Executive Director

Kym Hougham

Kym R. Hougham is a 1976 graduate of the University of Illinois with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Business Management and Marketing. Hougham attended college on a golf scholarship and was captain of the team his junior and senior year. After college, he joined the family insurance business and remained there for 19 years. In 1996, he became the Tournament Director of the PGA TOUR’s John Deere Classic in Moline, Ilinois. In May 2002, he was hired as the Executive Director to oversee the operations and management of the PGA TOUR’s Wachovia Championship in Charlotte, North Carolina. The tournament has donated over $7.6 million to charity since its inception.

He is the current President of the PGA TOUR Tournament Advisory Council (TAC) which is a Board of Directors that represents all 48 official events on the PGA TOUR. He is also Chairman of the FedEx Cup task force, an ex-officio member of the PGA TOUR Policy Board, a member of the 2007 President’s Cup Committee, the World Golf Hall of Fame Advisory Council and the Hall of Fame Selection Committee. In addition he serves on various board positions in Charlotte.

Kym and his wife Jackie relocated to the Charlotte area in 2002, and they have one son, Kyle.

Director of Marketing and Sponsor Relations

Jan Ivey

Jan Ivey is responsible for all sales and marketing functions of the Wachovia Championship. She joins the organization after 11 years in corporate marketing with the NBA Charlotte Hornets and WNBA Charlotte Sting.

Ivey has been a part of the Wachovia Championship since planning began with the inaugural event in 2003. In addition to managing the corporate relationships of the event, she also oversees and develops integrated electronic marketing programs and management of the wachoviachampionship.com website. Other areas of responsibility include corporate hospitality, ticket sales and operations, advertising, public relations of the event, and working directly with the event’s primary charity, Teach For America and Wachovia Corporation, the event’s title sponsor.

She is a graduate of Winthrop University in Rock Hill, South Carolina where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications and Political Science. She is also a board member of the Charlotte Regional
Visitors Authority Educational Foundation. She and her husband Marty are both Charlotte natives and reside in
the SouthPark community.

Tournament Coordinator

Gwen Mahler

Gwen Mahler is responsible for player/caddie relations, accommodations, transportation, Pro-Ams, childcare and other player-related functions. During the past 12 years, Gwen has worked and traveled extensively for many events including the Senior PGA TOUR at the TPC at Piper Glen here in Charlotte, the UBS Warburg Cup (Kiawah Island, South Carolina and Sea Island, Georgia) and The Masters in Augusta, Georgia, where she managed corporate programs. She also coordinated the Rush S. Dickson Invitational at Quail Hollow Club during its four-year reign that raised over $1 million for prostate cancer research. Gwen came to the Wachovia Championship in December 2002 from IMG where she was also a Tournament Coordinator.

Gwen’s interest in golf is not only professional, but personal as well. She is an avid golfer and works with several charities in her spare time to help organize their fund-raising golf tournaments. She has one daughter and lives in Charlotte.

Volunteer Coordinator

Paula Burnett

Paula Burnett joined the Wachovia Championship staff in 2002 and is responsible for coordinating the 2,600 volunteers who help stage the Championship each year. She works closely with 120 volunteer committee chairpersons and hole captains to ensure that needs are met for patrons, players, officials, tournament guests and PGA TOUR support staff. Prior to joining the Wachovia Championship staff, Paula served nine years on the Board of Directors for the John Deere Classic and has served for more than 20 years as a volunteer, which she continues to do each summer. In addition to the time she spends supporting PGA TOUR events, she is an active volunteer in the community and church.

Paula is a graduate of the University of Illinois with a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Education. Paula, her husband Curt and their three daughters, Calli, Kate and Kirbie reside in Weddington, North Carolina.

Tournament Operations

Tony Schuster

Tony Schuster joined the Wachovia Championship staff in 2002, to oversee the transformation of Quail Hollow Club from a peaceful private club, into a major outdoor sporting event venue—and then back again. Tournament Operations main objective is the design and supervision of everything from parking and vehicle traffic flow, to corporate and general public spectator amenities. Tony has 15 years of “major” tournament production experience. Other tournaments include The INTERNATIONAL and AT&T National presented by Tiger Woods.

Tony is a native of Colorado and graduated from the University of Northern Colorado with a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing / Economics and an associate's degree in Turf-grass Management from Penn State University. Tony is a former golf course superintendent, and is married (Caroline) with two children, Andrew and Taylor.

Tournament Project Manager

Christine Coman

Christine Coman joined the Wachovia Championship staff in the summer of 2002 and played an instrumental role in the tournament’s early organization. As Tournament Project Manager, her responsibilities include database/website development and implementation, assisting with volunteer coordination, tournament office accounting, hospitality contract execution, Quail Hollow Club ticket liaison, assist in Media Operations, manage Youth Clinic and Honorary Observer Program and overall office management.

A Charlotte native, Christine studied business at Tulane University before moving back to the Charlotte area. Recently engaged, Christine enjoys spending quality time with friends and family. She also serves as a committee member for the Second String Santas and is on the Steering Committee for the Young Sports Professional Network.

Tournament Assistant

James Stevens

James Stevens joined the staff in the spring of 2007 after serving as an intern for the Wachovia Championship. His primary duties as Tournament Assistant are to help manage the tournament office, and to assist with volunteer needs, ticket sales and inquiries, accounting, and all mailing communications.

James is an avid Boston Red Sox fan, having grown up in the New England area. He attended Western New England College in Springfield where he majored in Marketing and Psychology. Prior to coming to the Wachovia Championship, James completed an internship in the Marketing Department of Top Flite Golf, Corp. in Chicopee, Massachusetts.