INSIDER Q&A
f
ollowing a distinguished 45
year career that saw him ad-
vance from assistant to the
production manager all the way to
PING's President and Chief Operat-
ing Officer, Doug Hawken is set to re-
tire from the company at the end of
January. We recently caught up with
the longtime golf industry executive,
whose passion for quality manufac-
turing has never wavered.
• • •
PinG was mostly known for its put-
ters when you joined the company,
but now makes every club in the bag
and even the bag itself. what has it
been like to have a front row seat for
the company's growth and expansion
over the last 45 years? It's been a
privilege to help lead and contribute
to the success of a company that has
earned the admiration and respect of
golfers and business leaders around
the world. I've seen first-hand what it
takes to build a world-class organiza-
tion that values the contributions and
well-being of its employees above all
else. It's very satisfying to reflect on
what we've accomplished in an ever-
changing industry. PING has been
one of the few constants in the golf in-
dustry in the last 50 years.
• • •
what are some of the most signifi-
cant changes you've seen in the in-
dustry during that period? Just about
every aspect of the industry has
changed in a significant way. Fortu-
nately, we've been able to lead much
of the change, from equipment tech-
nology advancements to improve-
ments in manufacturing. Besides
being able to consistently engineer
better products, the biggest change
for golfers has been in custom fitting.
Our scientists and researchers con-
tinue to evolve [company founder]
Karsten Solheim's vision that custom
fitting is the best way to help golfers
play better. As the fitting pioneer and
leaders, we feel an obligation to look
for technologies and processes that
lead to lower scores and more enjoy-
ment of the game.
• • •
very few people stay in the same in-
dustry their entire careers, much less
with the same company. what is it
about PinG that made you want to
stay with the company for so long? It's
a family-run business that takes a
long-term view of the business where
we can do what is best for our em-
ployees and customers. It starts with
the mindset of the leadership team.
We're in the business of creating and
sustaining meaningful jobs for our
employees and their families. We ac-
complish that by designing and man-
ufacturing the best golf equipment in
the world. It's an innovative approach
that I'm passionate about and one I'll
endorse over any other.
• • •
how would you describe working
with karsten and son John solheim,
two of the truly revolutionary figures
in the industry? I've been very fortu-
nate to work very closely with
Karsten and John Solheim, who em-
powered me to become more visible
throughout the company and within
the industry. Their styles were very
lifetime achievement
PING's Doug Hawken reflects on 45 years in the golf industry
PING President and COO Doug Hawken.
c o n t i n u e d
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