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About American Golf: Executive Profiles
Tom Ferguson Chief Executive Officer Prior to joining American Golf Corporation in December of 2005 as its CEO, Mr. Ferguson held a number of key positions in real estate development, investment and operating businesses, including working in Goldman Sachs & Co’s Real Estate Principal Investment Area since 2002. After working in the real estate lending division of a major southwestern bank, Mr. Ferguson joined the Paragon Group, a national real estate development and management company headquartered in Dallas. There he served in a variety of capacities over 13 years, including as President of the homebuilding subsidiary and as the CFO for the public company and its predecessor entity from 1993 to 1997. Following Paragon’s merger with Camden Property Trust in 1997, Mr. Ferguson consulted on a number of private real estate transactions. From 1999 until he began working with Goldman Sachs, Mr. Ferguson worked with the Aureus Group, a Rosewood – Sammons joint venture engaged in the acquisition and management of senior living properties throughout the United States. In addition to his position with American Golf, Mr. Ferguson serves on the Board of Directors of Horizon Bay Senior Living. Paul Major President Prior to becoming President, Mr. Major has been active in a variety of roles within American Golf Corporation and National Golf Properties and oversaw business development, transactional and legal activities. Major is highly experienced with all aspects of golf course transactions, having been involved in the evaluation, acquisition and disposition of numerous golf courses over the years. Most recently, Mr. Major developed and spearheaded the companies’ highly successful strategic disposition program. Mr. Major joined National Golf in 1993 and was appointed the Company’s Executive Vice President in 1998 after rising through the ranks in a variety of roles in the business development group. Mr. Major joined American Golf at the closing of the Goldman/Starwood transaction and was appointed as President in 2005. Prior to joining National Golf, Mr. Major was a corporate lawyer at Latham & Watkins in Los Angeles. He received a JD degree from the Boalt Hall Law School and a Bachelor of Sciences degree in Economics from the University of California at Berkeley. Mike Moecker Senior Vice President & Chief Financial Officer Mr. Moecker joined the Company in 2007 and is responsible for all financial functions including accounting, budgeting, capital planning and investment, information technology, payroll, tax and treasury/cash management for American Golf and National Golf Properties. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Moecker was an independent consultant to the real estate industry, providing financial expertise to companies such as The DASCO Companies, where he worked closely with the company in their initial public offering and ultimate sale to CNL Retirement Properties. Mr. Moecker also served as the interim Chief Accounting Officer for Highwoods Properties, a $2 billion public real estate company, as well as the interim Treasurer and head of the Structured Finance Group for Ericsson, a global telecommunications company. From 1999 to 2002 Mr. Moecker served as the Chief Financial Officer for Evergreen Alliance Golf Limited where he oversaw all aspects of the accounting, finance, and information technology functions of that national golf company. Mr. Moecker began his career in public accounting with Ernst & Young, leaving that firm after seven years as a senior manager in the audit group. He is a Certified Public Accountant and holds a Bachelors Degree in Accounting from the University of Texas at Arlington. Mark Friedman Senior Vice President, General Counsel & Secretary Mr. Friedman is responsible for management and administration of all legal functions for American Golf, including technology licensing, litigation and claims, commercial and real estate transactions and counseling the operations and corporate functions of the Company. He also oversees employee relations, benefits and risk management. Mr. Friedman joined American Golf in July 2003. Prior to joining American Golf, Mr. Friedman was counsel to BP and Atlantic Richfield Company where he worked in a variety of legal functions that included mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, corporate governance and litigation management. He received a JD degree, with honors, from the University of Southern California Law Center and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of California at Davis. He also serves on the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors of Bet Tzedek (House of Justice), and chairs that organization's PR/Outreach Committee. Bet Tzedek provides pro bono legal services to 10,000 elderly and working poor residents of Los Angeles each year. Keith Brown Senior Vice President & Chief Operations Officer As Chief Operations Officer - West, Mr. Brown is responsible for overseeing the operation of 86 private country clubs, daily fee and municipal golf courses across the Western United States. Mr. Brown has been directly involved with the game of golf in a working and/or competitive capacity for more than 25 years. Since joining American Golf in 1992, he has held a variety of operational positions including Club Manager at MountainGate Country Club in Los Angeles, General Manager of Seattle’s Bear Creek Country Club, Regional Manager for private clubs and public courses in the Northwest and Regional Vice President responsible for the operation of American Golf Country Clubs’ Eastern Region. Prior to assuming his current position, Mr. Brown served as the Executive Vice President responsible for the operations of the Company’s private club operations throughout the country. He currently serves as the CFO of the American Golf Foundation, a non-profit organization that raises funds for charitable causes nationwide through charity golf tournaments and golf-related fundraising, and as the President of the Malibu Foundation for Youth and Families which supports local Boys and Girls Club's facilities and programs. Prior to joining American Golf, Mr. Brown was an Associate at the investment-banking firm of Houlihan, Lokey, Howard and Zukin. Mr. Brown holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from California State University Northridge, where he played NCAA golf as a scholarship athlete and served as an assistant coach. He also earned a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University. Craig Kniffen Senior Vice President of Maintenance One of the golf industry’s most respected professionals in the area of golf course maintenance and agronomy, Mr. Kniffen is responsible for overseeing American Golf’s vast network of golf course superintendents located at 165 private, resort and daily fee golf courses nationwide. He also spearheads the creation and development of golf course properties in partnership with major golf course owners and developers. A golf industry veteran for more than 25 years, Mr. Kniffen began his career with American Golf more than 20 years ago as a golf course superintendent and then regional superintendent. Six years ago he assumed the role of Director of Maintenance for the Southeast Region, and two years later assumed responsibility as the Company’s Vice President of Maintenance and Construction. In 2001, he began his role as Senior Vice President of Maintenance. Mr. Kniffen studied Business Administration at Suffolk County Community College; Agronomy at Oregon State University; and Architecture at Arizona State University. |
