Fred Perpall was elected as the 67th President of the United States Golf Association at Saturday’s Annual Meeting in Napa (California), the USGA announced.
Perpall will be serving a three year term as the USGA Executive Committee’s leader. This all-volunteer policy-making committee provides strategic direction and oversight for the USGA’s full-time staff. Perpall is the first Black man elected to that position in the association’s history dating back to 1894. “We talk too much on what divides us and not enough about the things that unites us.” Perpall said that golf is a community. “When we all work together and include more people into the game, the game will improve, as well as our lives.”
Perpall replaces Stu Francis, a California resident, whose term expired this month.
Perpall was first elected to the Executive Committee in 2019 and has served on the Governance, Nominating, and Compensation/Leadership Development committees. He was elected chair of the USGA Championship Committee in 2021. During his tenure, the U.S. Adaptive Open was introduced, along with several USGA championship anchor locations. During last year’s Annual meeting, he was elected president-elect.
“The USGA is stronger when global business leaders such as Fred are on our board,” Mike Whan (USGA CEO) stated in a press release. “Fred clearly loves golf and wants it to be better than it was when he worked with it over the past three years.” Mike Whan, the USGA’s CEO, said in a release. “We couldn’t have asked for more energy to propel our strategy, mission, and we’re rolling our sleeves with that inspiration, drive, and to guide us.”
Perpall is a native of the Bahamas. He earned his bachelor’s degree and master’s degrees at Texas at Arlington. Perpall also graduated from Harvard Business School’s Advanced Management program. Perpall played basketball and ran track at college. He was also a member the 1994 Bahamian National Basketball Team.
Perpall, a registered architect, is the CEO of The Beck Group. He oversees The Beck Group’s international and domestic architectural design, planning and real estate consultancy, as well as construction businesses. Perpall is an avid golfer, and was part of the team that built Trinity Forest Golf Club in Dallas.
He welcomes three new members to the USGA Executive Committee. They will each serve three-year terms that begin today. These are Leslie Henry from Houston, Bryan Lewis from South Haven, Michigan and Michael McCarthy in San Francisco.