Jay Karen is the Chief Executive Officer of the National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA), where he leads the golf industry’s trade association and initiatives supporting the success of the $102 billion golf industry.
During his tenure, Jay has chaired the board of the American Golf Industry Coalition and served on the Golf USA Tee Time Coalition board, a joint initiative with the PGA of America. He is a frequent source for major media outlets including The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, CBS Radio, The New York Times, The Washington Post, NPR, Golf Channel, and Golf Digest.
Prior to NGCOA, Jay served as CEO of two associations in the lodging and hospitality industry. He is a Certified Association Executive (CAE) through the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), currently serves as Chair of the ASAE Board of Directors, and is a member of the U.S. Travel Association Board.
Golf Inc. Magazine has recognized Jay as one of the 20 most powerful people in golf. He is also an Honorary Commander for Joint Base Charleston, a member of the Golf Writers Association of America, and an Associate Member of the PGA of America.