Board Members
Dedicated to the game of golf seven Jacksonville area businessman, PGA Golf Professionals and NFJG Foundation Members who field the same vision of mentoring and growing the game of golf for our juniors, Boys and Girls in ages 7-19. The NFJG Foundation Board is comprised of:
Tyler Brown – President
“Tyler Brown is an NFJG Alum and lifelong Jacksonville resident. While growing up in Ponte Vedra Beach, he competed for several years on the NFJG Tour and helped lead Nease High School to 2 state championships.
As a starting member of the golf team at the University of Florida, he earned a degree in Finance and both All-SEC and All-American academic honors. After college he played professionally on various professional tours, including PGA TOUR Canada.
Following his golf career, Tyler became an executive at Web.com where he was responsible for the oversight, strategy and execution of all marketing activities. Among these activities was the sponsorship of the Web.com Tour, which allowed him the privilege of supporting Jacksonville through the Web.com Tour Championship and the foundations that benefitted from that event.”
Emily Tillo – Secretary/Treasurer
Jacksonville native Emily Tillo is one of the NFJG TOUR’s past competitors who played in NFJG events from 2007 to 2012. Tillo is currently a Senior Manager of Tournament Business and Sponsor Relations for the Korn Ferry Tour at PGA TOUR Headquarters in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, where she works with Korn Ferry Tour host organizations, title sponsors and host facilities to develop and implement strategies for successful tournaments and partnerships.
After attending Stanton College Preparatory school in downtown Jacksonville, Tillo received golf and academic scholarships to Boston University (BU), where she studied finance and journalism, competed on the school’s Division 1 golf team and also became the first student-athlete in BU history to be named a Top-30 honoree for the NCAA’s Woman of the Year Award. During the summer months after her freshman year at BU, Tillo served as a Rules Official with NFJG. She continues to stay involved as a board member at large and credits NFJG for helping her learn how to play competitive golf and develop life skills that have helped her in all aspects of her life, on and off the golf course.
Derek Sprague – Member at Large
PGA Professional
General Manager – TPC Sawgrass
PGA TOUR Headquarters Special Liaison
For 26 years, Sprague was the General Manager and Director of Golf at Malone (N.Y.) Golf Club, his hometown course. In 2016, Sprague was named Managing Director of Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City, NJ, site of the 2017 Presidents Cup. After the Presidents Cup, Sprague relocated to Ponte Vedra Beach, FL and joined the TPC Sawgrass leadership team as General Manager.
Sprague earned his PGA Membership in 1993 and has served in many leadership roles with the PGA of America serving as its national President from 2014-2016. Through Sprague’s leadership, the PGA of America was instrumental in growing the game through player development and youth programs such as PGA Junior League Golf and the Drive, Chip & Putt Championship. In addition, he co-chaired the highly successful Ryder Cup Task Force, which created a blueprint for success in the event. Inducted into the PGA Hall of Fame in 2019.
Kevin Bing – Member at Large
C.P.A.
Bing & Associates, P.A.
Kevin grew up in the beaches community and has been a resident of Ponte Vedra since 1974. He graduated from Fletcher High School and Florida State University. He has been providing tax and accounting services in the Jacksonville area since 1989. Kevin and his wife Kathy have been married since 1993. They stay very busy raising their three children and being involved in their lives. They are active members of Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church. Kevin served two terms on the School Board of Palmer Catholic Academy where he served on the finance committee and as Chairman. He was also on the Parish Council at St. Paul’s Catholic Church where he served on the finance committee. He has been a coach for many of his kid’s teams as they’ve played football, soccer, baseball, lacrosse, basketball, volleyball and cross country. Kevin is a C.P.A. and also holds Series 6, 7, and 66 securities licenses, and Florida Life, Health & Variable Annuity certifications.
Will Kurtz – Scholarship Chairman
Originally from the Central Florida area, Will joined the U.S. Navy a month after graduation from high school where he rose through the enlisted ranks and ultimately earned a commission as a Naval Officer. In 1998 the navy brought Will to Jacksonville where he continued to serve until his retirement in 2008. While in the navy, Will served in duty stations from Japan, to Hawaii, to the East Coast of the U.S. and conducted missions throughout the Western Pacific, Persian Gulf, and Counter-narcoterrorism Operations in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific. Also, while serving in the navy Will earned his undergraduate degree from Auburn University and his law degree from Florida Coastal School of Law. After retiring he began his law career as an Assistant State Attorney with the 4th Judicial Circuit in Jacksonville. After the State Attorney’s Office, and a stint with a large law firm in Jacksonville, Will opened his own law firm, the Law Offices of William W. Kurtz, Jr., P.A., where he fight for people who are injured all over Northeast Florida. Will, his wife, and his daughter are also the proud owners of Dreamette Atlantic Beach where they continue the over 70 year tradition of putting smiles on the faces of Jacksonville ice cream lovers. Will began playing golf as a 21 year old while stationed in Japan and quickly grew to love the sport. He has transferred this love of the game to his son who played for 8 years with NFJG.” . Will and his wife Melissa have three children – Madison, Natalie and Charlie – and live in St. Johns County.
Contact our junior golf foundation in Jacksonville, Florida, to speak with us about our membership options. We host junior golf tournaments for Boys and Girls ages 7-19 with six different skill sets.
