Golf Academy of America appoints Mike Largent as new President

Golf Academy of America (GAA), the largest and longest-running two-year golf career college www.golfacademy.edu in the world, announced that Mike Largent was recently named as its new President. Previous GAA President Chris Hunkler retired, but will continue to assist the organization as a consultant. Largent began his new duties in late July, 2011. GAA is part of the Birmingham, Ala.-based Education Corporation of America (ECA) whose educational properties include GAA, Ecotech Institute, Virginia College and Culinard, the Culinary Institute of Virginia College.

Largent will be responsible for GAA’s four campuses nationwide located in Myrtle Beach, SC, Orlando, FL, Phoenix, AZ, and San Diego, CA and the more than 1,000 students who are enrolled in the 16-month golf career training program. He will also oversee the 45 PGA professionals and four PGA master professionals, the largest collection of PGA certified faculty and staff of any career golf college in the country.

Largent joined ECA in 2007 as campus president of Virginia College in Birmingham, AL and now serves as the regional vice-president of the system’s other three campus locations in Huntsville, AL, Chattanooga, TN, and Austin, TX. He has also provided leadership for the successful launch of Ecotech Institute in Denver, CO, the nation’s first career college dedicated to the rapidly growing fields of renewable energy and sustainability.

Prior to joining ECA, Largent spent more than 10 years in management consulting and general management roles with the Zyman group and KPMG Consulting. He also spent five years in sales, operations and management roles with Frito-Lay/PepsiCo. and one year as chief operating officer (COO) of 360i.com, a search engine marketing firm and media agency.

Largent earned his B.A. in economics from Vanderbilt University and his M.B.A. in marketing from Indiana University.

For more information about Golf Academy of America, go to www.GolfAcademy.edu or call 800.342.7342.