Executive Moves 11/15/12
PGA of America, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., named Peter Bevacqua its new CEO. He succeeds Joe Steranka, who retired after 25 years, the last seven as CEO. Bevacqua led the golf division of CAA Sports, a division of Creative Artists Agency. He previously was on staff at the U.S. Golf Association: Bevacqua joined USGA in 2000 as in-house counsel, and from 2003 to 2007, he was managing director of the U.S. Open Championship. In 2007, he was named USGA’s first chief business officer. In 2011, he left USGA to join CAA Sports. Also, Darrell Crall was promoted from strategic development managing director to COO, a new position. Details: www.pga.com.
CEO Ellen Turf will leave the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors, Arlington Heights, Ill., on Aug. 31. Turf was named to NAPFA’s top position in January 1999. She began her career with the organization in 1992 when she joined NAPFA staff on a part-time basis. She plans to enjoy time with her husband and grandchildren and travel. The organization already has started a national search for the next CEO back. Details: www.napfa.org.
National Council for Research on Women, New York, named Áine Duggan president, succeeding Linda Basch, PhD, who led the organization for 16 years. Basch was awarded a year-long fellowship to Harvard’s Advanced Leadership Initiative beginning in January. Duggan was research, policy and education VP at the Food Bank for New York City. Previously, she was public education director at the Coalition for the Homeless in New York. Born in Cork, Ireland, and trained at University College Dublin, she came to the U.S. permanently in 1999. Details: www.ncrw.org.
Colorado BioScience Association, Denver, appointed April Giles CEO following a national executive search. Giles had been EVP. She succeeds Holli Riebel, who resigned in June to become COO for the Metro Denver Chamber. Giles joined the association as operations director in 2006. She earned a bachelor's degree in social work at the University of Kansas. Details: www.cobioscience.com.
Credit Union National Association, Washington, appointed Paul Gentile to the newly created position of strategic communications and engagement EVP, effective Jan. 7. Reporting directly to CUNA CEO Bill Cheney, Gentile will lead CUNA's communications, business and consumer publishing units, and sales and marketing functions. Gentile has been CEO of the New Jersey Credit Union League, Highstown since 2007. He earlier was editor/publisher of Credit Union Times. He currently serves on the boards of CUNA and the National Credit Union Foundation. NJCUL expects to hire a search firm by Nov. 19, and will appoint an interim CEO from outside the organization. Details: www.cuna.org.
Idaho Credit Union League CEO Alan Cameron plans to retire on June 30. Cameron has served as CEO since 2000 and as the league's retained legal counsel and lobbyist since 1977. He was chairman of Credit Union National Association's Consumer Protection Subcommittee, and was chairman of the State Issues Advocacy Committee of the American Association of Credit Union Leagues. He was as a member of the Federal Reserve Board's Consumer Advisory Council for three years. In Idaho, he was treasurer of the Hispanic Financial Education Coalition, treasurer of the Consumer Information Council, and was on the board of the Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Idaho for more than 20 years. Details: www.idahocul.org.
South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley (R ) tagged Ray Farmer, Southeast region VP for DC-based American Insurance Association, to become South Carolina insurance commissioner, effective Dec. 4 pending legislative approval and after Farmer retires from AIA. He will fill a vacancy created when former insurance commissioner David Black resigned nearly a year ago. Gwen Fuller-McGriff has served as acting director. Details: www.aiadc.org.
At National Air Transportation Association, Alexandria, Va.:
- Jim Coon, from chief of staff, U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, to EVP, effective in January. Earlier he was government affairs director for Boeing and for Air Transport Association, now Airlines for America.
- Amy B. Koranda to VP. She will add several major association programs to her current responsibilities as head of NATA’s Safety 1st Program. Details: www.nata.aero.
At National Retail Federation, Washington, Mike Cys to state and political affairs VP, and Laura Lilly to grassroots senior director. Details: www.nrf.com.
