Ottawa, ON Earl Francis, Head Professional at the Fraserview Golf Club in Vancouver, BC, was today elected President of the Canadian Professional Golfers' Association at the Association's Annual General Meeting in Ottawa, Ontario. Francis succeeds Paul Sherratt, Head Professional at the Rideau View Golf Club in Manotick, Ontario, as President.

"I'm excited," said Francis. "We are at a point in our Association where we are reacting and responding to the members' needs more quickly. After a few years of planned investment, the Association finally has the tools to move forward in its commitment to make a difference in the game in Canada."

Francis, a successful businessman as well as a golf professional, is no stranger to the president's chair of a PGA. He has served two terms as President of the British Columbia PGA. As well, Francis has just completed a two-year term as Vice-President of the Canadian PGA and served two years as Secretary prior to that.

"He's a very competent, confident person," according to Tim Tait, Head Professional at Marine Drive Golf Club in Vancouver. "Earl has put more into the Association then he'll ever get out of it."

Among his playing highlights, Francis captured the Western Canadian Assistants' Championship in 1967. In 1961, he qualified for the BC Junior Team competing at the Canadian Junior Championship and made it to the quarter-finals. Perhaps his most memorable day on a golf course came in 1994 when he played a stretch of three holes at Marine Drive Golf Club in Vancouver at 5-under par. It started with a hole-in-one at the par 3, 4th hole followed by a birdie at the par 5, 5th, then another hole-in-one at the par 3, 6th hole.

His golf career started in 1962 when he took a job as a club cleaner at the Gorge Vale Golf Club in Victoria, BC. One year later, he moved to Jasper Park Lodge in Jasper, Alberta where he was employed as a Shop Assistant.

Francis joined the Canadian PGA in 1965 when he signed on as an Assistant Professional at the Idylwylde Golf & Country Club in Sudbury, Ontario. From there, Francis moved on to jobs in Florida, the Bahamas, California and Alberta before settling in as Head Professional at Fraserview Golf Club in 1976.

Also elected as Officers of the Association at the Annual Meeting were David Clark (Vice-President), Head Professional at the Brooks Golf Club in Brooks, Alberta and Lindon Garron (Secretary), Head Professional at the Algonquin Golf Club in St. Andrew's, New Brunswick.

The Canadian Professional Golfer's Association was formed in 1911. It is a non-profit association that currently consists of approximately 3,000 golf professionals across the country. A 10-member Board of Directors along with three Officers, which include a President, Vice-President and Secretary, governs the Association. A new slate of Officers is elected every two years.

For more information please contact Terry Dyni at the CPGA.