The Southeast Chapter (SEC) golf tournament made a triumphant return to the Rock Barn Country Club & Spa in Conover, North Carolina, drawing a record 115 participants for a perfect day on the links. With sunny skies and temperatures in the low 70s, the atmosphere matched the energy of what became the chapter’s largest tournament in recent years—up from 96 players last year.
Hosted on the scenic par-71 Tom Jackson Course, the competition was fierce. Teams battled it out, with ties for both first and second place at 14 under par, and for third and fourth at 13 under. After tiebreakers, the winning team emerged: Steve Zande of Service Thread, Robert Kidd, and Patrick Noble of CommScope.
Securing second place were Darin Nicol and John Downey of Fort Wayne Wire Die, alongside Marc Finch and Harrison Commings of IWG-HPC. Third place went to Craig Shell and Steve Pinnix of M. Holland Company, with Alex Magid of Westlake and Scott Tucker of CommScope. A well-earned shoutout goes to the fourth-place finishers: Dan Shelander and Joe Phipps of Windak, Eric Yount of CommScope, and Paul Douwes of Advaris.
Players praised the course for its layout and playability, calling it both beautiful and challenging. The day began at 11 a.m. with a lunch sponsored by Carris Reels, followed by a putting contest at the driving range—courtesy of Process Control Corp., Sonoco, and Wire and Plastic Machinery Corp.—where Mark MacKimm of Rainbow Rubber and Plastics claimed victory.
Additional skills contests added to the excitement: Daniel Johnson of Advanced Technology Services took home the “Accurate Drive” prize (sponsored by Sikora), while “Closest to the Pin” honors went to Rocky Colapietro of CommScope and retiree Pat Curtsinger, with sponsorship from Sonoco and Joe Tools, Inc.
Hole sponsors included: Carris Reels, Gateway Recovery, Inc., Gem Gravure, Gene Brown Extrusion Techniques, GEON Performance Solutions, L-S Industries, Inc., Magnum Mfg. LLC, M. Holland Company, SDI LaFarga COPPERWORKS, Sikora, Sonoco, Teknikor, Windak, Inc., and Wire and Plastic Machinery Corp. Rainbow Rubber & Plastics and Teknikor also kept players fueled throughout the day with snacks and beverages. The $10,000 Hole-in-One contest was sponsored by Joe-Tools, Inc.
Capping off the day was a southern barbecue dinner and reception, sponsored by GEON Performance Solutions and Wire and Plastic Machinery Corp. SEC President John Dognazzi emceed the evening, announcing raffle winners who walked away with golf gear, gift cards—and one standout prize: an all-inclusive resort vacation sponsored by Wyndham Resorts, which went to Frank Wilkins of AFL Global.
Reflecting on the event’s success, Dognazzi credited the volunteers and board members who made it all possible. “We really needed a big year like this,” he said. “COVID hurt our numbers for a bit, but we’ve made a strong comeback.”
The evening also marked a heartfelt farewell to SEC Treasurer Brooke Stonesifer of Sonoco, who is stepping down from the board after more than a decade of dedicated service.
