PGA of America Announces National Award Winners

BOYNE Resort’s Bernie Friedrich was named PGA Golf Executive of the Year and is one of two Michigan members to win 2023 PGA of America National Awards.  

Ian Ziska, PGA – American Dunes Golf Club – Grand Haven, is the other.

Friedrich is a Michigan PGA Section Member and the Senior Vice President of Golf Operations for Boyne Resorts in Petoskey. The national honor recognizes outstanding services in an Executive Management position, as well as leadership, vision, courage, moral character and a substantial record of service to the Association and the game.

A PGA Member for nearly 40 years, Friedrich started as a Golf Professional at Boyne Resorts in 1976 and has been instrumental in leading the Company’s growing golf division. Today, Friedrich oversees Boyne Golf’s 13 courses and semi-private clubs in Michigan, Maine and Montana, including all staff, course agronomy and marketing nationwide, plus two golf membership groups—Bay Harbor Golf Club and Country Club of Boyne.

A multi-award-winning PGA Member at the Section level, Friedrich has been recognized as the Golf Professional of the Year twice (1998, 2001), Bill Strausbaugh Award recipient (2019), PGA Golf Executive of the Year (2021) and five times as Merchandiser of the Year (1990-’92, 1995-’96). 

Similarly, Ziska’s 2023 award is for PGA Merchandiser of the Year - Public Category. He started working at American Dunes before the course opened and has been instrumental in helping get the new course up and running, in addition to pro shop duties.