This week's AJGA Trailblazers Spotlight Series features Casey Ceman, who currently serves as the Vice President of Tournament Business Affairs at the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA). Ceman worked as an Operations Intern in the summer of 2008 and then returned as a Tournament Assistant in 2009, which is an elevated internship position for those who return for another season. He landed a full-time role as Tournament Director in 2010 with the AJGA. Two years later, he was promoted to Tournament Business Affairs (TBA) as a Regional Director for the West Coast until 2015.
Ceman stayed within the golf industry after his time with the AJGA, working with the ANNIKA Foundation from 2015 to 2022 as Global Golf Director and Chief Operating Officer. He then transitioned into his current role with the LPGA. He credits many of the skills and experiences acquired during his eight years with the AJGA for helping him in his subsequent roles after departing.
“I think what's cool about the AJGA, and what has helped me in my current role, is the level of responsibility they give you at such a young age,” Ceman said. “They throw you into the fire, hand you a few events to coordinate, and put it all on you to figure out aspects of those tournaments. It’s one of the unique aspects of the AJGA and what prepares their employees to move on to bigger jobs down the road if they choose to do so.”
Coming from California, Ceman felt it was a big move to Georgia to take on the full-time position in the Operations Department. As a young professional, he felt it was a great time in his life to travel the country and meet new people. Fortunately, he got acclimated quickly due to the culture and people that he was around in the office and on the golf course.
“The biggest thing was the people I worked and interacted with. I formed so many great relationships,” Ceman said. “The relationships are almost more important than the skills I learned. I still cross paths with people I met years ago, either while I was at ANNIKA or the LPGA. Some of the people I interned with stayed in touch and we’re still great friends. It’s neat to maintain a lot of those relationships.”
His first job gave him the ability to find out what goes into successful golf events. He credits the AJGA for teaching him the different facets of the organization, how departments communicate, and for developing skills he has been able to use in his career.
“I think being able to understand all aspects of the organization as a Tournament Director was valuable,” Ceman said. "Whether it’s finance, communication, marketing, or the business side with contracts and sponsors, it gives you a diverse background. In my role here with the LPGA, I have a similar touch point with all the different organizations throughout the Tour, so learning that skill at the AJGA was great to have now.”
Another crucial aspect he values in his early career is the networking culture fostered by the AJGA. The networking not only helped him run tournaments as a Tournament Director and create sponsorships within the TBA Department, but also acted as a springboard for his other jobs with ANNIKA and the LPGA.
“The family atmosphere is incredible at the AJGA, and it lets you create and form strong relationships with people that work there,” Ceman said. “It teaches you how to interact with people outside the organization, which was crucial to me and my career. The reason I've landed jobs at the two companies I've worked for after the AJGA is because of the connections I made there. People I knew from the AJGA helped bring me into these roles.”
Ceman’s next stop after the AJGA was with the ANNIKA Foundation, which was founded by LPGA legend, Annika Sorenstam. Their mission is to provide opportunities in women's golf at the junior, collegiate, and professional levels, while also teaching the importance of health and personal development. Ceman stepped in as a Global Golf Director in his first five years and was then promoted to Chief Operating Officer in 2020.
“It’s important to align yourself with people that hold themselves to the same standards you do, which was one of the reasons I worked with Annika and her team,” Ceman said. “It opened my eyes, and I was able to learn something new and find ways to improve myself."
In November 2022, Ceman then moved on to his current role with the LPGA as Vice President of Tournament Business Affairs. He is responsible for putting the annual schedule together and working with outside agencies to ensure tournaments are being built and executed effectively. He knows that his time within the AJGA’s Operations and TBA Departments assisted him in doing his job effectively.
“When I think back, we worked so hard at the AJGA and you learn at a very young age what kind of work ethic is required to be successful at different things,” Ceman said. “It’s been a cool transition for me because, in my current role. It’s brought back a lot of things I learned at the AJGA that I hadn’t used over the last six or seven years.”
Ceman believes that if you’re a young professional or a college student looking for experience within the workplace, and not even necessarily in sports, the AJGA has the foundation to build skills that can be transferable wherever one decides to take their career.
“I recommend a career or internship with the AJGA because your destination doesn’t have to be in golf administration to do it,” Ceman said. “You’re going to learn many skills that will transfer to different sports, industries, or even outside of sports. Just be curious and learn as much as you can because the AJGA is willing to take the time and invest in its staff and interns, which is amazing.”
With over 15 years of experience in the golf industry, Ceman is thankful for his journey and is always looking for new things he can learn. He is on a continual path of self-improvement, building relationships, and being curious.
“The golf industry has been great to me. I’ve met so many incredible people and I think the LPGA is a great place to continue to learn and improve myself,” Ceman said. “At the end of the day, LPGA events aren’t a whole lot different than AJGA events. There may be more zeros on the budget, and they look bigger on TV, but the basics are still the same. Just being able to have that foundation to be successful, how to treat people, and how to get things done. I loved the golf industry, and we’ll see where it continues to take me.”
