Wilson and Topgolf Veterans Top List of Experts to Join the Largest, Next-Generation Racquet Sports Facility in the World
Raleigh, North Carolina – Swing Racquet + Paddle (Swing), the first-of-its-kind racquet & paddle sport ‘Sportstainment’ venue coming to Raleigh in early 2024, has put together a team of industry experts to help guide the project including Advisory Board members, Hans-Martin Reh, global head of racquet sports at Wilson Sporting Goods; Ken May, former CEO of Topgolf, Drive Shack and FedEx Office; and and Geno Coradini, executive vice president of retail for JLL. Bonnie McCullough, CPA has joined the team as chief financial officer, John T. Jenkins II PE has joined as the chief development officer for the project, Cole Wilson is the project’s director of brand development and Justin Kazynski has joined the project as in-house architect.
“We have used this time during the COVID-19 pandemic to bolster our staff roster with the best in the business, and together, we are gearing up for big things in 2022 and beyond,” said Rob Autry, founder and CEO of Swing Racquet + Paddle. “We have built a racquet sports A-team that will help make Swing a household name here in the triangle, throughout the U.S. and across the globe.”
Swing’s new chief financial officer, Bonnie McCullough is a licensed CPA with nearly 30 years of accounting, finance and tax experience. Having spent the early days of her career with Ernst + Young, Bonnie continued her career spending a decade in the private equity and venture capital space as a chief financial officer, building a PE “Fund of Funds” from the ground up in the US and the UK. In 2012, she joined CAPTRUST Financial Advisors as their chief financial officer and helped to lead their growth efforts.
John T. Jenkins II is a licensed professional engineer and a 31-year veteran of the architecture, engineering and construction industry. Before Swing, John was a partner and executive leader in a multi-discipline engineering and design firm for 24 years. Over the past decade, John led major award winning national and international sport centric projects and secured long-term contracts to provide overlay design and event operations for the PGA of America’s Championship Events and the College Football Playoff Championship Games. At Swing, John will lead the selection process for the architecture and construction teams while overseeing the site selection, due diligence, design, construction, and successful completion of the campus.
Cole Wilson, director of brand development at Swing, is a business strategy leader with a decade of experience in leading teams and building brands. After graduating with a degree in sport management from North Carolina State University, Cole spent several years at a niche consulting firm in the biopharma industry. At Swing, Cole is the millennial voice at the leadership table with a real pulse on the needs of the younger generations. Cole is focused on building the Swing brand, organizational planning and creating the operational foundation for the guest experience vision to flourish.
Justin Kazynski, Swing’s new in-house architect, is a registered engineer and member of the American Institute of Architects. He received his bachelor’s degree in architecture from Iowa State University with a minor in multimedia design. Justin has over 20 years of experience in the sports and entertainment architecture, engineering, construction and ownership industry. Before Swing, Justin served as senior vice president of design and architecture for Drive Shack where he developed and scaled existing sectors and new entertainment concepts. Additionally, Justin was the vice president at HKS Architects where he designed world class sports stadiums and entertainment venues. At Swing, Justin’s primary focus will be on developing and enhancing the branded design principles that guide the guest experience. Additionally, he will be leading the design teams during site selection, concept development, entitlements and venue construction
To learn more about Swing, please visit SwingNC.com.
About Swing:
Swing Racquet + Paddle, led by entrepreneur Rob Autry and business partner Jason DeGroff, is a multi-racquet + paddle sportstainment™ facility on a 45-acre flagship campus in Raleigh, North Carolina. The flagship location, slated for completion in early 2024, will be the largest, next-generation racquet sports facility in the world. Swing is a place that combines the best in racquet + paddle courts, tournament play, sports fitness, technology, and Eatertainment- all while creating players with a lifelong love of the game. More than a facility, Swing is an experience. An approachable and fun way to play. A place that brings people together through a common connection centered on sustainability, social good, and inclusion. For more information, please visit www.SwingNC.com.
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