Men and women who normally compete against each other in corporate America came together on Monday for a single cause. Automotive manufacturers and suppliers convened for the 39th annual Automotive Golf Classic on Monday, May 21.
Check out the highlights:
The event is the premier golf outing in Michigan, according to Phil Nussel, executive chairman of this year’s event.
“We were trying to decide if we were the biggest but we’ll go with ‘premier,’” Nussel joked to the dozens of teams gathered on the brisk May morning. In addition to spearheading this year’s AGC, the Toledo native is the online editor for the most respected automotive publication in the country.
“Automotive News and the Crain’s family are very excited to be part of this event,” Nussel said. “It’s an annual event that we absolutely can’t miss.” The annual outing offers major financial support to Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan.
Funds raised through the classic allow the 13,000 metro Detroit youth who are served by BGCSM to attend our summer program.
The attendees at the AGC represented billions of purchasing power, fueling the American economy. To date, the AGC has raised over $8 million for our local Clubs.
Amy McLain of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles was one of six presenting sponsors for the event.
“This is the first time we can all be part of one team, supporting a great cause,” McLain said. Boys & Girls Clubs create a great foundation for the youth in our community and set the stage for future success.”
Event presenting sponsors and co-chairs also represented Ford, General Motors, Honda, Nissan, and Toyota.
The day was not done after 5 hours of good-natured competition. After spending the day on the green, golfers returned to the clubhouse for an evening reception and a well-earned meal.
The competition continued and spilled into the live auction and raffles, leading to generous giving. The grand total raised by the event was $517,696!
Toyota’s supplier relations general manager, Jim Holloway, says that participating in the golf classic is an honor.
“I would imagine that many of you (AGC participants) were products of Boys & Girls Clubs as you were growing up,” Holloway said to the golfers during the opening remarks, before teeing off. “What a great event this is to contribute to our future.”
With our new Adult Membership model piloting at our Dick & Sandy Dauch Campus, BGCSM will offer Ponyride co-working spaces for creatives, community members, and professionals alike. The next automotive heavy hitters could be spending their evenings in our Clubs now, thanks to the generosity of programs like the Automotive Golf Classic.
The future of the automotive industry is likely in one of our Clubs as you read this. BGCSM has served over 400,000 kids since 1926. Our community’s efforts tip the scales for many of these children.
What can our kids become with your help? Purchase an Adult Membership today or make a donation! Your contribution changes lives.
