William Porter "Billy" Payne (born October 13, 1947) is the chairman of Augusta National Golf Club, having served in that position since 2006. He is also a managing director at Gleacher & Company, a New York based investment bank. In 1996, Payne was named president and chief executive officer of the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games (ACOG).
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Born in Athens, Georgia, Payne received his Bachelor of Arts (A.B.) with honors in political science in 1969 from the University of Georgia as well as his law degree (J.D.) from the University of Georgia School of Law in 1973. While at the University, he was initiated into the Gridiron Secret Society and the Georgia Alpha Chapter of Phi Delta Theta Fraternity
Payne first had the idea of Atlanta hosting the Olympic Games in 1987 and began to bring others to support this vision. He first gained support of Atlanta leaders for this effort, including then-mayor Andrew Young, an ally who helped Payne convince International Olympic Committee members to award Atlanta the games. Payne's plan for the games depended heavily on private support, leading him to convince sponsors to back the games. In September 1990, Atlanta was selected by the IOC to host the 1996 Games, surprising many.
After winning the bid, Payne remained as the head of the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games, serving as the chief administrator to organize the Olympics. He was the first person to lead the bid effort and then remain to lead the Games.
On May 5, 2006, Billy Payne replaced Hootie Johnson as chairman of Augusta National Golf Club, home of the Masters Tournament. As chairman, Payne has already made some adjustments at the Masters, including a new television contract with ESPN that allowed for unprecedented coverage of the par-3 tournament, beginning in 2008. Also that same year, a junior-patrons program was instituted, which allows one Augusta National Golf Club-accredited patron the opportunity to personally bring one junior patron (ages: 8-16), free of charge, to each of the four competitive rounds of the Masters. The program is not available on practice round days, and is also unavailable to company patrons.[1]
In 2011, Payne and his fellow members at Augusta National continued further with diverting from the club's usually uncompromising, tradition-laden ways by establishing another contemporary modification to their featured golf tournament. They have now sanctioned a video game that features the Masters name, logo, and their fabled golf course. The video game is so technologically sophisticated that if rain - for example - should happen to be falling in Augusta, Ga. on the day an end-user powers up the game from anywhere around the world, rain will also be simulated on the end-user's video screen.[2]
Payne had said in a statement: “'Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12: The Masters' will inspire the next generation of golfers.” According to Payne's release, the proceeds from sales of the video game made by Augusta National will benefit a non-profit foundation that promotes youth golf.[2]
Payne also serves as Chairman of Centennial Holding Company, a Real Estate Investment concern in Atlanta, Georgia.
On April 7, 2010, immediately before The Masters Tournament, Payne criticized Tiger Woods, stating that he failed as a role model.[3]
| Sporting positions | ||
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| Preceded by Pasqual Maragall |
President of Organizing Committee for Summer Olympic Games 1996 |
Succeeded by Michael Knight |
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