GMS "Take a Field Trip to MEDINAH Country Club" -2026 PGA Presidents Cup Featuring Joie Chitwood

Take a GMS field trip to the iconic Medinah Country Club—future host of the PGA Tour’s premier team event, the 2026 Presidents Cup!

Get an insider’s look at what’s ahead in 2026 for golf in Illinois, and hear directly from Joie Chitwood III, Executive Director of the Presidents Cup.
 

Joie Chitwood III is the Executive Director of the Presidents Cup, the PGA Tour’s premier team event to be held at Medinah Country Club in Chicago, Illinois in 2026. Created in 1994, the Presidents Cup, a team match play competition featuring 24 of the world’s top golfers – 12 from the United States and 12 from around the world – is held every two years, and since 1996 has alternated between the United States and International venues.
 
Prior to the Presidents Cup, Chitwood spent two years as Vice President of Corporate Development for Arnold Palmer Enterprises, which included his role as Tournament Director over one of the PGA Tour’s premier championships. In that role, he was tasked with driving revenue growth and operational excellence which delivered record results for the long-time event founded by Arnold Palmer. In addition, Chitwood oversaw the Arnold Palmer Cup, a prestigious college team competition featuring the top US and International players, similar to the Presidents Cup.
 
Chitwood joined the Arnold Palmer Group in August 2020 after a long career in motorsports, having worked most recently as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of International Speedway Corporation (ISC), a publicly traded company, founded by the France family in 1953.
 
In his role as Executive Vice President and COO of ISC, Chitwood was responsible for the leadership, management and oversight of the operations of the 13 ISC Motorsports facilities, the Design and Development department including the $500 million dollar capital budget and Americrown, ISC’s food & beverage business, along with strengthening key industry initiatives and working in tandem with executive leaders and track presidents to execute business plans.
 
Chitwood joined ISC in 2009 as Vice President of Business Operations before assuming the role of President of ISC’s flagship motorsports facility, Daytona International Speedway (“DIS”), from 2010 to 2016. As President, Chitwood oversaw ISC’s largest development project to date – the $400 million DAYTONA Rising project that transformed the Speedway into the world’s first motorsports stadium. In addition, Chitwood spearheaded the track’s repave project in 2010, only the second in its 58-year history, as well as continuing to serve as a Corporate Officer and Vice President for ISC.
 
 
Prior to joining ISC in August 2009, Chitwood served as President and Chief Operating Officer of Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS), the world’s largest sporting venue, in which he oversaw daily operations for IMS, including the Indy 500, the NASCAR Brickyard 400, Brickyard Crossing Inn and Brickyard Crossing Golf Course. He joined the staff of the IMS as Senior Vice President, Business Affairs in 2002.
 
From 1999 to 2002, Chitwood was selected by executive leadership of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and NASCAR for a joint venture to construct and operate the Chicagoland Speedway, a $135 million, 75,000 seat racetrack facility on 900 acres in Joliet, Illinois. As Vice President and General Manager, he oversaw construction of the 1.5-mile Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Ill. He lead the property to sold out seasons in 2001 and 2002 with Indy Racing League and NASCAR sanctioned events.
 
Beginning at age five, Chitwood was an integral part of his family’s entertainment business, the well-known Chitwood Thrill Show. His career included time as a stuntman and later, a specialist in precision driving.
 
In 1992, Chitwood earned a business administration and finance degree from the University of Florida. He also studied at Cambridge University in England and earned a Masters of Business Administration degree from the University of South Florida in 1995.
 
Chitwood has received several industry honors and professional accolades throughout his career, including the University of South Florida Distinguished Alumnus Award (2014), SportsBusiness Journal Forty under 40 (2009), Indianapolis Business Journal Forty under 40 (2007) and was named a University of South Florida College of Business Celebration of Free Enterprise Honoree in 2005. Chitwood also serves on the board of trustees for the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America and the University of South Florida Foundation.