(Jacksonville SportsDay) – The Jacksonville Area Golf Association (JAGA) elected its 2023 officers yesterday at its end-of-year Annual Meeting at Jacksonville Golf and Country Club. John Milton of Jax Beach Golf Club was elected president and will lead the organization in 2023, its 70th year.
Milton replaces Jeff Adams of TPC Sawgrass, who served as JAGA president in 2021 and 2022.
John Tancredi of Marsh Landing Country Club was re-elected to serve as Vice President/Administration for the third year.
Billy Walker of Cimarrone Golf Club was re-elected Treasurer, a position he will hold for the fifth year.
Jeff Johnstone will return as Vice President/Tournaments, a role he shared in 2022 with fellow Sawgrass Country Club member Gregg Deiboldt.
Vincent Celestino of Marsh Creek Country Club was re-elected Secretary for the second year.
The 2023 officers are:
JOHN MILTON – President
JAGA director since 2015, represented Queen’s Harbour Y&CC and now Jax Beach GC…Retired from CSX after a 37-year career serving its Engineering and Industrial Development groups…Past Chairman of the Board of First Florida Credit Union…Served as JAGA assistant VP/Tournaments (2018-2021)…Co-chairman of JAGA First Coast Amateur (2018-present) and JAGA Jacksonville Amateur (2018-2022)…Two-time Captain of winning Underwood Cup Amateur Team (2018-2019)…2011 JAGA Senior Amateur champion…Born at Ft. Benning, Ga. and experienced 12 relocations as an army brat and railroader…Clemson University graduate (’77 BSCE)…Resides in Jacksonville.
JOHN TANCREDI – Vice President/Administration
JAGA director since 2015, representing Marsh Landing Country Club…Retired CEO of Searles Valley Minerals…Graduate of Fordham University; earned post-graduate degrees from Iona College and Cornell University… Native of New York City…Resides in Ponte Vedra Beach…Serving as VP/Administration for the third year.
JEFF JOHNSTONE – Vice President/Tournaments
JAGA director since 2021, representing Sawgrass Country Club…Co-chairman of both JAGA First Coast Amateur and JAGA Senior Amateur…Retired, former Commanding Officer USS Yorktown (CG48) and Senior Vice President, Service Delivery Centurylink Communications…Native of Moline, IL…Graduate of the United States Naval Academy, with a post-graduate degree from Naval Post Graduate School…Resides in Ponte Vedra Beach…Serving in VP/Tournaments position for the second year.
VINCENT CELESTINO – Secretary
JAGA director since 2015, representing Marsh Creek Country Club… Retired Senior Financial Consultant with HSBC Bank USA…From Tuckahoe, NY…Graduate of Mercy College in Dobbs Ferry, NY; earned CFP graduate designation from Pace University…Resides in St. Augustine Beach, FL…Serving as Secretary for second year.
BILLY WALKER – Treasurer
JAGA director since 2013, representing Cimarrone Golf Club…Retired, former partner at KMPG…Native of Montreal, Canada…Graduate of McGill University…Resides in Ponte Vedra Beach…Serving fifth year as Treasurer.
Going off the JAGA Executive Committee as an officer is Gregg Deiboldt (co-VP/Tournaments), who will continue to consult and provide service to the Executive Committee and tournament chairs.
“JAGA has had tremendous success under Jeff Adams’ leadership,” said Milton. “We are in a strong operating position and have seen an influx of talented and motivated directors during his tenure. In the coming year I hope to be able to consolidate the gains we’ve made and continue to find ways to build our bench strength through training and recruitment. We will continue to refine the execution of our tournaments, always seeking to provide enjoyable competition at venues participants look forward to playing.”
Continuing to provide invaluable service to JAGA again in 2023 will be Jack Morehead of NAS JAX (Assistant Treasurer/Meetings) and Arch Copeland of Deercreek Country Club (JAGA Webmaster). Barney Poston of Hidden Hills Golf Club remains JAGA’s Executive Secretary and administrative historian.
Jennifer Borocz of the Northern Chapter of the North Florida PGA will continue to provide valuable part-time support as JAGA’s BlueGolf Administrator for the third year in a row.
