committee. The Strausbaugh Award emphasizes the nominee’s performance and achievements over the past five years and is awarded to those who demonstrate day-to-day alternative methods of improving the employment conditions for the PGA Professional.

This is Mason’s 5th Strausbaugh Award honor having won in 2009, 2014, 2016 and 2017.  He continues to show his dedication to the game of golf and to his fellow professionals, ensuring golf’s growth and professional passion endures.   He’ll be the first to tell you he gets way more back from his fellow professional’s but he has definitely made a difference in many young professional’s careers.

“It has been an honor to be the Executive Director of the Iowa PGA,” said Mason, “Getting to mentor and guide the 240 PGA Members and Associates and see their growth as professionals tickles me pink.  This award means a lot to me.”

Mason currently serves as the Executive Director of the Iowa PGA and Iowa PGA Foundation.  Mason was in golf operations from 1988 until his hiring by the Iowa PGA in January of 2018. 

In addition to his position within the Section, Mason has shown great dedication to the charitable side of golf. He has been highly involved with the GIVE (Golf for Injured Veterans Everywhere) Foundation, serving on its board since 2008,

Greg’s service to the Iowa PGA not only lifts the brand of the Iowa Section, but also lifts the brand of the PGA of America. From attending National Board Meetings, to holding multiple positions within the Section, Mason has positively affected so many in the Golf industry and in his community. The Iowa PGA is proud to announce Greg Mason as the 2019 Iowa PGA Bill Strausbaugh Award Winner.

Click here for the complete list of award winners.