The Board of Directors of the PGA of America announced May 22 a change in leadership, suspending President Don Rea for the remainder of his term and elevating Vice President Nathan Charnes to acting president effective immediately.
Rea’s term was scheduled to conclude in November, when Charnes was expected to assume the presidency through the association’s normal officer succession process.
In a statement, the Board said that removing Rea “followed a series of issues over time that, taken together, were determined to be detrimental to the Association.”
Rea, owner and operator of Augusta Ranch Golf Club in Mesa, Arizona, has been a PGA of America member for 22 years and spent more than a decade in leadership roles at both the section and national levels. He was elected secretary of the PGA of America in 2020, vice president in 2022 and president in 2024.
Throughout his tenure, Rea was a visible advocate for PGA professionals and golf facility operators. Prior to becoming president, he served as president of the Southwest PGA Section and on the PGA of America’s National Board of Directors, as well as the boards of the National Golf Course Owners Association and Arizona Tourism Alliance.
PGA of America leadership is chosen every two years when the organization holds its Annual Meeting to elect a new secretary. Delegates from the 41 PGA sections vote for candidates who spent time campaigning for the position. The candidate with the most delegate votes is elected and then serves four two-year terms, one in each of the positions of secretary, vice president, president and honorary president.
Charnes is currently the general manager and director of golf of WingHaven Country Club in O’Fallon, Missouri, and serves as a member of the Gateway PGA Section. From 2004-2011, he also served as WingHaven’s PGA head professional. Charnes has had heavy involvement with the PGA for more than 20 years, including serving as education chairman for the Gateway PGA Section and being elected to the Gateway PGA Board of Directors from 2011-2018.
Elected national secretary in 2022, Charnes became vice president in 2024 and was expected to succeed Rea as president this fall.
Charnes will assume the association’s governance responsibilities during the transition period. Secretary Eric Eshleman will serve as acting vice president while continuing in his current role until officer elections are held in November.
Rea was featured in a 2023 Golf Inc. profile that highlighted his path from golf facility operator to the highest elected office in the PGA of America and his focus on supporting PGA professionals and golf businesses. He has also been a longtime speaker at the Golf Inc. Summit.
