Carolyn Bivens

Carolyn Bivens was the commissioner of the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) between 2005 and 2009. She was the 7th person and the 1st woman to hold this position since the LPGA was founded in 1950. Under her leadership, the LPGA grew to record performance levels by revising the business model resulting in doubling the household television audience, strengthening the bottom line, increasing revenue shared with partners and benefits for members. As a member of the World Golf Foundation Board, Carolyn participated in the successful bid for golf to be included as an Olympic sport which begins in 2016. Previously, Carolyn was president and chief operating officer of Initiative Media North America, which was at the time, the largest media services agency in North America and part of the Interpublic Group of Companies. Carolyn had the P&L responsibility for all operations which included radio, television, print and digital media planning and buying for accounts including Home Depot, Disney, Merck Pharmaceuticals, J&J, Novartis and AOL. Earlier, Carolyn was a founding member of USA TODAY where she began in circulation sales by leading the team which established amenity sales to the hospitality and airline industries at a level which created a category later adopted by other national newspapers. She went on to lead the advertising and advertising operations for USA TODAY worldwide including the domestic and international editions and brand extensions. In 1994, Carolyn was named Manager of the Year for the Gannett Company and in 2002, Electronic Media magazine named Carolyn one of the most powerful women in television. She served on the Board of the Ad Council for 12 years and Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals for 17 years, including past chairman. Carolyn attended Radford College in Virginia