PGA of America Elects Nathan Charnes as President
Charnes, general manager at WingHaven Country Club, takes the association's 45th presidency after serving as acting president since May.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Golf
The PGA of America elected Nathan Charnes as its 45th president at its annual meeting in Las Vegas. Eric Eshleman was elected vice president and Jared Barnes was elected secretary.
Why it matters
The vote fills leadership of an association representing 30,000 members after Don Rea Jr. was suspended in May. Charnes had already been acting president since that suspension.
The PGA of America represents 30,000 members, and Charnes's election marks the 45th president in the association's history. The source does not report vote counts for the officer elections.
The players
Nathan Charnes
Charnes is the newly elected 45th president of the PGA of America and general manager at WingHaven Country Club.
Don Rea Jr.
Rea was suspended as PGA of America president in May following his comments and handling of rowdy crowds at the 2025 Ryder Cup.
PGA of America
The PGA of America is the professional golf association representing 30,000 members.
The details
The elections were held at the PGA of America's annual meeting in Las Vegas, where members chose new officers and filled vacancies on the Board of Directors. Charnes is general manager at WingHaven Country Club in O'Fallon, Mo., and Eshleman is director of golf at C.C. of Birmingham in Alabama.
Timeline
May: Don Rea Jr. was suspended as president and Charnes became acting president.
2025 Ryder Cup: Rowdy crowds and Rea's handling of them preceded his suspension.
November 5, 2026: PGA of America held officer elections at its annual meeting in Las Vegas.
Season Trajectory
The election follows Don Rea Jr.'s May suspension, which came after the handling of rowdy crowds at the 2025 Ryder Cup. Charnes will serve a two-term term, establishing the association's direction after that disruption.
Charnes will serve a two-term term as president, setting the association's leadership for that period. Golf fans and members can track how the new officers and board vacancies are filled in the association's operations.
The takeaway
Leadership changes at major sports associations can follow controversy quickly, and the officers chosen at annual meetings shape the organization's direction for their terms. Readers following golf governance can watch how the new administration handles membership and board matters over the next two terms.
Further reading
Explore more Golf coverage for context on the PGA of America's leadership changes.
Source note: This article includes information reported by GolfDigest.
