Russo, PGA, a Resident of Severn, Md., and a Self-Employed Teaching Professional at Night Hawk Golf Center, in Gambrills, Md., Becomes the 52nd MAPGA President, Succeeding Lynne Hunter, Director of Golf at Kenwood Golf & Country Club, in Bethesda, Md., the First Female MAPGA President dating back to 1925; Scott Graber, PGA, Elected MAPGA Vice President; and Jay Dufty, PGA, Elected MAPGA Secretary
For headshots of the MAPGA Officers, courtesy of MAPGA, click HERE.
Stafford, Va. – On the heels of celebrating its Centennial in 2025, the Middle Atlantic Section of the PGA of America (MAPGA) today announced that Mark Russo, PGA, a resident of Severn, Md., and a self-employed teaching professional at Night Hawk Golf Center, in Gambrills, Md., has been elected the Section’s 52nd President.
Joining Russo for a two-year term as officers of the MAPGA are Scott Graber, PGA, a resident of Midlothian, Va., and the Head Professional at the Federal Club, in Glen Allen, Va.,who was elected Vice President, and Jay Dufty, PGA, a resident of Sterling, Va., and the Director of Golf at Washington Golf & Country Club in Arlington, Va., who was elected Secretary. PGA of America Golf Professional Lynne Hunter, a resident of Laurel, Md., and the Director of Golf at Kenwood Golf & Country Club, in Bethesda, Md., becomes the MAPGA’s Honorary President after serving a two-year term as the Association’s President, and the first woman President in MPAGA’s 125 year history.
“The Middle Atlantic PGA is proud and excited to announce Mark Russo as the 52nd President of our now 100-year-old Association,” said Jon Guhl, Executive Director, Middle Atlantic PGA. “Mark’s commitment to the game of golf and his fellow PGA Professionals, as well as his business acumen and a distinguished, award-winning teaching career, make him ideally suited to lead our Association for the next two years.”
Guhl adds, “Along with newly elected MAPGA Vice President Scott Graber, Secretary Jay Dufty, and Honorary President Lynne Hunter, this leadership team will continue to drive our Association forward and ensure the game and business of golf in the Mid-Atlantic Region continues to reach new heights.”
“I am honored to serve the over 1,200 Middle Atlantic PGA Members and Associates in our section,” said Russo. “I look forward to working with our officers, board and staff to make an impact in our communities through our foundation, PGA REACH Middle Atlantic. Many PGA members have helped me along the way in my career and I am excited to give back to the game and my fellow professionals that work to grow the game at their facilities every day.”
Mark Russo, President, Middle Atlantic PGA
A member of the PGA of America since 2005, Russo has been ranked inside the top 10 in the Golf Digest “Best Teachers by State” list for the last 7 years, and was named the 2018 Middle Atlantic PGA Teacher of the Year. In addition, he is a TrackMan 4 owner and Certified Level 2 Professional, a TPI Level 2 Golf Professional, and a Level 2 Swing Catalyst Certified Professional. Over the last 10 years, Russo has been an active member of the PGA Board of Directors in the Middle Atlantic Section, serving as the Vice President and Secretary, prior to being elected MAPGA President. In addition, he has been an active member of MAPGA’s Section Education Committee, serving as the chair for the last 5 years. He was also named the 2020 MAPGA Professional Development Award winner for his dedication to the education of his fellow PGA Professionals. A lifelong resident of Maryland, Russo is a graduate of DeMatha Catholic High School and Towson University.
For more information on the Middle Atlantic PGA, visit www.mapga.com
About the Middle Atlantic PGA Section
The Middle Atlantic PGA Section (MAPGA), located in Stafford, Virginia, is one of 41 Sections of The Professional Golfers’ Association of America (PGA), headquartered in Frisco, Texas. The MAPGA has been a part of The PGA since 1925 and consists of over 1,200 members and associates in Maryland, Virginia, the District of Columbia and small portions of Pennsylvania and West Virginia. There are over 900,000 golfers playing more than 16.5 million rounds of golf a season in the Middle Atlantic region. As player development remains a driving force in the golf industry, the MAPGA provides a wide variety of programs and assistance to support its members who teach the game, promote goodwill and share the game’s values to their golfing customers and their communities in general. Locally, MAPGA Professionals assist in raising over $6 million annually for charities.