Speaker Bios
Zach Nicoludis, USGA Green Section
Zach joined the Green Section in the spring of 2016 as an agronomist in the Central Region. He is based in the Columbus, Ohio, office and conducts visits in Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, Minnesota, Indiana, Kentucky and Ontario, in addition to providing educational outreach throughout the region.
Working on a golf course during high school inspired Zach to pursue a degree in turfgrass science at Penn State University. Upon completing his degree, he worked as an assistant superintendent at St. Clair Country Club in Pittsburgh, Pa., French Creek Golf Club in Elverson, Pa., and Bidermann Golf Course in Wilmington, Del. Zach went on to become the South Course Superintendent at Wilmington Country Club in Wilmington, Del., where he spent four years before joining the USGA Green Section.
Jason Straka, ASGCA
Jason Straka, ASGCA, is American Society of Golf Course Architects president, a position he will hold until October 2022. A principal with Fry/Straka Global Golf Course Design with Dana Fry, ASGCA, Straka is devoted to environmental golf-course design, his projects with Fry having won many environmental accolades.
Straka, a native of northeastern Ohio, developed and strengthened his commitment to environmental design while a student at Cornell University. In 1994 he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Landscape Architecture, followed in 1995 by a Masters of Professional Studies degree in Agriculture – Turfgrass Management, Agronomy and Environmental Golf Course Design Studies. An active member of ASGCA, Straka served as the ASGCA Education Committee Chairperson from its creation in 2012 through 2018, and was one of the youngest members ever elected to its Executive Committee in 2018.
The design portfolio for Straka, which includes courses for Fry/Straka as well as Hudzan/Fry, features dozens of projects, including: Camelback Golf Club, Ambiente Course, Scottsdale, Arizona; Georgian Bay Club, Collingwood, Ontario, Canada; Los Robles Greens Golf Course, Thousand Oaks, California; Shelter Harbor Golf Club, Westerly, Rhode Island; The Oaks Club, Heron Course, Osprey, Florida; Kenwood Country Club, Cincinnati; and Union League National Golf Club, Cape May Courthouse, New Jersey.
Brian Huntley, ASGCA
Brian Huntley, ASGCA, is a highly experienced golf course architect: in a career that spans over 30 years, he has worked on more than 125 design and construction projects.
Huntley graduated from The Ohio State University in 1986 with a bachelor’s degree in Landscape Architecture.
After OSU, he immediately went to work for Arthur Hills and Associates as a Project Manager. With Hills, he worked on 23 different golf courses construction projects for the company through 1992.
Huntley has designed over 30 golf course properties through his company. These designs include Eagle Creek Golf Course, Norwalk, Ohio; Shale Creek Golf Course, Medina, Ohio; The Quarry Golf Course, Canton, Ohio; and Beavercreek Golf Course, Dayton, Ohio (Collaboration with Fuzzy Zoeller).
Shawn Smith, ASGCA
Originally from Montana, Shawn Smith, ASGCA, earned a bachelor’s degree in Landscape Architecture from Washington State University where he played on the WSU Golf Team. He began his professional career in 1998 with Hills & Forrest and became a principal in 2010. He is a student of the game and specifically the courses and designers from the Golden Age of Architecture. His background, knowledge, and attention to detail allow him to excel an ensuring the accurate restoration of older golf coursers and the creation of new courses with a classic character, blending strategy, playability, artistry and the natural environment.
Ray Cronin, Club Benchmarking
Ray Cronin has been leading high technology companies for more than 30 years specializing in building teams and navigating early startup phases. He founded Club Benchmarking in 2009 and is recognized in the club industry for his ability to communication the strategic financial dynamics in private clubs. Ray was named 2018 Club Industry Educator of the Year by BoardRoom magazine and recognized as an “Industry Influencer” in 2019. He served three terms as President of Thorny Lea Golf Club in Brockton, Mass. He holds a BSEE from Worcester Polytechnic Institute and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Jeff Brauer, ASGCA
After a 45 year career in golf architecture, ASGCA Past President Jeff Brauer joined the ASGCA staff as its Director of Outreach, with a goal of advancing the goals, influence, and impact of ASGCA for its members, the profession and the game of golf.
A University of Illinois graduate with a degree in landscape architecture, Brauer apprenticed with the Chicago firm of Killian and Nugent, before moving to Arlington, Texas to form his own practice in 1984, where he designed 60 new courses and remodeled more than 80 others over 37 years.
Brauer is also a prolific author, having been the renovation editor of “Golf Course Industry”magazine and serving as lead author on “Designs on a Better Golf Course: Practical answers to common questions for Green Committees” in 2020.
Jason Sloan, Frontier Golf
Jason Sloan has been involved in golf course construction and design since 2008 as part of the leadership team of golf course builder Frontier Golf, handling all phases of course construction and renovation projects across the United States. He is currently serving in his second 2-year term on the Board of Directors for the Golf Course Builders Association of America (GCBAA). Jason has been a speaker at the GCSAA Conference and Tradeshow multiple times on the topic of “How to Prepare for a Golf Course Renovation”.
Jason graduated from Penn State University with a bachelor’s degree in Landscape Architecture and from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland with a master’s degree in Golf Course Architecture. His design background coupled with his hands-on construction experience gives him a unique perspective on golf course construction and renovation projects, handling all aspects of the project from initial client contact to project completion. Jason has led renovation projects at many high profile golf courses including Pebble Beach Golf Links, The Olympic Club, Laurel Valley Golf Club, Canterbury Golf Club, and St. Clair Country Club to name a few.
Mark F. Jordan, CGCS
Natural Resources Leader, Westfield Country Club
Jordan is the Natural Resources Leader at Westfield Country Club in Westfield Center, Ohio. He has been in the industry since 1980 and WCC since 1988 where he has served as general manager, club manager, superintendent and assistant superintendent. Most recently he served as project manager as Westfield embarked (with Hurdzan Golf Design) on a for a multi-phase, multi-course renovation from 2015-2020; including building a new 20 acre practice facility and the transformation of WCC 36 hole facility into two unique golfing experiences.
He previously interned at Elyria Country Club, served as assistant superintendent at Winding Hollow Golf Club in Columbus, Ohio, and Hyde Park Golf and Country Club in Cincinnati. He is a past president of the Northern Ohio GCSA, the Ohio Turf Foundation and is currently the Immediate Past President of the Golf Course Superintendent’s Association of America.
A native of Nova, Ohio, Jordan graduated from The Ohio State University – Wooster, with an associate’s of applied science degree in turfgrass management; and The Ohio State University in Columbus with a bachelor of science degree in agronomy. Jordan and his wife, Melinda, reside in Westfield Center, Ohio, and have four children and five grandchildren.
Michael Lukegord, CCM
General Manager, Canterbury Golf Club
Michael has over 17 years of club management experience and is currently in his eighth year as the General Manager at Canterbury Golf Club. He also serves as Vice President for the Great Lakes Chapter of Club Managers Association of America. He began his career at Scioto Country Club, balancing work and school while earning a degree from the Ohio State University’s Fisher College of Business.
Canterbury Golf Club hired Michael in 2014. Since then, Michael has orchestrated over $7M in facility and golf course improvements, including Bruce Hepner’s $1.2M bunker renovation in 2016/2017. The club hired Architects Keith Rhebb and Riley Johns of Rhebb & Johns Golf Design in 2019 to establish a new Golf Course Master Plan. The Canterbury Membership approved the plan in the spring of 2022 and the Architects broke ground on a tee renovation and green expansion project on September 6, 2022.
David W. Goldense
Former Green Committee Chair, Westwood Country Club
David Goldense joined Westwood Country Club in 2007 and began serving on the Greens Committee in 2009. He was named Chairman of the Committee in 2013 and with the Club President’s approval, undertook a review of the greens with the intent to resurface all 18 putting surfaces. The initial program quickly grew to replacing green surrounds and bunkers. In short order, all 18 teeing grounds and fairway bunkers came under the renovation plan. David remained as Chair of the Greens Committee through the process of approval for course renovation work and continued with the project through its conclusion.
Westwood’s course superintendent, David Webner, worked closely with an ad hoc course renovation committee and developed regular communication updates keeping the membership abreast of the project’s status. Begun with closing the greens to regular play in August, 2015, the course opened for play on June 1, 2016.
Prior to joining Westwood, David was a member of Spring Valley Country Club commencing in 1981. While a member of Spring Valley, he served on the Board of Trustees and as Greens Committee Chair.
David began his service on the NOGA Board in 2005 and moved on to serve at President of NOGA in 2012 and 1013.