October 6, 2025 • 8 mins
We spoke with Tournament Director Nathan Grube and Andy Bessette, Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer, about the fundraising at the 2025 Traveler’s Championship, raising over $4 million for 245 charities. We spoke about Birdies for Charities and their partnership with Webster Bank to support charities, fundraise, share their missions, and grow their platform.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Good morning, Thank you for listening to Community Access. I'm
Alison de Murz. My guest today is Nathan Groove, Tournament
director of the Travelers Championship, and Andy Bissett, Executive vice
president and chief administrative officer. Good morning, Good morning. So
the tournament is over. It happened in June.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
What happened afterwards, Well, first of all, Nathan and I
took a rest for about three days, four days, and
then we were ready to start going again and we
started working on the twenty twenty sixth version of the
Travels Championship. So we were working hard at it ever
since and that's been terrific. But we get to celebrate
(00:40):
our charity goals that we reached, and we were very excited.
We had got many many charities there with us. It
was terrific, and we announced four million dollars over four
million dollars, two hundred and forty five charities. And that's
what this is all about. Travels is the title sponsor
because it's great for charity and it's great for our community.
So it's just great to see all those charities out
(01:00):
and to hear from six of them that were selected
to talk about their missions, which was really really good.
It's great.
Speaker 1 (01:06):
I was there actually, and it was amazing to hear
everybody talk about the charities, to see all of the
organizations there and to see them receive this money. And
what a pleasure for me to be involved with the
Birdie's for Charity program. Nathan, you want to explain what
that is for our listeners.
Speaker 3 (01:20):
Yeah, alson first, well, thank you so much for your
support that I know, you provide a platform for charities
to tell their stories and you help us get out there.
So basically, it's we have a partner with Webster Bank
and the tournament, and we partner together and we basically
give charities the chance to tell their stories, you know,
to their donors, to new donors, and if they get
a donation, we give them fifteen cents for every dollar
(01:42):
that gets donated to them. And that has added up
to millions of dollars over the years. I mean the
program started, as you know, a few thousand dollars and
then just as has grown because of partners like yourself.
It's just another way to give charities what they need.
I mean, so many charities say, hey, money is really
what we need, but we also need to tell our
story to get more people involved. We need volunteers, we
(02:04):
need donors. And when you can take the Travelers Championship
and leverage that and give charities a platform and money,
it's awesome.
Speaker 4 (02:12):
So it's really simple.
Speaker 3 (02:13):
The tournament covers all the fees, website fees, we give you, you know,
marketing material, we give you opportunities to promote who you are,
and we give you fifteen cents for every dollar. And
the charities have just been so appreciative of that. And
you know, that's part of the DNA of Travelers to
make sure charity is part of the Travelers Championship and
this program is an extension of that.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
It was literally like Christmas morning for adults like kids
waking up and you know, excited and it was just
such a blessing and they all supported each other. It
was a beautiful day. Is it time for them to
sign up again? Or is that in January? If you're
a new organization, you've never been involved with Bertie's for Charity,
is now the time or when do they sign up?
Speaker 3 (02:51):
So you can start signing up now just to get
as Taylor Whiting on our team, she takes all the
information we have like a kickoff we do in you know,
kind of January February because again kind of what a
charities need. They need money, they need a platform. But
what we've also learned is they love to network with
each other and get good ideas from each other. And
we have that in January February where we bring in
(03:11):
probably another you know, fifty seventy five charities and they
tell stories about, hey, here's what worked for us. You know,
we did a gala and it was great. Another charity
will say we did a golf tournament it was really hard.
And another group will say, hey, meet us over here,
we can help you. And I mean it's hours of
networking and sharing best practices. So that's kind of our
quote unquote kickoff you know time that we do it.
But they can sign up now Travelers Championship dot com.
(03:33):
You can get the information to learn about the program
and see how you can get involved.
Speaker 1 (03:37):
Tell me how has it influenced your life? Has it
had a positive impact being involved?
Speaker 2 (03:41):
Yeah? I think that Every year. Nathan and I spend
a lot of time with our teams trying to focus
on what subjects or what topics are important to society.
And when you look at the types of things that
the charities do with us for the Travels Championship. It's
mental health, health, it's it's homelessness, it's food, it's it's
(04:05):
everything that's that's current in society important that people need
help with. Where we've engaged charitble organizations that do that work.
And that's that's what makes you feel so good because
you know there are important other organizations out there that
benefit like Fidelico Seeing Eye Dogs and they had a
dog at our celebration last week, and that's unbelievable as
(04:27):
terrific as it helps again a part of our society
that needs some assistance getting around, and so that's important.
And so I get excited by just the number of
charities that are out there with all relevant topics to
today's society to help people live and to live a
better life and to feel better about what's going on.
(04:47):
And that's what we do year after year after year
after After two thousand and seven, we've given over thirty
five million dollars to well over eleven hundred charities. Wow,
thirty five million dollars seven and that it can't beat that.
That's tremendous.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
Makes you feel good about the work that you do.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
Huh.
Speaker 4 (05:06):
I think it motivates you to I mean you.
Speaker 3 (05:08):
I think some of your listeners have heard this that
you know, we always try to make the tournament better
every year.
Speaker 4 (05:12):
But this is why.
Speaker 3 (05:13):
If we make the tournament better every year in some
former fashion with us, the players, the fans are sponsors,
then in the end result you were going to raise
more money for charity. And you know, in twenty twenty
four we raised a little over three point two million,
and then this year we've raised over four million. So
that's I would say, very motivating that the better you
do your job, the more you're going to see.
Speaker 4 (05:34):
More stories are going to be told.
Speaker 2 (05:35):
About not even you know, we have the best fans
in the world. I think we have the best sports
the best golf fans. They're knowledgeable, they know, they're respectful,
they're just terrific, terrific sports fans one and golf fans also.
But we also have the best volunteers in the world.
Speaker 1 (05:51):
Yes you do.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
Yeah, we have over two thousand volunteers that really run
the tournament with us for the week right and we
can't do this without them. And that's a year long
job for them to come out be prepared, get trained,
and recruit new members. It's just terrific work. So with
the best fans, we have the best volunteers and all
that ends up with us having the best golfers in
(06:12):
the world.
Speaker 1 (06:13):
And they can go to Travelers Championship dot com if
they like to volunteer or get involved in another way.
I hear congratulations as in order. You've recently won a
Newsweek award. What is that all about?
Speaker 4 (06:24):
Oh, that is I can tell you a jump of this.
Speaker 3 (06:27):
So Newsweek put out a fan vote on you know,
what's their favorite PGA Tour event, and there was about
fifteen events that were on the list that you know,
across the board over the year on the schedule, and
the fans voted as the Travelers Championship is their favorite
professional golf tournament. So we were incredibly proud of that.
And to Andy's point, I mean, it's those are the
(06:47):
fans voting. Those are people who are watching voting. Those
are people who have come to our event and recognized
that it's a very different experience.
Speaker 4 (06:55):
You know, We've been very fortunate over the years.
Speaker 3 (06:56):
The PGA Tour awarded us two years in a row
the most fan first event you know, from their perspective
and the news we put this article out, so it's
it's quite enjoyable for families.
Speaker 4 (07:06):
I mean, kids get in free.
Speaker 3 (07:07):
But then also you know you're out there watching the
best players in the world compete, and it's a it's
a pretty fun environment.
Speaker 1 (07:12):
So is it a secret? Is it too early to tell?
What could we expect for the twenty twenty six tournament?
Speaker 4 (07:18):
No secret.
Speaker 3 (07:19):
I will just say that it'll be better than last year. Now,
that's going to be a lot of different things.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
From our charitable donations. You think, or I think, oh,
we're going to well be in well in excess of
four million dollars and I always do this to Nathan
and then he kicks me. But again, we're going to
exceed our charitable numbers in the organizations we can help,
and we know that we're going to have the best
players in the world. This year, we had top forty
(07:44):
five of the top fifty because the other five were
inteligible to play. But everybody that was eligible to play
out of the top fifty in the world played us
and it was terrific. And that's that's why when we
say it's all about charity and community and bringing out
the fans. The fans. Everybody has to know that all
net proceeds in this tournament. There is no profit so
to speak, and all net proceeds in this tournament go
(08:06):
to charity, which makes it very different than any other
sporting event in the world.
Speaker 1 (08:10):
I'm speaking with Nathan grub Tournament director of the Travelers Championship,
and Andy Bissett, Executive vice president and chief administrative Officer.
Thank you both for being here and for serving the community.
Speaker 2 (08:21):
Thanks Alis, I appreciate it.
Good morning, Thank you for listening to Community Access. I'm
Alison de Murz. My guest today is Nathan Groove, Tournament
director of the Travelers Championship, and Andy Bissett, Executive vice
president and chief administrative officer. Good morning, Good morning. So
the tournament is over. It happened in June.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
What happened afterwards, Well, first of all, Nathan and I
took a rest for about three days, four days, and
then we were ready to start going again and we
started working on the twenty twenty sixth version of the
Travels Championship. So we were working hard at it ever
since and that's been terrific. But we get to celebrate
(00:40):
our charity goals that we reached, and we were very excited.
We had got many many charities there with us. It
was terrific, and we announced four million dollars over four
million dollars, two hundred and forty five charities. And that's
what this is all about. Travels is the title sponsor
because it's great for charity and it's great for our community.
So it's just great to see all those charities out
(01:00):
and to hear from six of them that were selected
to talk about their missions, which was really really good.
It's great.
Speaker 1 (01:06):
I was there actually, and it was amazing to hear
everybody talk about the charities, to see all of the
organizations there and to see them receive this money. And
what a pleasure for me to be involved with the
Birdie's for Charity program. Nathan, you want to explain what
that is for our listeners.
Speaker 3 (01:20):
Yeah, alson first, well, thank you so much for your
support that I know, you provide a platform for charities
to tell their stories and you help us get out there.
So basically, it's we have a partner with Webster Bank
and the tournament, and we partner together and we basically
give charities the chance to tell their stories, you know,
to their donors, to new donors, and if they get
a donation, we give them fifteen cents for every dollar
(01:42):
that gets donated to them. And that has added up
to millions of dollars over the years. I mean the
program started, as you know, a few thousand dollars and
then just as has grown because of partners like yourself.
It's just another way to give charities what they need.
I mean, so many charities say, hey, money is really
what we need, but we also need to tell our
story to get more people involved. We need volunteers, we
(02:04):
need donors. And when you can take the Travelers Championship
and leverage that and give charities a platform and money,
it's awesome.
Speaker 4 (02:12):
So it's really simple.
Speaker 3 (02:13):
The tournament covers all the fees, website fees, we give you, you know,
marketing material, we give you opportunities to promote who you are,
and we give you fifteen cents for every dollar. And
the charities have just been so appreciative of that. And
you know, that's part of the DNA of Travelers to
make sure charity is part of the Travelers Championship and
this program is an extension of that.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
It was literally like Christmas morning for adults like kids
waking up and you know, excited and it was just
such a blessing and they all supported each other. It
was a beautiful day. Is it time for them to
sign up again? Or is that in January? If you're
a new organization, you've never been involved with Bertie's for Charity,
is now the time or when do they sign up?
Speaker 3 (02:51):
So you can start signing up now just to get
as Taylor Whiting on our team, she takes all the
information we have like a kickoff we do in you know,
kind of January February because again kind of what a
charities need. They need money, they need a platform. But
what we've also learned is they love to network with
each other and get good ideas from each other. And
we have that in January February where we bring in
(03:11):
probably another you know, fifty seventy five charities and they
tell stories about, hey, here's what worked for us. You know,
we did a gala and it was great. Another charity
will say we did a golf tournament it was really hard.
And another group will say, hey, meet us over here,
we can help you. And I mean it's hours of
networking and sharing best practices. So that's kind of our
quote unquote kickoff you know time that we do it.
But they can sign up now Travelers Championship dot com.
(03:33):
You can get the information to learn about the program
and see how you can get involved.
Speaker 1 (03:37):
Tell me how has it influenced your life? Has it
had a positive impact being involved?
Speaker 2 (03:41):
Yeah? I think that Every year. Nathan and I spend
a lot of time with our teams trying to focus
on what subjects or what topics are important to society.
And when you look at the types of things that
the charities do with us for the Travels Championship. It's
mental health, health, it's it's homelessness, it's food, it's it's
(04:05):
everything that's that's current in society important that people need
help with. Where we've engaged charitble organizations that do that work.
And that's that's what makes you feel so good because
you know there are important other organizations out there that
benefit like Fidelico Seeing Eye Dogs and they had a
dog at our celebration last week, and that's unbelievable as
(04:27):
terrific as it helps again a part of our society
that needs some assistance getting around, and so that's important.
And so I get excited by just the number of
charities that are out there with all relevant topics to
today's society to help people live and to live a
better life and to feel better about what's going on.
(04:47):
And that's what we do year after year after year
after After two thousand and seven, we've given over thirty
five million dollars to well over eleven hundred charities. Wow,
thirty five million dollars seven and that it can't beat that.
That's tremendous.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
Makes you feel good about the work that you do.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
Huh.
Speaker 4 (05:06):
I think it motivates you to I mean you.
Speaker 3 (05:08):
I think some of your listeners have heard this that
you know, we always try to make the tournament better
every year.
Speaker 4 (05:12):
But this is why.
Speaker 3 (05:13):
If we make the tournament better every year in some
former fashion with us, the players, the fans are sponsors,
then in the end result you were going to raise
more money for charity. And you know, in twenty twenty
four we raised a little over three point two million,
and then this year we've raised over four million. So
that's I would say, very motivating that the better you
do your job, the more you're going to see.
Speaker 4 (05:34):
More stories are going to be told.
Speaker 2 (05:35):
About not even you know, we have the best fans
in the world. I think we have the best sports
the best golf fans. They're knowledgeable, they know, they're respectful,
they're just terrific, terrific sports fans one and golf fans also.
But we also have the best volunteers in the world.
Speaker 1 (05:51):
Yes you do.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
Yeah, we have over two thousand volunteers that really run
the tournament with us for the week right and we
can't do this without them. And that's a year long
job for them to come out be prepared, get trained,
and recruit new members. It's just terrific work. So with
the best fans, we have the best volunteers and all
that ends up with us having the best golfers in
(06:12):
the world.
Speaker 1 (06:13):
And they can go to Travelers Championship dot com if
they like to volunteer or get involved in another way.
I hear congratulations as in order. You've recently won a
Newsweek award. What is that all about?
Speaker 4 (06:24):
Oh, that is I can tell you a jump of this.
Speaker 3 (06:27):
So Newsweek put out a fan vote on you know,
what's their favorite PGA Tour event, and there was about
fifteen events that were on the list that you know,
across the board over the year on the schedule, and
the fans voted as the Travelers Championship is their favorite
professional golf tournament. So we were incredibly proud of that.
And to Andy's point, I mean, it's those are the
(06:47):
fans voting. Those are people who are watching voting. Those
are people who have come to our event and recognized
that it's a very different experience.
Speaker 4 (06:55):
You know, We've been very fortunate over the years.
Speaker 3 (06:56):
The PGA Tour awarded us two years in a row
the most fan first event you know, from their perspective
and the news we put this article out, so it's
it's quite enjoyable for families.
Speaker 4 (07:06):
I mean, kids get in free.
Speaker 3 (07:07):
But then also you know you're out there watching the
best players in the world compete, and it's a it's
a pretty fun environment.
Speaker 1 (07:12):
So is it a secret? Is it too early to tell?
What could we expect for the twenty twenty six tournament?
Speaker 4 (07:18):
No secret.
Speaker 3 (07:19):
I will just say that it'll be better than last year. Now,
that's going to be a lot of different things.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
From our charitable donations. You think, or I think, oh,
we're going to well be in well in excess of
four million dollars and I always do this to Nathan
and then he kicks me. But again, we're going to
exceed our charitable numbers in the organizations we can help,
and we know that we're going to have the best
players in the world. This year, we had top forty
(07:44):
five of the top fifty because the other five were
inteligible to play. But everybody that was eligible to play
out of the top fifty in the world played us
and it was terrific. And that's that's why when we
say it's all about charity and community and bringing out
the fans. The fans. Everybody has to know that all
net proceeds in this tournament. There is no profit so
to speak, and all net proceeds in this tournament go
(08:06):
to charity, which makes it very different than any other
sporting event in the world.
Speaker 1 (08:10):
I'm speaking with Nathan grub Tournament director of the Travelers Championship,
and Andy Bissett, Executive vice president and chief administrative Officer.
Thank you both for being here and for serving the community.
Speaker 2 (08:21):
Thanks Alis, I appreciate it.
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