Los Angeles, CA (January 19, 2025)—Friends of Golf (FOG) has named Ginnean Shaw to the newly created position of Executive Director, it was announced today by FOG President Peter Best. 
 
Shaw joins Friends of Golf from fellow Los Angeles-based non-profit organization Blood Cancer United, where she helped successfully lead its “Light The Night” campaign which raised broad awareness and millions of dollars for the charity. 
 
It’s a homecoming as well for Shaw, who previously served as a Development Associate for Friends of Golf and played a key role in the success of the organization’s flagship annual golf tournament and was part of the team that introduced FOG’s Evening of Champions.  
 
Founded in 1979, FOG (www.friendsofgolf.org) has donated over $10 million to both national and Southern California college, high school and non-profit golf-focused organizations. The organization also partners with the Golf Coaches Association of America and Colonial Country Club and The LPGA Foundation and Women’s Golf Coaches Association to annually honor the top collegiate male and female golfers with both The Ben Hogan Trophy and The Dinah Shore Trophy. 
 
“We are thrilled to welcome Ginnean back to Friends of Golf in this newly created role as Executive Director,” says Best. “She is a tremendous leader, with an extensive track record in fundraising and deep relationships in the golf community nationally. Ginnean formerly helped lead our annual golf tournament and originally implemented many of our most successful charitable initiatives.”
 
“I am truly honored to return to Friends of Golf as its new Executive Director,” says Shaw. “I am excited to work with Peter and our tremendous team and lead FOG into its next chapter—expanding opportunity, deepening impact, and ensuring that every young golfer has the chance to learn, grow, and succeed both on and off the course.”
 
Shaw brings a powerful combination of nonprofit leadership, fundraising expertise, and vision to help advance FOG’s mission of supporting student-athlete golfers by providing financial assistance, equipment and programs that create meaningful opportunity through the game of golf.
 
An accomplished fundraising leader, Shaw is known for building high-impact programs, strengthening board and donor engagement, and driving sustainable revenue growth. Her career spans board management, major gifts, corporate sponsorships, and large-scale fundraising events—including galas, golf tournaments, and peer-to-peer campaigns. 
 
At Blood Cancer United, Shaw was part of the “Light The Night” campaign across the Greater Los Angeles region bringing in close to $2 million in revenue to the organization. Her nonprofit leadership experience also includes work with OUR HOUSE Grief Support Center, where she supported the Walk/Run for Hope peer-to-peer campaign and introduced the Annual Giving Campaign. 
 
She also formerly served as Co-President and Annual Fund Chairman at Friends of Castle Heights, generating $1.5 million to support school programs not funded by Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). Earlier in her career, Shaw was at Dailey & Associates Advertising, where she rose through the ranks to be Vice President, Management Supervisor. She expanded account revenue for ConocoPhillips from $11 million to $80 million. She also led major brand launches and advertising campaigns for high-profile clients such as 76-Gasoline, Callaway Golf Clubs, Hilton Hotels, and Kaufman and Broad.
 
Shaw holds a Bachelor of Science degree from San Diego State University with a focus on Business and Marketing and studied abroad at the University of London. 
 
FOG was originally founded by legendary professional golfer and Bel-Air Country Club teaching pro Eddie Merrins (“The Little Pro”) and a group of Los Angeles-area golfers who wanted to make it possible for aspiring junior golfers (irrespective of their economic standing) to play, compete and excel in the game of golf. 
 
FOG has honored many of the game’s top players over the last four decades including Jack Nicklaus, Sir Nick Faldo, Annika Sorenstam, Amy Alcott, Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson, Lorena Ochoa, Max Homa and Collin Morikawa. Last year, FOG honored 
 
PGA standout and Pepperdine University’s three-time NCAA All-American Sahith Theegala at its 45^th annual charity tournament at Bel-Air Country Club.
 
Friends of Golf supports student athlete golfers by instilling the values of honesty, ethics, and fellowship with a true appreciation for the game. From the time boys and girls enter grade school through the end of their college experience, FOG makes it possible for aspiring junior golfers (irrespective of economic standing) to play, compete and excel in this exceptional sport. 
 
 
ABOUT FRIENDS OF GOLF (FOG)
Originally founded in 1979, FOG has donated over $10 million to both national and Southern California college, high school and non-profit golf-focused organizations. Legendary professional golfer and Bel-Air Country Club teaching pro Eddie Merrins (“The Little Pro”) and a group of Los Angeles-area golfer helped organize FOG’s first annual golf tournament intended to benefit the neighboring UCLA men’s golf program. From the time boys and girls enter grade school through the end of their college experience, FOG makes it possible for aspiring junior golfers (irrespective of economic standing) to play, compete and excel in this exceptional sport. 
 
FOG also founded and backs a number of leading national amateur golf awards including The Ben Hogan Trophy, presented each year to the top male college golfer through a joint venture with Colonial Country Club, and The Dinah Shore Trophy, which is similarly presented to the top female golfer through a joint venture with the LPGA Foundation. Friends of Golf, Inc. is recognized as a non-profit, tax-deductible organization through Federal I.D. #95-3668541 and the State of California Franchise Tax Board Organization #1058257. (www.friendsofgolf.org)
 
For more information contact:
Joe Schlosser
Friends of Golf
joe@schlossercommunications.com