Southeast Chapter Golf Tournament Draws Record Turnout in North Carolina
The WAI Southeast Chapter (SEC) hosted its annual golf tournament on October 16 at the Rock Barn Country Club & Spa in Conover, North Carolina. The event welcomed 115 golfers, which surpassed last year’s turnout. As a result, the chapter showed strong engagement across the wire and cable industry.
Competitive Play at Rock Barn
Teams competed on the par 71 Tom Jackson Course, and scores remained tight throughout the day. In the end, tiebreakers determined the winners. The top team included Steve Zande of https://www.servicethread.com (Service Thread) and Paul McConnell, Robert Kidd, and Patrick Noble of https://www.commscope.com (CommScope), finishing at 14 under par.
Meanwhile, second place went to Darin Nicol and John Downey of https://www.fortwaynedd.com (Fort Wayne Wire Die), along with Marc Finch and Harrison Cummings of https://www.iwghpc.com (IWG-HPC).
Next, third place went to 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.
Finally, the fourth-place team included 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, Sponsors, and On-Course Activities
The tournament began at 11 a.m.. First, players enjoyed lunch sponsored by https://www.carris.com (Carris Reels). Then, they moved to the course and practice areas.
The 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.), awarded the win to Mark MacKimm of Rainbow Rubber & Plastics.
In addition, several skill contests highlighted player performance:
- Most accurate drive, sponsored by https://www.sikora.net (Sikora), went to Daniel Johnson of Advanced Technology Services
- Closest to the pin, sponsored by Sonoco and https://www.joetools.com (JoeTools, Inc.), went to Rocky Colapietro of CommScope and Pat Curtsinger
Sponsors supported the event at every level. For example, key contributors included GEON Performance Solutions, https://www.teknikor.com (Teknikor), https://www.gemgravure.com (Gem Gravure), and https://www.lsindustries.com (L-S Industries, Inc.). Additionally, Rainbow Rubber & Plastics and Teknikor provided refreshments. At the same time, JoeTools, Inc. sponsored the $10,000 hole-in-one prize.
Dinner, Awards, and Grand Prize
After the tournament, attendees gathered for a dinner and reception. The event, sponsored by https://www.geon.com (GEON Performance Solutions) and Wire & Plastic Machinery Corp., featured a southern barbecue dinner.
During the reception, SEC President John Dognazzi announced raffle winners. Players received golf putters and gift cards. Most notably, the grand prize vacation, sponsored by https://www.wyndhamhotels.com (Wyndham Resorts), generated strong excitement. Frank Wilkins of https://www.aflglobal.com (AFL Global) ultimately won the trip.
Leadership and Community Impact
John Dognazzi credited the event’s success to dedicated SEC volunteers and board members. He noted that participation continues to rebound. In addition, he recognized Brooke Stonesifer of Sonoco for her decade of service as SEC Treasurer as she steps down from her role.
