Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Allison Fillmore. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Allison , thanks for joining us today. Let’s start with the decision of whether to donate a percentage of proceeds to an organization or cause – we’d love to hear the backstory of how you thought through this.

The TOUR Championship is the season-ending event on the PGA TOUR. The TOUR Championship, with the support of Proud Partners Coca-Cola and Southern Company, has now raised more than $42 million for local nonprofits since the event was first staged at East Lake Golf Club in 1998, including its five charitable beneficiaries: East Lake Foundation, Focused Community Strategies, Grove Park Foundation, Purpose Built Schools Atlanta and First Tee – Metro Atlanta.

The tournament donates its proceeds to the above organizations each year which has helped demonstrate that the right combination of mixed-income housing and infrastructure, educational opportunities from cradle to college, and community wellness activities can revitalize a suffering inner-city neighborhood into a safe and vibrant place to
live

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

I have been involved in the world of sports since a young age. I was a part of the US Jr. Olympic racquetball team as a teenager and that really has driven my love of sports from a business perspective. Every time I played in a tournament I was always fascinated by how the event was put on, what it took to host an event and every aspect in between.

I chose a school with an amazing sports administration program, Ohio University. They prepared me to take my love of sports to the next level. I worked multiple jobs through college as well as gained crucial knowledge through internships. When I graduated from school I started with a small sports marketing company. Little did I know, my journey was just getting started.

However, I got sidetracked. I thought money was more important than loving the work you do, every day. I quit my job and started with a tech company and got fired in 4 months. I then knew that I had to love what I did and be passionate about it to be successful. I stepped back into sports and have been loving my job every single day. I enjoy going to work and showing my daughters that they can do anything they put their minds to! They are my reason and my drive.

Have you ever had to pivot?

I was told in a job that I wasn’t going to get a promotion because I was a female. After I picked my mouth up off the floor, I decided I could look at this situation in two ways. I could pout and complain and keep doing what I was doing – killing it for someone that didn’t appreciate me. OR…..I could take this as an opportunity to see that maybe the grass was greener on the other side and take this as a sign I needed to go take my talents somewhere else.

I was afforded the opportunity to start with a brand new professional sports team and helped create processes and procedures, hired quite a bit of the staff all while selling the venue out for the first two games. It was hard work but was absolutely worth it!

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

I came into my current role never working in golf. I had an extensive background in sports but not in golf. The first thing I did was sit down and talk to people in the industry as well as the team that was part of this event. I asked a lot of questions. I did a TON of listening. I didn’t give my opinion, I took a lot of notes.

Once I had time to compile all the information I sat down with our team and figured out our plan. We all focused on our respective areas and didn’t deviate from that focus unless one of us needed help. Revenues increased, costs lowered and the event has grown and grown each year. Working with our team to transform the TOUR Championship into a must-attend event, helped build my reputation in the market as someone that could make a significant change with a longstanding event through hard work and building trust within the community that supports this event.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.tourchampionship.com
• Instagram: @playofffinale, @allit23
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/playofffinale
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afillmore/
• Twitter: @playofffinale, @allit23