Peter Ueberroth and the late Dick Ferris will receive Lifetime Achievement Awards from the World Golf Hall of Fame. They became involved in golf on a personal and business level with their purchase of Pebble Beach Resort from Taiheiyo Club and Sumitomo Bank in 1999 along with the late Arnold Palmer and Clint Eastwood. However, their love of the sport goes deeper than that.
Ferris had a long-standing relationship with the PGA TOUR. In 1985, he became a member of the PGA TOUR Champions’ Policy Board. Then eight years later, he transitioned to the PGA TOUR Policy Board where he served as chairman from 1994 to 2007.
Ferris, who died recently, had a long and successful business career. He was the chairman and CEO of UAL Corp., the parent company of United Airlines, Hertz Rent-A-Car, Hilton International and Westin Hotels, from 1976 to 1987.
Between 1992 and 1998, Ferris and Ueberroth were both co-chairmen and directors in three hotel companies, Guest Quarters Hotels, Doubletree Hotels and Promus Hotels.
Ueberroth began his career in the travel business. He founded First Travel Corp. in 1962, then sold it in 1980. By that time, it was the second largest travel business in North America.
Many will remember that Ueberroth was president of the Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee for the 1984 games. It was the first time the Olympic Games were privately funded. The committee ended the games with a surplus of $250 million. That earned him the recognition of Time magazine, which named him Man of The Year.
From there, Ueberroth was named commissioner of Major League Baseball, where he served from 1984 to 1989. Today, in addition to being one of the owners of Pebble Beach, he is managing director of the Contrarian Group, an investment and management company.
Ueberroth’s charitable endeavors include serving as vice chair of the Monterey Peninsula Foundation. He also worked to establish The First Tee – Monterey County.
