World Golf Championships Bridgestone Invitational

Don Padgett III is the Executive Director of the Kaulig Companies Championship, a major on the PGA TOUR Champions.  Padgett began his PGA TOUR career at TOUR headquarters near Jacksonville, Florida in 2000.  In 2007, Padgett returned to his hometown of Akron, Ohio and has led the last sixteen professional golf tournaments at Firestone Country Club.

Since Padgett took over as executive director, over $15 million has been raised for worthy charitable causes throughout Northeast Ohio from proceeds from the golf tournament.  Padgett has received numerous accolades recognizing his outstanding execution of the tournament, including being named to the Crain’s Cleveland Business “Forty under Forty” list, the Greater Akron Chamber’s “Thirty for the Future” and graduating from the Leadership Akron “Class 29.”  In addition, the 2014 World Golf Championships – Bridgestone Invitational was named “Tournament of the Year” for the PGA TOUR’s Championship Management Division. 

Padgett is a board member for Akron/Summit County Convention and Visitors Bureau and the John S. Knight Center. Padgett has also served as an advisory board member for The First Tee chapters of Akron, Cleveland and Canton. He is a past board member of Susan G. Komen of Northeast Ohio.   

Don is a graduate of Walsh Jesuit High School.  A graduate of the Indiana University, Kelley School of Business, Padgett was also a four-year varsity athlete of the IU golf team.  He went on to earn a master’s in business administration from John Carroll University.  Don and his wife, Kellie, live in Green, Ohio and have three children, Don IV, Becca and Charlie.