Mike Timbers and Tom Dudley

The Florida State Golf Association is proud to announce that Tom Dudley will serve as the new president of the association in 2008. Dudley, 63, of Jacksonville, was elected president at the FSGA’s Annual Meeting on November 16, 2007. He succeeds Mike Timbers who served as President in 2006 and 2007.

Tom will lead the volunteer Executive Committee in directing the Association’s professional staff and more than 350 volunteers throughout the state. Tom served on the Executive Committee in 2001 and 2002 as a Director-at-Large and again in 2004 and 2005 as Secretary/Treasurer. A Board Member since the early 1990’s, Tom has been the Vice President the past two years.

Tom was first introduced to the FSGA by his mentor Jim Callender in 1987. Tom wanted to “give back to the game that he loves” and first got involved at the local level helping with events in the Jacksonville area. He began volunteering at more events and soon was a Tournament Chairman conducting events in Northeast Florida. In addition to the FSGA, Tom is involved at the national level serving as a USGA Committee Member. He has officiated at approximately 50 National Championships including 14 US Opens and 14 US Amateurs. “Golf has always been a love of mine,” said Tom. “I was never that good of a player but I enjoy the competition and seeing the different venues around the world.”

Tom grew up in Columbus, Georgia and attended the University of Georgia where he earned a degree in Business Administration. After working several years in New York and North Carolina, Tom and his wife Bonnie moved to Jacksonville in 1970 where they have raised their family and lived ever since. After working in real estate and the oil equipment business, Tom founded Industrial Water Services, Inc. in 1986 where he remains president. IWS is an environmental company that specializes in the treatment and disposal of non-hazardous waste water and treatment and recycling of used oils. IWS has facilities in Jacksonville, Mobile, Ala, and Chicago. Tom and Bonnie have two children, Claire and Tommy, Jr., and two grandchildren. A member of Timuquana Country Club in Jacksonville, Tom admits that he does not get to play as much golf as he would like.

For the future of the FSGA, Tom sees continued growth and recognition with the association. “The FSGA is the premier golf association in the state and provides the state’s golfers with the best services in all areas from course rating and handicapping to the interpretation of the Rules of Golf and conducting the state golf championships,” said Tom. “We must continue to create awareness of what we do for Florida’s golfers and with the FSGA’s professional staff, we hope to continue our state and national leadership in junior golf with the Florida Junior Tour, Rules of Golf education, handicapping and course rating workshops. In conjunction with the United States Golf Association, we want to continue with improvements in the GHIN Handicap System. We hope to unify our state under one handicap program for the benefit of all amateur golfers and club professionals.” Tom also hopes to find a permanent home for the FSGA and provide more funding and scholarships for juniors to compete nationally and further their educations. Finally, he would like to see the FSGA, through its many programs and services, be regarded as the “top state golf association in the country.”

Others elected to the Executive Committee include: Tom Keedy, of Lady Lake, as Vice President, Jim Applegate, from Palm City, as Secretary/Treasurer, Randy Briggs, of Ocala, George Roat, from Windermere, and Brian Robideau, of Palm Beach Gardens, as Directors-at-Large and Mike Timbers, of Bonita Springs, as Immediate Past President.