Exclusive Interview with 2000 GGCC General Chairman Patty Wells

Interview with 2000 Greater Greensboro Chrysler Classic General Chairman Patty Wells

ggoblogger:You were a member of the Jaycettes. What can you tell me about that organization?

Patty Wells: I joined in January 1985 and within months the National Jaycette organization dissolved with the opportunity to join the Jaycees. So, let's see, Mary Schott (Speaker) was the newly elected President; we were the largest Jaycette Organization in the country; I attended the last State and National Jaycette Conventions as the North Carolina Speak-up Representative.

ggoblogger: What was their (Jaycettes) supporting role with the Greater Greensboro Open?

Patty Wells: Their supporting role for the Jaycee organization, including the GGO, was to provide additional leadership and manpower support. Most chairmanships had both a Jaycee and Jaycette chairman if I remember correctly. That was a long time ago . . . 20 years!

ggoblogger: You were the first general chairman to have a tournament director. How did that begin to change the role of the general chairman?

Patty Wells: For me, there was little change in that the Tournament Director was on a steep learning curve the first year. However, the job description of the Tournament Director outlined what would eventually become the role (as fulfilled by Mark Brazil). Basically, the idea was that the TD would provide continuity year after year, build long term relationships with the TOUR, the players, the media, the sponsors, establish a strategic direction then the general chair and committee would work with the TD to plan and implement the tactical steps required to meet the long term goals. All of this being done to reduce the risk of Greensboro losing the TOUR event.

ggoblogger: Dick Baker's role seemed to focus more on sales and marketing, where Mark Brazil's role seems to be a more comprehensive operational one. What are your thoughts on this?

Patty Wells: Its important to remember that Dick Baker was only with us 2 years. The plan was to have him focus, initially, on sales and marketing while learning the organization, the operations, the vendors, etc. so that over time his role would expand. Had he remained on staff then his role would have evolved as Mark's did over the course of his 5 year career to date.

ggoblogger: The Greensboro Jaycees had been under pressure over the years from the PGA TOUR to hire a permanent tournament director. How did this pressure influence the search and hiring process?

Patty Wells: There is a time and place for everything. I felt it was the right time to hire a permanent tournament director. I guess I am stating the obvious. Otherwise, I would have left it for a future GC (general chairman) to deal with it.

ggoblogger: What is an "interdependence matrix" and why is it so important to an event like the Greater Greensboro Chrysler Classic?

Patty Wells: How funny, I cannot believe you asked about this! First of all the term is "interdependency matrix". It was a matrix that had the various chairmanships within an area down the y axis and the 11 areas across the x axis. Within the intersecting cell (where a chairmanship meets an area), I would place a description of the items needed from the area or items the chairmanship needed to provide to the area. Again, it showed the dependencies between a chairmanship with all the other areas of the tournament. Once understood, my chairmen always found it very helpful. However, I think John Altizer was the only chairman who ever understood it.

ggoblogger: Did your executive committee make jokes about your matrix?

Patty Wells: No. No one ever made fun of me or my matrix (not)! It wasn't just my committee, I was able to provide MANY committees with "joke" material.

ggoblogger: I can understand why your assistant Jeff Iddings would be refered to as the "Whipping Boy", but how did you get the nick name "Dominatrix"?

Patty Wells: Beats me. I have never been a controlling, demanding or dominating person. I guess it must be the opposite of my personality. I remember when I first joined the Jaycees, there were always crazy skits - - - creative/innovative fun ways to get a message across to the membership. So I told the committee we would be putting on skits throughout the year for the membership. Doug Heberle came up with the Golfopolis, Whipping Boy, Dominatrix concept then expanded it to include the entire committee. It was fun!

ggoblogger: Does that come from your famous interdependency matrix?

Patty Wells: I don't think so. You might have to ask Doug and the Whipping Boy.

ggoblogger: Do you keep in touch with any of your friends from Golfapolis?

Patty Wells: Yes. There are a handful that I speak with/see on a regular basis and the rest of the team, I am always so happy to see when life events bring us together. I had an awesome committee - 2nd to none! What every General Chair dreams of -- I had that committee! And for that, I will always be grateful to the entire team.

ggoblogger: Do you have a favorite story to tell about the 2000 Greater Greensboro Chrysler Classic?

Patty Wells: Wow! So many memories and stories that could be told - - some touching, some funny - - all memorable. I guess my favorite would be something that happened during the awards ceremony on Sunday evening. As background - my mom had suffered from a long and difficult illness and we lost her to advanced stages of Parkinson's Disease on the Sunday after Thanksgiving in 1999. My dad and 3 of my brothers traveled to Greensboro for the GGCC. As we stood together on Sunday evening (which was a beautiful, not a cloud in the sky day), an upside down rainbow appeared. It looked as if the sky was smiling at us. I turned to my dad and said, "There's mom"! It was the perfect ending to a very rewarding, yet challenging GGCC year and difficult/stressful year from a professional and personal standpoint.

ggoblogger: Who should I interview next?

Patty Wells: Sid Stern