Fred Perpall has been nominated to serve as the 67th president of the United States Golf Association. He would be the first Black man to hold that post in the association’s history, dating to 1894.
If elected, Perpall, 47, will succeed Stu Francis of Hillsborough, California, who will conclude his three-year term in February 2023. Highlights of Francis’ presidency include helping to guide the organization successfully through the COVID-19 pandemic, bringing on Mike Whan as USGA CEO, and working to elevate all USGA championships and host sites, among many other contributions.
Perpall, a native of the Bahamas who now calls Dallas home, is completing his fourth year on the executive committee, and his first as president-elect. He chairs the Championship Committee, helping to usher in the inaugural U.S. Adaptive Open Championship and the site selection of several USGA championships to many of America’s iconic courses.
Fred Perpall USGA President Elect as seen during the USGA Golf House Pinehurst Ground Breaking in the Pinehurst, N.C. on June 6, 2022. (USGA/John Mummert)
Professionally, Perpall is the CEO of The Beck Group, where he leads the firm’s domestic and international architectural design, planning, real estate consultancy and construction businesses. A registered architect, Perpall was elected to the prestigious American Institute of Architects College of Fellows in 2016.
Perpall earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Texas at Arlington and is a graduate of the Harvard Business School’s Advanced Management Program. He played basketball and ran track in college and was a member of the 1994 Bahamian National Basketball Team. He took up golf just under 10 years ago.
“Fred is a dynamic leader who has a tremendous passion for the game,” said Whan.
The election of officers and members of the USGA executive committee, a volunteer group of 15 people that provides strategic and financial oversight as the Association’s policy-making and governance board, will take place at the organization’s annual meeting on Feb. 25, 2023 in Napa, California.