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Ariel Emanuel Keynote Speaker at GCAA and WGCA Conventions

NORMAN, Okla. – Ariel Emanuel – co-CEO of WME | IMG - will be the keynote speaker at the GCAA and WGCA national conventions held Dec. 8-10 in Las Vegas. The global leaders in entertainment, sports and media, WME | IMG has an unparalleled client roster; world-class partnerships with sponsors, brands and broadcasters; and marquee clients in film, television, events and fashion.

“The GCAA is excited and very interested to have Ari Emanual address our National Convention,” stated GCAA President Conrad Ray. “The landscape of high-level golf, along with intercollegiate athletics, is more dynamic than ever before and WME | IMG is playing a role in that change. It will be fascinating to hear about Mr. Emanuel's expertise and experience in the areas of licensing and talent management, as well as his passion for golf.”

“The WGCA is very honored to have Ariel Emanuel as the keynote speaker for our 2014 Convention,” said WGCA President Amy Bond. “He has a vast area of knowledge in many areas that will be a benefit to our coaches. We are excited for him to share his experiences and look forward to hearing him speak.”

After co-founding Endeavor in 1995, Emanuel and co-CEO Patrick Whitesell orchestrated the largest talent agency merger in history in 2009 when they partnered with William Morris to form WME, the world’s leading talent agency. One of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies, WME represents artists across film, television, music, literature, theatre and digital media.

In 2012, Emanuel and Whitesell forged a strategic partnership with Silver Lake, a global leader in private investments in technology, to accelerate the agency’s digital and mobile growth. In 2014, WME and Silver Lake acquired IMG, the premier sports, fashion and media company.

Emanuel’s client list includes some of the most recognizable names in entertainment, including Sacha Baron Cohen, Michael Bay, Peter Berg, Larry David, Dwayne Johnson, Seth MacFarlane, Charlie Rose, Sheryl Sandberg, Joe Scarborough, Aaron Sorkin, Charlize Theron, Mark Wahlberg and Oprah Winfrey, among others.

Together, Emanuel and Whitesell oversee WME’s network of world-class partner companies. Through Jingle Punks and RED Interactive, WME provides services in the fields of mobile gaming, music licensing and digital development; merchant bank Raine connects clients and media companies with top Wall Street advisors; and award-winning global creative agency Droga5 offers WME ready access to the most influential brands of the twenty-first century.

Emanuel began his career at Creative Artists Agency (CAA) and went on to become a senior agent at InterTalent and International Creative Management (ICM).

Emanuel is an associate member of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences and sits on the boards of Live Nation and MOCA. Additionally, Emanuel has been named one of Fast Company’s Most Creative People in Business and one of Fortune’s Businesspersons of the Year.

A graduate of Macalester College, Emanuel resides in Los Angeles with his wife and three children.

- GCAA/WGCA -

GCAA:
Established in 1958, the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) is the professional organization of golf coaches. The GCAA's mission is to support its member coaches by creating educational opportunities, providing resources, and promoting its members with the purpose of enhancing their overall performance as coaches, mentors, and teachers. The GCAA also recognizes the excellence and achievements of its members and their student-athletes in academic, athletic and civic endeavors.

WGCA:
The Women’s Golf Coaches Association (WGCA), founded in 1983, is a non-profit organization representing women’s collegiate golf coaches. The WGCA was formed to encourage the playing of college golf for women in correlation with a general objective of education and in accordance with the highest tradition of intercollegiate competition. Today, the WGCA represents over 500 coaches throughout the U.S. and is dedicated to educating, promoting and recognizing both its members and the student-athletes they represent.