A Junior Achievement Board Member is putting the fun back in fundraising. Mark Murray, a branch manager for Johnson Controls, Inc. and chairman of JA’s 2009 Golf Committee, has challenged his fellow board members to a friendly fundraising competition. To increase last-minute sales of twosomes and foursomes for JA’s 2009 Franklin American Mortgage Golf Classic presented by Gaylord Entertainment, Murray has dared the board to recruit more teams of golfers than he can in one week. If Murray gets outsold, he has promised to do something bold—go bald.

“If the board out-purchases or out-sells my efforts, then I will shave my head at the event,” Murray explained.

Murray has dubbed this the “5 in 5 Challenge,” encouraging board members to secure five teams of golfers in five days; the deadline is Friday, June 5. More than 40 teams have already registered to participate in the 2009 Golf Classic, but Murray is hoping to see more men and women tee off to support Junior Achievement’s programming.

“If there has ever been a time where the message of business, free enterprise, and fiscal responsibility was needed, I believe it is now,” he said. “Without it, I can honestly question what message our children will take away from the current times.”

JA partners business leaders and community volunteers with students in K-12 classrooms throughout Middle Tennessee, offering hands-on educational programming on financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and 21^st-century workplace readiness. The non-profit reaches nearly 45,000 students in 18 counties annually and depends on successful fundraising events, such as the Golf Classic, to support the cost of running these programs in Middle Tennessee.

JA President Trent Klingensmith said he enjoys the fun competition Murray has spurred amongst the members of the Board of Directors. “I am impressed with the great lengths our board members will go to in order to further JA’s mission,” he said.

The 2009 Franklin American Mortgage Golf Classic will be held June 12 at Gaylord Springs Golf Links and will host golfers in morning and afternoon rounds. Prior to the event, JA will host a dinner and silent auction at W.O. Smith/Nashville Community Music School on Thursday evening. This event, called “Hit a High Note for JA,” will be attended by golfers and their spouses, board members, community leaders and business professionals from Nashville’s corporate community.

Mark’s wife Tricia Murray is chairing the auction event. Tricia said, “I think it’s great that my husband is so dedicated to this cause. But, honestly, I’m already looking forward to the day it grows back in!”

To register to play in the 2009 Golf Classic or for more information about the “Hit a High for JA” auction, please contact Laura Lovell at laural@janash.com or visit www.janash.com/golfclassic.