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Kilmer endures unique run as JDC volunteer chairman

By Tom Johnston

Staff sports writer

Mark Kilmer of Davenport knew what lay in store for him in 2002. Or at least he thought he did.

What excited Kilmer most was his impending stint as volunteer chairman for the John Deere Classic, the Quad-Cities' annual PGA Tour event that tees off this week at TPC at Deere Run.

But like the game of golf itself, with its usual assortment of hooks and slices that keep things interesting, Kilmer's year was also going to be rife with plights he couldn't anticipate. It has made '02 a year to remember for Kilmer.

``It's been pretty busy,'' said Kilmer during a rare relaxed moment last week, ``a very active year.''

There have been both good and bad times.

The 43-year-old Kilmer has known for four years that he would be this year's volunteer chairman. Having served the normal three stints as a vice-chair en route to his top position on the volunteer board, Kilmer had been looking forward to this year and his work with, and for, the golf tournament.

``I have a passion for the event and a passion for the community,'' said Kilmer, who joined the board in 1996 and has made a quick ascension to the chairman's role.

He has needed that passion to help get through what has been an interesting reign. There have been two tournament-related events that have made his chairmanship unique and a personal matter with which no one ever wants to deal -- a death in the family.

The first of those major events was learning over the winter that he would serve as chairman for a second year instead of the normal one. Jim Blaney, who would have chaired the '03 tourney, was transferred out of the Quad-Cities by his employer. Another came in late May when tournament director Kym Hougham announced his resignation. All of a sudden, Kilmer and the board were charged with finding the next chairperson -- Davenport's Clair Peterson, as it turned out -- to lead the tournament that has been the most prestigious sporting event in the Quad-Cities for 32 years.

In between was one of the biggest personal tragedies he's ever had to deal with -- the death of his father, Forrest, a legendary newspaper man in the Quad-Cities.

An active year, as he calls it? A very trying year, as well.

``He's been doing very well with an awful lot going on,'' said Kathy Kilmer, Mark's wife of 20 years. ``He really enjoys having a lot to do. He loves the thrill of the high-energy level of all of these activities.''

Kilmer is no stranger to keeping busy and being involved in the community. He is outgoing chairman of the Scott County Family Y and has seats on the board of directors for both Genesis Medical Center and Quad City Bank and Trust.

As if that wasn't enough, he's also been organizing his 25th high school reunion for Davenport Central's class of 1977. Those festivities, of course, were the last two nights.

``He was class president and that duty always seems to fall back on him every five years,'' joked Kathy.

Along with three active children -- 15-year-old Hallie, 12-year-old Grant and 9-year-old Stephanie -- the president of Davenport's Republic Electric Company is accustomed to being pulled in numerous directions outside of the family business.

Even before heading to Iowa State University class of '81 along with Kathy, Kilmer had written off the idea of following his dad's footsteps in the newspaper industry, in the accounting end of it.

Instead, he went into a management-training program with Standard Oil. He and his wife came back from the West Coast to get into the family business and start their own family, which is getting active in the game of golf as well.

Dad was probably proud of Mark's career path.

``My father was a great influence in my life as he was in a lot of people's lives,'' said Mark, his speech slowing as thoughts of his dad emerged and words became hard to find.

He admitted that keeping active has helped him through his father's loss.

``I find myself talking about him a lot and that's good,'' said Mark.

Unfortunately, his dad's not there to talk back.

``I know there have been times when he was about to pick up the phone to call his dad and ask about something or get his thoughts,'' said Kathy. ``I know he'd sure love to have him standing on the 18th green on Sunday afternoon at the trophy presentation.

``He's certainly had a tough couple of months since his dad died. They were extremely close.''

Mark definitely picked up his dad's work ethic. He has a willingness to give as much of himself as he can.

He laments that his lack of free time shows in his golf game, about which Kilmer is accustomed to getting ribbed. It's safe to say that his contribution to the Quad-City golf community is greater as a volunteer than a player.

``Some of my friends would suggest that my golf game still hasn't started,'' he deadpanned of not playing much until after college.

With everything on his plate, it's amazing he has the time to play at all outside of the occasional family foray to the course. Being president of your own company may have it perks, but it also has its responsibilities.

``As a locally owned business, there's a civic responsibility to give back to the community,'' said Kilmer, explaining his hectic schedule. ``With fewer family businesses left, the demand is even greater.''

Republic is an 86-year-old, three-pronged operation that was founded by Kathy's grandfather and employs 65 workers. It wholesales electrical and mechanical equipment and also has a sign-support division that makes stop sign poles for the state of Iowa.

Selflessly, he obliges what he perceives to be his civic duty. But he admits that he couldn't do it without his support group -- both at home with Kathy, and at work. He not only praises his family for its support, but also his employees, especially executive assistant Jill Larkin, who also manages the company's special events and helped facilitate the tournament director's job search.

``There's a tremendous staff there,'' said Kilmer. ``Certainly, without the strength of that organization, I wouldn't be able to volunteer as much.

``From a personal side, it's just a matter of making sure your priorities are in alignment. The toughest thing to juggle is the magnitude of what's going on and staying focused. And finding a balance in life between work and home.

``At times it can become overwhelming, but I'm very, very fortunate to serve on these boards with some really great people. Certainly I extract more than I give.''

Kilmer won't be like most chairmen who watch their reign end on Sunday of tourney week when the last putt drops. His will just turn the corner.

``The executive committee got together and looked at our options,'' said Kilmer of filling the '03 void. ``We figured it was best that the next person continue through the pecking order of the different vice chairs. ... You really have to spend a lot of time in the organization to understand what it's all about. We figured for long-term continuity that it would be better to have one guy work two years.''

That guy ended up being Kilmer. He is the first to repeat in the position since Glenn Blair 1992-93. Tom Robinson 1990-91 preceded Blair with a two-year stint. Other multi-year chairmen have been Art Swift, Whitey Barnard, Cliff Montgomery, Dick Farrell and Kent Crippen.

Now, a chairman-elect serves three years as a vice chairman overseeing finance, marketing/administration and/or operations.

With Peterson's selection as tournament director in what Kilmer called an ``intense'' process, Kilmer's fingerprints will remain on the tournament much longer than his tenure as volunteer chairman. But he's also in a unique position to make an even larger impact in helping the tournament to the next level.

``I don't think it's an issue of making quantum leaps, I think it's an issue of continuing the processes we're on,'' said Kilmer. ``Look at what we've been able to accomplish with the help of a lot of collaboration between Deere and the PGA Tour.''

Kilmer cited four major problems with the tournament over the last five years: lack of a championship-caliber course designed to host a Tour event, a competitive purse, a strong date and a title sponsor. ``We have accomplished three of the four and are pushing toward the better date,'' he said.

Agreeing with Peterson's vision, Kilmer hopes to keep the tournament growing and not be content with it being just a Quad-City event. He pointed to three target goals:

1 Set up regional advisory boards in communities within a 90-mile radius Muscatine, Dubuque, Peoria, etc. to improve marketing contacts and assist tournament sales consultant Marcia Green with those efforts;

2 Get board members involved in marketing and selling the tournament;

3 Expanding the volunteer base, especially getting younger people involved.

``Like Clair said, we've got a great event, now we just have to go sell it to the fans, the players and our sponsors,'' said Kilmer.

With people like Kilmer aboard, this tournament can't help but continue to succeed and flourish. Having been a ``tournament grunt'' and doing a lot of manual labor over the years with course preparation, Kilmer says it has been the role players on the volunteer staff who have inspired him.

``Their enthusiasm for the event is contagious,'' he said.

So is Kilmer's.

``I absolutely love it for a couple of reasons,'' said Kilmer of the tourney he's been supporting with a skybox for the last 11 years. ``I derive an incredible amount of satisfaction over what this event does for the community -- not just for the $1.5 million we give away to charity, but it brings the community together. We are so fortunate to have the PGA Tour in the Quad-Cities. Look at the major markets that don't have the Tour. That's very rewarding.''

The Quad-City PGA Tour stop is also lucky to have people such as Mark Kilmer on board. It's been people like him who have made sure the tournament has remained here through some lean years and on the verge of having the plug pulled.

It's people like Kilmer who will keep this tournament's future bright.