The WAI Southeast Chapter (SEC) golf tournament returned to Rock Barn Country Club & Spa in Conover, North Carolina, with record attendance of 115 participants. Sunny skies and mild temperatures created ideal conditions, while increased participation highlighted strong growth across the wire and cable industry.
Competitive Play on the Tom Jackson Course
Teams competed on the par-71 Tom Jackson Course, where scoring remained tight throughout the day. Multiple teams tied for top positions, which led to tiebreakers.
The winning team featured Steve Zande of https://www.servicethread.com (Service Thread) and Robert Kidd and Patrick Noble of https://www.commscope.com (CommScope), finishing at 14 under par.
Second place went to Darin Nicol and John Downey of https://www.fortwaynedd.com (Fort Wayne Wire Die), along with Marc Finch and Harrison Commings of https://www.iwghpc.com (IWG-HPC).
Third place included Craig Shell and Steve Pinnix of https://www.mholland.com (M. Holland Company), joined by Alex Magid of https://www.westlake.com (Westlake) and Scott Tucker of CommScope.
The fourth-place team featured Dan Shelander and Joe Phipps of https://www.windakgroup.com (Windak), Eric Yount of CommScope, and Paul Douwes of https://www.advaris.com (Advaris).
Contests and On-Course Activities
The event began at 11 a.m. with lunch sponsored by https://www.carris.com (Carris Reels). Afterward, players participated in a putting contest, sponsored by https://www.processcontrolcorp.com (Process Control Corp.), https://www.sonoco.com (Sonoco), and https://www.wireandplastic.com (Wire & Plastic Machinery Corp.). Mark MacKimm of Rainbow Rubber & Plastics won the contest.
Additional competitions added variety and engagement:
- Accurate drive, sponsored by https://www.sikora.net (Sikora), won by Daniel Johnson of Advanced Technology Services
- Closest to the pin, sponsored by Sonoco and https://www.joetools.com (Joe Tools, Inc.), won by Rocky Colapietro of CommScope and Pat Curtsinger
Sponsors supported the event at every level. Key contributors included https://www.geon.com (GEON Performance Solutions), https://www.teknikor.com (Teknikor), https://www.gemgravure.com (Gem Gravure), and https://www.lsindustries.com (L-S Industries, Inc.). Meanwhile, Rainbow Rubber & Plastics and Teknikor provided refreshments. In addition, Joe Tools, Inc. sponsored the $10,000 hole-in-one contest.
Dinner, Awards, and Grand Prize
After the tournament, attendees gathered for a southern barbecue dinner and reception, sponsored by https://www.geon.com (GEON Performance Solutions) and Wire & Plastic Machinery Corp. SEC President John Dognazzi led the evening and announced raffle winners.
Participants received golf gear and gift cards, while the grand prize vacation, sponsored by https://www.wyndhamhotels.com (Wyndham Resorts), generated strong excitement. Frank Wilkins of https://www.aflglobal.com (AFL Global) won the all-inclusive trip.
Chapter Leadership and Recognition
John Dognazzi credited the success of the event to dedicated volunteers and board members. He noted a strong recovery in participation following previous challenges.
The chapter also recognized Brooke Stonesifer of Sonoco for her more than 10 years of service as SEC Treasurer as she steps down from the board.
