New PDGA Director of Operations Shares Insights on First Month in Role

Doug Bjerkaas is a familiar face in the disc golf community. As the newly appointed Director of Operations at the Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA), he's bringing seven years of experience from Dynamic Discs to the table. After working part-time as an event coordinator and rising through the ranks to become president, Doug saw an opportunity to make a bigger impact on the sport.

In his new role, Doug oversees the Operations and Logistics department, headed by Jeff Jacquart, and the Event Support and Training directorate, led by Andrew "Big Dog" Sweeton. He'll be working closely with these teams to ensure the success of competitive disc golf events. With his extensive background in organizing elite series events and PDGA majors, Doug is well-equipped to take on this new challenge.

Doug's first month on the job has been a learning experience. As he put it, "I've gotten to learn how things happen and how things relate within the PDGA." He's been advised to "be a sponge" and soak up as much information as possible before making any significant changes or decisions.

One of the highlights of his first month was attending the 2023 Champions Cup, a major event run by the PDGA staff. Doug expressed his admiration for the solid team he's working with, saying, "I've worked with many PDGA folks, but in this first month I've seen a lot of other members of the team and what they bring to the group in terms of their expertise and skill."

As he gains more experience, Doug is already thinking about areas that need attention. He believes in continuous improvement, gathering feedback from players, local organizers, spectators, and all stakeholders to ensure PDGA events are always proud and of high quality. His goals include establishing repeatable systems, innovating new ideas, and facilitating relationships between different event levels.

When asked what made this decision for him, Doug expressed his enthusiasm: "The chance to work directly for the PDGA gave me an opportunity to impact the sport from inside far more directly than as a disc golf manufacturer or other related party. I couldn't be happier than to be where I am right now."

This article was compiled from disc golf coverage with AI assistance. Source: pdga.com — https://www.pdga.com/news/sit-down-new-pdga-operations-director