Tracy West ’86, is a native of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. She attended Lake Superior State University, graduating in 1986 with a BS in Finances & Economics, and went on to earn a MBA from Michigan State University. West is the tournament director for the PGA TOUR’s Valspar Championship, and has led the strategic and overall management efforts for this official PGA TOUR professional golf tournament since May 2014. Owned by Copperhead Charities and managed by Pro Links Sports, the tournament is broadcast in over 122+ countries on NBC and the Golf Channel with a potential audience of one billion, and annually attracts over 130,000 fans as one of Tampa Bay’s largest pro sporting events.
As a co-founder, partner, and Executive Vice President in Pro Links Sports, West is also involved in the oversight of the PGA TOUR’s Wells Fargo Championship, 3M Open, and hospitality programs at The Masters. She has extensive experience of an over 25-year career in professional golf tournament management nationwide. She is the first female PGA TOUR tournament director and served as an elected member of the PGA TOUR Tournament Advisory Council and PGA TOUR Champions Tournament Association.
In Tampa Bay, she serves on the Board of Directors of Habitat for Humanity of Pinellas County, The First Tee of Tampa Bay, the Clearwater Chamber of Commerce, and the Tampa Bay Sports Commission; the advisory council of and served on the Board of Directors of Habitat for Humanity of Pinellas and West Pasco Counties, Ruth Eckerd Hall and the Tampa chapter of Women in Sports & Entertainment (WISE). Among the recognitions received by West are: Tampa Bay’s Most Influential Women in Sports, Tampa Bay Business Journal Non-Profit Business Women of the Year, named #8 in Massachusetts Golf’s “20 Most Powerful Figures”, Brassie Awards for excellence in marketing and communications, inaugural Champions Tour “Tournament of the Year”, and Boston Champions Tour event named as one of “The Magnificent Seven Champions Tour Events” in Sports Illustrated in 2004.
At LSSU West was the recipient of the Paul Ripley Young Alumnus Award and the Lukenda School of Business Distinguished Alumni Award, and she serves on the Lukenda School of Business Professional Advisory Board.
West resides in Palm Harbor with her husband – fellow LSSU alum Mike West ’88 – a PGA of America Class A professional, and they are parents to two adult children.
First off, tell us a little bit about yourself and how you got to where you are professionally as the Valspar PGA TOUR Tournament Director?
In addition to being the Tournament Director at the Valspar Championship, an official event on the PGA TOUR in Tampa, I am also co-founder of Pro Links Sports. I serve as our Executive Vice President in charge of our PGA TOUR division with oversight of our other two PGA TOUR events in Charlotte and Minneapolis. I travel quite a bit between our three events and to other TOUR events for player recruitment.
What led you to pursue a career in sports event management, specifically in golf tournaments?
I went to school for business, but really did not contemplate a career in pro sports event management. After grad school I got married and moved to Grand Rapids. While working in product management, I volunteered for the Senior PGA TOUR event in that town and realized I loved event management. As a new Senior PGA TOUR event was starting in Minneapolis the tournament director came to our Grand Rapids event. We hit it off and he offered me a job. I took a big risk and left my corporate job behind to work at this start-up tournament. We formed an pro golf tournament event management company shortly after, grew it to one of the largest companies managing events on TOUR and the last 30 years is history!
What originally brought you to LSSU for your undergraduate degree?
Attending LSSU was a pretty easy decision. I grew up about 200 yards from the library at LSSU so it was going to be an easy walk!! But seriously, I was fortunate to receive a major academic scholarship, so it was the right decision to take advantage of that wonderful opportunity. Plus, LSSU was (and is) a well-respected institution so I thought it would give me a good academic foundation.
Can you discuss any memorable classes/professors or experiences during your time at LSSU that shaped your career path?
No question, many professors were incredibly impactful, including Saluja, Gaertner and Harger who each played a big role in those first years helping to shape my critical thinking and writing skills. They also made learning a joyful experience.
What aspects of your LSSU education do you find most valuable in your current role as Tournament Director? How has your background and experience prepared you for the unique demands of managing a PGA tournament?
LSSU offered a solid educational foundation in the basics which prepared me well for graduate school. Being involved in extracurricular activities at LSSU also gave me the opportunity to balance many responsibilities which certainly assisted in my role now with being able to multitask and accomplish many tasks well.
Can you describe a typical day as the Tournament Director for the Valspar PGA TOUR Tournament? What are your responsibilities?
I have a wide range of responsibilities including the strategic direction for the tournament, player recruitment, media relations, large sponsorship relations, board management and oversight of our team. On any given day I am usually on the phone quite a bit, in a lot of meetings and answering hundreds of emails. Each of our events is a $25+ million tournament so there is a lot of revenue to raise and many logistics to plan in order to operate this level of professional sporting event.
Can you share any memorable experiences or challenges you’ve faced in your role as Tournament Director?
The most memorable event was our 2018 Valspar Championship when Tiger Woods committed to play. He was just coming back to playing on TOUR after one of his significant injuries. I had tried for 3 years to get him to play. When he finally made the decision to play it was like the cherry on top of the cake of my 30+ year career. It was an incredibly crazy 10 days but our team rallied to ensure our fans, sponsors and volunteers all had a great experience with Tiger involved.
What do you enjoy most about your job with the Valspar PGA Tournament, and how does it align with your passions?
I am blessed to be involved in events which each generate $75 million annual economic impact and recognition for our communities via the international and national broadcast in 122+ countries. But the most important impact is significant charitable dollars that are donated into our communities each year to dozens of organizations. The most fun days of the year are giving out those monies and seeing the impact on people’s lives.
What advice would you give to someone aspiring to become a tournament director in the golf industry? Specifically, what advice would you give to current LSSU students aspiring to pursue a career in sports event management?
Besides the normal advice of working hard and obtaining a well-rounded education, strive to gain real-time experience by interning and volunteering at events and/or sports properties. Network as much as possible. Stay in touch with those whom you meet. Remember that working in “sports” does not mean it needs to be in professional sports. There are many ways to be involved in recreational, amateur and collegiate sports organizations.
What trends do you see shaping the future of golf tournaments, and how do you anticipate adapting to these changes?
The PGA TOUR is certainly going through some massive changes in the last 18-24 months with the disruption of LIV golf and the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia. With that said, as the PGA TOUR works through some level of involvement and involvement from outside investors, tournaments will need to adapt to these new changes and structures. It is an interesting and challenging time in professional golf, for sure.
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