PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. -- Tom Addis III of Beaumont, Calif., the 29th president of The PGA of America and the executive director/CEO of the Southern California PGA Section, is the 13th person recognized in the "Legends of The PGA" program. Addis will be honored in a ceremony Friday, Nov. 7, in conjunction with the 92nd PGA Annual Meeting. The ceremony will be conducted at the JW Marriott Resort & Spa in Phoenix, Ariz.

Addis served from 1994-96 as PGA President, during which time the Association began the Golf Professional Training Program (now PGA Professional Golf Management Program), developed PGA CareerLinks, opened The PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, Fla., The PGA of America's first owned and operated golf facility; developed a new PGA Specialty Certification Program and renovated The PGA Professional National Championship.

Inducted in 2005 into the PGA Golf Professional Hall of Fame, Addis was the 1989 PGA Golf Professional of the Year, the 1988 Nation Golf Foundation Joe Graffis Award winner; the 1981 national Horton Smith Award recipient; and also is a member of the Southern California PGA Hall of Fame and the San Diego Junior Golf Association Hall of Fame.

"To be considered a legend in any way is quite an honor, especially for The PGA of America," said Addis. "I've been involved in the game of golf, the business of golf and with our PGA members at many levels. And to serve as president of The PGA of America is the greatest privilege and honor one can imagine, much less achieve."

In 1991, Addis was elected as national secretary of The PGA of America. Two years later, he would ascend to PGA vice president and in 1994 became PGA president.

Addis has devoted considerable time working in the community with the physically and mentally challenged, which included leadership in establishing golf as a recognized sport in the Special Olympics Games.

Since January 2006, Addis has served as the Executive Director and CEO of the Southern California PGA Section. From 2000 to 2006, Addis was the owner and president of Medallion Golf Inc. of Beaumont, Calif., a golf facility design, construction, operations and management services company.

Prior to establishing Medallion Golf, Addis was Vice President of Golf Development for Full Swing Golf in San Diego, and spent 31 years as director of golf for the 54-hole Singing Hills Golf Resort in El Cajon, Calif.

Addis and his wife, Susan, are the owners of two successful Rocky Mountain Chocolate retail stores in California. The Addis's two sons are involved in the golf industry; with Tom IV, in golf design and construction in Asia and Bryan, the PGA general manager at The Country Club at Soboba Springs in San Jacinto, Calif.

The Legends of The PGA Program was established in 1995 to recognize PGA Past Presidents for their contributions to the Association and the golf industry.

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