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A Brief History of ACORN Golf and The Perfect-Tee |
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ACORN Golf, Inc. was founded in early 1997 to design and produce a new, innovative, and proprietary golf tee, called the Perfect-Tee which would be "super strong", would not break, and would also provide many other desirable playing benefits and features.
After eighteen months of design, market research, and testing, the Perfect-Tee was officially announced to the golf world at the Orlando 2000 PGA Show. Since that time over 1,000 testimonials have been received from golfers, at all levels of playing ability (from PGA professionals to beginners), telling us in their own words, how the Perfect-Tee has allowed them to "play better golf." ACORN Golf has conducted several on-course focus studies that confirm that most golfers who use the Perfect-Tee do play better golf.
The Perfect-Tee is the first major improvement in golf tees in over 80 years. The wood golf tee in use today was invented and patented by Dr. William Lowell, a dentist, in 1921 and was called "The Reddy Tee". Prior to that, sand and water were used to form a tee.
The Perfect-Tee has been approved for use under the Rules of Golf by the United States Golf Association and The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, Fife.
By the end of 2002 the Perfect-Tee had been sold to over an estimated 500,000 golfers and has recently been chosen the "Official Golf Tee" of the Long Drivers of America. The product line includes a new 3-inch Perfect-Tee for those who have gone to the new oversized driver heads and/or wish to tee the ball up high, a 2.25-inch Perfect-Tee for normal driver heads and ball height, and a 1.5-inch to be used with irons or fairway woods off of the tee box.
ACORN Golf, Inc. is located in Santa Barbara, California and is led by C. Paul Davis, Chairman, CEO, Founder and co-inventor of the Perfect-Tee and by Marty Jenkins, President, COO and Perfect-Tee Program Manager.
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About the Management |
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Management Team
The two key members of ACORN Golf's management team are:
C. Paul Davis, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Martin Jenkins, President and Chief Operating Officer
C. Paul Davis
Mr. Davis Founder, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer of ACORN Golf and co-inventor of the Perfect-Tee had an extensive background in the field sales management of high tech companies in the computer industry (A/M International and UNIVAC) before moving to California in 1969 to join Dataproducts Corporation as Vice President and General Manager of the Systems Division.
In 1971 Mr. Davis co-founded TEDA Corporation that was sold to Burroughs Corporation in 1974. In 1975 Mr. Davis started two new companies: Compu-Rite Ribbon Corporation that was sold to management in 1976 and Innovative Computer Products that later became PerfectData Corporation and was taken public in 1983. Mr. Davis was the Founder, Chairman, President & Chief Executive Officer of PerfectData Corporation for 12 years. Mr. Davis also founded Permabyte Magnetics (a joint venture with Polaroid Corporation) in 1983 to produce a high-end, quality line of floppy disks.
In 1986 Mr. Davis moved to Santa Barbara, California where he founded and/or operated the following companies:
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Natoma Management(1987) - consulting company for small businesses |
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Award Software (1990) - President and CEO in Silicon Valley for one year |
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CleanAir Transit (1991) President and CEO |
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Technology Marketing (1992) co-founded a consulting company with a business partner for assisting small technology businesses. |
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COMAT Technologies Corporation (1994) co-founded with a business partner and performed a two-year study for Neste Chemicals (Finlands largest company) introducing Nestes new conductive polymer technology to Fortune 100 Companies in the United States. The two-year consulting contract ended in 1996. |
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Westmont Venture Forum (1997) - Executive Director for the first Venture Forum in Santa Barbara held at the Biltmore Hotel for 50 small companies seeking equity investments from 300 investor type attendees. |
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ACORN Golf, Incorporated (1997 to present) - Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer for a company that invented a new golf tee called the Perfect-Tee. |
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Mr. Davis' educational background includes:
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1954 |
B.S. in Marketing from the University of Detroit
Graduated Cum Laude and Top Student of the 1954 Graduating Class |
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1957 |
MBA from the University of Detroit
Graduated with Honors |
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1958 |
1958 Wayne State University Detroit, Michigan Taught data processing to graduate students |
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1984 |
Founder and Vice Chairman So/Cal/TenWas on the cover of the June 1985 Issue of Inc Magazine
Los Angeles, CA |
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1985 |
USC, UCLA, and Pepperdine University Guest lecture |
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1986 |
MIT Enterprise Forum Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties Founder Ventura, CA |
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1989 |
Los Positas Park Foundation President Santa Barbara, CA |
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Marty Jenkins
Mr. Jenkins career has focused on Program, Project, and Launch Management activities, as well as having managed various Marketing, Sales, Strategic Planning, New Business Development, and Quality Assurance activities in the high tech industry.
His career included 17 years with Memorex Corporation in Santa Clara, California, including two years in Belgium. Since moving to Santa Barbara in 1983, Mr. Jenkins has worked as Worldwide Director of Sales for Information Magnetics, Executive Director of the Las Positas Park Foundation (a 230 acre public recreational park), and as a Business and Management Consultant.
His launch management activities have included:
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Launch Program Manager of what became a Floppy Disc Division |
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Floppy Disc Manufacturing Facilities in Japan and Ireland |
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Technical Centers in Tokyo, London, Munich, Paris and Liege |
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OEM and Distributor Channels of Distribution in Europe while living abroad |
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Several new products |
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Pro Search Network - a job club for professionals in Santa Barbara |
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Mr. Jenkins was educated at Los Angeles Harbor College and Long Beach State College in Business Administration and Electronics. He was active in student government having served as President of the Inner Club Counsel. Additionally, he attended the UCLA extension program in Business Administration at UCSB, Santa Barbara, California.
Mr. Jenkins is active in the Santa Barbara community having served on the Board of Directors of the Las Positas Park Foundation, Hospice of Santa Barbara, The AIDS Hospices in Santa Barbara, and the Visiting Nurses Association.
July 1, 1999, Marty Jenkins joined ACORN Golf as Vice President Operations and Perfect-Tee Program Manager. Marty and Paul have known each other for over 20 years. He was promoted to President in early 2004.
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Photo Album |
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