The USGA has announced that USGA Executive Committee member Kevin Hammer has been nominated to serve as the Association’s 68th president.
Hammer’s nomination highlights the USGA Nominating Committee’s 2026 Executive Committee slate, joined by Brenda Corrie Kuehn and Suzy Whaley, who have each been nominated to serve on the USGA Executive Committee, a volunteer group of 15 people that provides strategic and financial oversight as the Association’s policymaking and governance board.
Leslie Henry, Bryan Lewis, Michael McCarthy and Andy North have all been nominated to serve a second three-year term on the Committee.
The election of Executive Committee members will take place at the USGA Annual Meeting on February 28, 2026 in New York.
Hammer, who will assume the presidency from Fred Perpall, is a former first-team American Junior Golf Association All-American who played college golf at the University of Florida and has qualified for multiple USGA championships. He spent 10 years as a member of the Florida State Golf Association Executive Committee, including two years as president from 2020-21.
Entering his fifth year as a member of the USGA Executive Committee, Hammer currently chairs the USGA’s Championship Committee and serves on the Compensation & Leadership Development, Governance, International Team Selection and Nominating committees.
Professionally, Hammer has been with Merrill Lynch for more than 25 years. He currently serves as the managing director of the firm’s Rubin, Hammer, Eaton & Conrad Wealth Management Group, which manages investments for individuals, families, foundations and professional athletes.
“I couldn’t be more excited to welcome Kevin Hammer as the next president of the USGA,” said USGA CEO Mike Whan. “His deep passion for golf, experience and relationships across all levels of the game, and unwavering commitment to our mission make him the ideal person to lead our executive committee into the future. Together, we’ll continue driving the game forward, strengthening its future and deepening its impact.”