BMW of North America outlined two new initiatives to expand support of the Western Golf Association's Evans Scholars at today's Media Day for the BMW Championship, the third leg in the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup, September 3-9 at Cog Hill Golf & Country Club in Lemont, Illinois.
Tom Purves, Chairman and CEO of BMW (US) Holding Corp., introduced the first class of Evans Scholars-BMW Interns who are gaining experience for their post-university careers by working for BMW this summer. He also announced that BMW will fund a four-year Evans Scholarship in the name of any player to score a hole-in-one on Cog Hill's 14th hole during the BMW Championship, including any amateur or professional in the Pro-Am as well as in the name of any journalist who performs a similar feat on Media Day. When the BMW Championship was announced last year, the WGA and BMW confirmed that all proceeds from the BMW Championship will benefit the Evans Scholars program.
"One of the most rewarding aspects of teaming with the Western Golf Association to sponsor the BMW Championship is involvement with their Evans Scholars program. It recognizes and rewards both academic performance and strong character traits in young men and women who work as caddies at WGA clubs. BMW is proud to become part of the WGA's rich tournament tradition and salutes the 100,000 golfers, including 36,000 Par Club members, who annually contribute to the Evans Scholars," Purves stated.
Since its founding with two Northwestern University students in 1930, the Evans Scholars Foundation has provided more than 8,400 college scholarships to golf caddies. During the 2006-07 academic year, 823 caddies attended college on Evans Scholarships, valued at nearly $10 million. Over the course of the six-year partnership, BMW's involvement in the tournament is expected to double the amount raised for the Evans Scholars Foundation. Last year, for example, the Western Open raised more than $2 million for the Foundation.
The 2007 Evans Scholars-BMW Interns are:
* Kenny McCormick, a rising senior at Northwestern University. Kenny is working with BMW's MINI Division in the Central Region office in Schaumburg, Illinois, to develop and execute sponsorships and events.
* Josh Gonzales, a rising sophomore at the University of Missouri, who is with BMW of North America's Engineering department at the company's Woodcliff Lake, NJ headquarters. Josh is providing support on product testing and development benchmark and market analysis.
* Matt Stumpf, a rising senior at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, who is also with BMW of North America's Central Region in Schaumburg. Matt is assisting with event planning for the BMW Championship. He is also shadowing personnel at several Chicago area dealerships to gain insight into the inner workings of BMW retail centers.
"The automobile industry, including our franchised dealers, offers great career opportunities. BMW is leveraging its association with the Evans Scholars to give our interns an opportunity to explore some of these opportunities in person," Purves stated. Purves predicted that the number of Evans Scholars-BMW Interns will increase in future years based on the company's experience with the first class.
John Kaczkowski, Western Golf Association Tournament Director, noted "when we first started talking with BMW a year ago, they said the WGA would receive full support for the Evans Scholars program. BMW delivered on that commitment even before the first shot of the BMW Championship has been taken. BMW respects the traditions of the WGA and is a real partner in furthering our work."
BMW will also involve its owners in creative ways in the BMW Championship.
Purves also announced the winners of a unique online contest, dubbed "The Ultimate Foursome," in which owners were asked to submit essays via www.bmwusa.com describing which professional player they would most like to team with and why. The winner -- 71 year-old Gary Zimmerman from Hartland, Wisconsin -- will be awarded the first pick in the Pro-Am draw as well as a trip for two to the BMW Championship with hotel accommodations and VIP access to tournament events. The winner was chosen based on criteria such as creativity, originality and sincerity.
BMW owners who purchase tickets to the BMW Championship will also be granted exclusive access to a viewing pavilion overlooking the 14th green by simply showing their vehicle key. The BMW Owners Pavilion will be open from Thursday through Sunday.
Additionally, the general public will have an opportunity for unparalleled access to the BMW Championship through "Drive Like an Owner" - a contest BMW is conducting via www.bmwusa.com to give a non-owner a chance to win a place in the BMW Championship Pro-Am. Contestants are asked to submit an essay explaining their Ultimate Drive on and off the course. The winner will receive a trip for two to the BMW Championship with hotel accommodations, a playing spot in the Pro-Am and VIP access to events throughout the week. Essays will be accepted online through August 3.
BMW Championship
For more than 25 years, BMW has hosted and partnered with leading amateur and professional golf tournaments around the globe. BMW sponsors professional tournaments in China, Thailand, Germany and Great Britain. The BMW Championship played at Wentworth near London is the European PGA Championship. In 2006 the Western Golf Association and the PGA TOUR announced a six-year partnership agreement with the company to conduct the BMW Championship as part of the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup from 2007 through 2012.
BMW Group In America
BMW of North America, LLC has been present in the United States since 1975. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars NA, LLC began distributing vehicles in 2003. The BMW Group in the United States has grown to include marketing, sales, and financial service organizations for the BMW brand, the MINI brand, and the Rolls-Royce brand of Motor Cars; DesignworksUSA, an industrial design firm in California; a technology office in Silicon Valley and various other operations throughout the country. BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC in South Carolina is part of BMW Group's global manufacturing network and is the exclusive manufacturing plant for all BMW Z4 models and BMW X5 Sports Activity Vehicles. The BMW Group sales organization is represented in the U.S. through networks of 338 BMW passenger car centers, 335 BMW Sports Activity Vehicle centers, 142 BMW motorcycle retailers, 81 MINI passenger car dealers, and 30 Rolls-Royce Motor Car dealers. BMW (US) Holding Corp., the BMW Group's sales headquarters for North, Central and South America, is located in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.
Information about BMW Group products is available to consumers via the Internet at:
www.bmwgroupna.com
www.bmwusa.com
www.bmwmotorradusa.com
www.miniusa.com
www.rolls-roycemotorcars.com
Source: BMW of North America, LLC
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