Schafer Industries, headquartered in South Bend, Ind., proudly announces that the chief executive officer (CEO) of HBM Holdings Mike DeCola is serving as general chairman of the 100th Anniversary PGA Championship, Aug. 9-12, at Bellerive Country Club, St. Louis, MO. HBM Holdings is a privately held investment and management company headquartered in St. Louis which includes Schafer in its diverse portfolio of companies.

DeCola volunteered and was selected by the PGA to chair the centennial milestone of this premier golf tournament. Overseeing it is no small feat. DeCola said his team must rally 5,000 volunteers for the championship and that 85 committees are driving the effort to generate more than $100 million in economic development for the city. No stranger to the work this entails, DeCola previously served as vice-chairman for the 2013 KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship, also held at Bellerive.

So, why was St. Louis chosen to host the PGA’s 100th anniversary championship? DeCola credits several reasons. The “Gateway to the West City” is renowned in golf circles for its hospitality over the years. Bellerive Country Club hosted the PGA Championship in 1992. It was the site of the World Golf Championship in 2001, a U.S. Senior Open in 2004, a PGA Tour Fedex Cup Playoff in 2008 as well as the Senior PGA Championship in 2013. But DeCola believes what tipped the scales was that St. Louis, which ranks as the third most philanthropic city in the U.S., launched the nonprofit PGA Reach in 2013.  It was originally founded in St. Louis to keep youth from all socioeconomic backgrounds engaged in school and personal fitness programs and to foster a love of playing golf. The PGA has expanded the program to benefit youth, the military and diverse populations throughout the country.

DeCola has served as CEO of HBM Holdings since his election to the position in 2014. He is also a member of HBM’s board of directors and serves as chairman of the board for HBM Holdings’ five portfolio companies: Aerofil Technology, Inc., Delavau LLC, Mississippi Lime Company, Tru-Flex LLC as well as Schafer Industries.