BCG names marketing chief

The largest domestic owner-operator of golf courses, country clubs and resorts – has appointed Kyle Ragsdale to the newly-created position of Chief Marketing Officer.

Ragsdale will oversee development of strategic marketing planning and execution for all marketing activities involving BCG and its portfolio of courses.

Initiatives include enhancement of surgical marketing action plans and budgets, pricing strategies, market intelligence, creative programming, comprehensive digital platforms, and powerful customer relationship management programs incorporating in-depth behavior and segmentation analytics, custom technology and efficient message delivery vehicles.

Direction of field-based sales and in-house marketing-communications teams and systems also falls under Ragsdale’s purview. He will work closely with Buffalo Communications, the PR division of BCG.

“Billy Casper Golf has built the strongest operating platform in golf,” says Ragsdale, who is also charged with promoting the BCG brand.  “Similarly, the marketing framework in place is forward-thinking and I am excited to increase its effectiveness.”

The appointment of Ragsdale demonstrates BCG’s commitment of significant resources to bolster its infrastructure that, in turn, drives golfers and members to properties it manages.

“Kyle Ragsdale is uniquely skilled in consumer and B2B marketing,” says Peter Hill, Chairman and CEO of BCG. “Utilizing data and creativity, he adds fresh perspective to Billy Casper Golf marketing and this further separates our capabilities from the golf-course management pack.”

Ragsdale joins BCG from Vox Media, publisher of SB Nation, The Verge and Polygon. As Vice President of Business Affairs and Finance he led all sales, marketing and finance activities and helped grow it from a start-up to the 8th largest sports property online. Previously, he was Associate Director of Athletics for External Affairs at Georgetown University, directing all sponsorships, ticket sales, sports information, media relations and marketing. He remains an adjunct faculty member at Georgetown, teaching Sports Marketing in the Masters of Sports Management Program.

A graduate of Evangel University, Ragsdale holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and is a Certified Public Accountant.