Richard James
Courtesy Photo
The Reno-Tahoe Open Foundation, the nonprofit arm that oversees the Barracuda Championship PGA TOUR event, has named Richard James board president.
James will take the position formerly held for the last five years by Jesse Haw, according to a Feb. 12 press release.
Throughout his tenure Haw was integral in multiple renewals of the tournament’s long-standing title sponsor, Barracuda Networks, as well as the successful relocation of the tournament from Montrêux Golf & Country Club in Reno to Tahoe Mountain Club and their Old Greenwood golf course in Truckee.
“On behalf of the Reno-Tahoe Open Foundation and the Barracuda Championship I’d like to thank Jesse for his commitment to and leadership of this organization,” Chris Hoff, executive director of the Barracuda Championship, said in a statement. “The tournament and our foundation saw tremendous growth during Jesse’s tenure and the transition to Richard James has been seamless. Richard has intimate knowledge of the foundation and tournament from his many years as a volunteer, our volunteer chairman, a member of our board of directors, and now, as our board president we look forward to continued growth under his watch.”
After receiving bachelor of science degrees in biological sciences and psychology and a master’s degree in organizational development, James went on to work at world-renowned companies including SAFECO, Boeing, Nintendo and Microsoft.
In addition to various career accomplishments, James’s philanthropy and volunteerism are deeply rooted in childhood development — having served on the boards of Big Brothers Big Sisters, Girl Scouts, and Juvenile Diversion, as well as advisory committees for the Washoe County School District and as an interventionist with elementary school students.
He has been an integral member of the Barracuda Championship volunteer leadership for many years, having served as the volunteer chair. This role afforded James an acute understanding of the event’s inner workings and prepared him with a unique perspective on ways to innovate this local legacy professional golf tournament.
Since its inception in 1998, the Foundation has donated more than $4.6 million to charities.
