CEO corner
In mid-2014, the Tiger Woods Foundation welcomed new president and CEO Rick Singer, who brings more than 23 years of experience in the golf and sporting entertainment industries to the foundation. In this series, TWF will showcase insight on Rick’s vision for the organization as we break the cycle of poverty. And as we get to know him we hope to have some fun along the way.
Singer joins TWF from IBM, where he served as vice president of client executive marketing. While at IBM, he managed all global sponsorships including the Masters, the USGA U.S. Open, the tennis Grand Slams and the Tony Awards, in addition to a variety of sports and entertainment relationships. Singer also played a pivotal role in the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, where he acted as the director of Olympic marketing and developed the corporate marketing plan for IBM.
If you could only pick one project to work on this year, what would it be? Tiger and I agree that our goal for the Tiger Woods Foundation is very simple. We know that the work we’re doing is helping kids break the cycle of poverty. That work is so important that we must find ways to bring it to more and more children around the world. We have an amazing track record of success with our Tiger Woods Learning Centers and Earl Woods Scholarship Program. So my focus for the next year will be working with Tiger, our team and partners to find ways to expand our impact and help more kids succeed in life and reach their potential. I know I’ll spend time on many other projects, but this is clearly the most meaningful and important.
If the whole world were listening to you right now, what would you say? A while back I read a quote from a Tom Friedman column that I thought was very profound. He said that our enemies need to love their children more than they hate us. Somehow we have to find ways to fight through our cultural issues and differences to create a future for our children, no matter where they live and what customs they practice. Unfortunately, we can’t do that on our own, so I’d hope we can find more and more willing partners who can communicate that message throughout all parts of the world. As an organization that is working to create a better future for our children, I see this is the most important thing we can do.
What are your five most-played songs on iTunes? “Thunder Road,” “Born to Run,” “Land of Hope and Dreams,” “The Promised Land” and “Jungleland” (Guess I’m a Bruce Springsteen fan? The next 10 would probably be Bruce’s as well).
What was the last book you read? I just finished “Gone Girl” by Gillian Flynn. It’s a great book that keeps you guessing the whole way, and I can’t wait to see the movie. I’m also looking forward to reading “Empire of Sin”, a terrific story about New Orleans by my boyhood friend, Gary Krist. I know I should have picked a deep business book, but sometimes you just need an escape from a day of reading reports, emails, budgets and white papers.
