Agency’s Golf Division Bolsters Management Team with the Addition of Former LPGA Executive

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McLean, VA (March 9, 2009) – Global sports and entertainment marketing leader Octagon today announced the hiring of longtime golf executive Chris Higgs. For the past seven years, Higgs served as a Senior Vice President and Chief Operations Officer of the LPGA and will now join Octagon as Co-Managing Director of Golf in the firm’s Athletes & Personalities Division. Higgs had been working as a consultant since leaving the LPGA in January.

In this role, Higgs will be charged with further expanding the agency’s golf practice and will utilize his over 20 years of experience in the industry to enhance Octagon’s golf offerings in event and property management, sponsorship activation and athlete representation among other areas. Higgs will also spearhead the agency’s golf operations on an international level, coupling the experience and relationships he developed in a similar function with the LPGA.      

“We are excited to welcome Chris to Octagon and believe his vast experience in the golf industry will help us continue to better serve the events, athletes and sponsors we work with on a daily basis,” said Giff Breed, Octagon’s Managing Director of Golf. “Anyone in the golf business who has ever worked with Chris knows his professionalism, work ethic and character are unmatched. There is no doubt Chris will be a great asset to Octagon.”

“I am thrilled to join such a highly regarded company like Octagon,” said Higgs. “The global footprint that Octagon possesses along with the vast resources at my disposal makes for a perfect situation for me. I am really looking forward to being a part of the teamwork environment and strong ideals that Octagon represents.”  

Higgs joined the LPGA in 2002 and quickly established himself as a driving force in the Tour’s expansion internationally. Prior to his arrival, the Tour had five international events which Higgs grew over time to their current schedule of 14 international stops in 13 different countries. Along with his renowned work internationally for the LPGA, Higgs was also the architect of the Rolex World Rankings, the first officially recognized world rankings in women’s golf. Higgs also created and implemented the first-ever World Congress of Women’s Golf in 2004.

A former commissioned officer in the British Army, Higgs served as President and Chief Operations Officer of Executive Sports International, an industry leading event management company, prior to joining the LPGA. Before his stint with Executive Sports International, Higgs was a Vice President of Tournament Management Services with Golden Bear International, the sports management corporation of golf legend Jack Nicklaus.    

Octagon Golf & Outdoors is a division of Octagon and focuses on premium event/property management, developing key player relationships and providing strategic corporate solutions. The division currently manages two Champions Tour events, two LPGA Tour events, one Nationwide Tour event, the 2009 U.S. Amateur and the Toyota Texas Bass Classic. Additionally, Octagon Golf & Outdoors represents famed teaching professional Hank Haney and numerous PGA TOUR, LPGA Tour and Champions Tour professionals. For more information, please visit www.octagongolf.com.

Octagon, named the “2008 Sports Agency of the Year” by the Sports Business Journal, is the world’s largest sports and entertainment representation and marketing agency with global expertise in athletes & personalities, consulting, event management, property representation, marketing solutions, licensing and merchandising and talent procurement. As part of The Interpublic Group (NYSE:IPG), one of the world’s leading organizations of advertising agencies and marketing services, Octagon employs more than 1,000 people in 60 offices around the world. For further information please visit: www.octagon.com.
 
For additional information:
Scott Horner - scott.horner@octagon.com, 703.905.3379