MEMPHIS, Tenn., March 27, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- FedEx Corp.
(NYSE: FDX) and JA (Junior Achievement) Worldwide are set to launch
the FedEx Junior Business Challenge, a program in
conjunction with the PGA TOUR to help empower the next generation
of entrepreneurs across the country.
The FedEx Junior Business Challenge, an extension of the
JA Company Program, will serve as a platform to provide select JA
students the opportunity to showcase their business concepts at
designated PGA TOUR tournaments this season for a chance to
generate a $75,000 donation from
FedEx to further support youth entrepreneurship.
At each FedEx Junior Business Challenge event, JA
students ranging from 15-18 years old will pitch their team's
business concept to a panel of judges consisting of a PGA TOUR
player and a variety of successful business leaders. The
panel will evaluate each team's business pitch and select one JA
Company from each tournament to move onto the FedEx Junior
Business Challenge Finals in September at the TOUR Championship
in Atlanta. The qualified
companies will then compete for the chance to earn the $75,000 donation for their local JA chapter on
behalf of FedEx.
FedEx Junior Business Challenge Qualifying Events
Schedule:
- Shell Houston Open (Humble,
Texas) – Wednesday, March
29
- THE PLAYERS Championship (Ponte Vedra
Beach, Fla.) – Wednesday, May
10
- Travelers Championship (Hartford,
Conn.) – Wednesday, June
21
- World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational (Akron, Ohio) – Wednesday, August 2
Since 1996, FedEx has donated more than $13 million to JA Worldwide in support of small
business and the entrepreneurs of tomorrow. The FedEx
Junior Business Challenge is part of the FedEx Cares global
giving initiative, in which FedEx is investing $200 million in over 200 global communities by
2020 to create opportunities and deliver solutions for people
around the world.
"Small businesses and entrepreneurship are paramount to FedEx.
Our relationship with the PGA TOUR and JA Worldwide provides
a unique opportunity to use golf as a platform to support and
showcase the next generation of business leaders through the FedEx
Junior Business Challenge," said Patrick
Fitzgerald, senior vice president of Integrated Marketing
Communications for FedEx. "It will be exciting to witness the
creativity and forward thinking that the students present at each
event during the PGA TOUR season."
With more than 100 member countries, the JA Worldwide network
reaches more than 10 million young people around the world every
year.
"The amount of thought, planning and collaboration that JA
students put into developing their business concepts is
impressive," said Asheesh Advani,
CEO, JA Worldwide. "The FedEx Junior Business Challenge will
serve as an opportunity for students to display their
entrepreneurial thinking and innovation at PGA TOUR tournaments
across the country."
FedEx has been an official sponsor of the PGA TOUR since 2002.
In 2007 the FedExCup—a season-long competitive and promotional
platform—was introduced, transforming the competitive landscape of
the PGA TOUR. The performance-based point structure
culminates with the FedExCup Playoffs, a four-tournament playoff at
the end of the season to determine the FedExCup Champion.
"As a preeminent supporter of the PGA TOUR, FedEx has made a
significant commitment to support the local communities that host
tournaments throughout the year," said Brian Oliver, senior vice president of
Sponsorships and Partnerships for the PGA TOUR. "The FedEx
Junior Business Challenge is a great example of this, and is a
unique program that we are looking forward to hosting at our
tournaments during the 2016-17 PGA TOUR season."
To learn more about the FedExCup, visit PGATOUR.com/FedExCup or
follow FedEx on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter via @FedEx.
About FedEx Corp.
FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) provides customers and businesses
worldwide with a broad portfolio of transportation, e-commerce and
business services. With annual revenues of $58 billion, the company offers integrated
business applications through operating companies competing
collectively and managed collaboratively, under the respected FedEx
brand. Consistently ranked among the world's most admired and
trusted employers, FedEx inspires its more than 400,000 team
members to remain "absolutely, positively" focused on safety, the
highest ethical and professional standards and the needs of their
customers and communities. To learn more about how FedEx
connects people and possibilities around the world, please visit
about.fedex.com.
About JA Worldwide
JA Worldwide is one of the largest global NGOs dedicated to
addressing fundamental social and economic challenges of young
people by educating and empowering them to transform their futures
and own their economic success. Through the delivery of
cutting-edge, experiential learning in financial literacy, work
readiness, and entrepreneurship, we effectively broaden the canvas
of possibility for young people and enrich their ability to both
engage in their own economic development and contribute to the
strength of their families, communities, and economies. With
more than 100 member countries, the JA Worldwide network is powered
by over 470,000 volunteers and mentors from all sectors of society,
reaching more than 10 million young people around the world every
year. For additional information, visit jaworldwide.org.
About PGA TOUR
The PGA TOUR is the leading global platform in professional
golf, showcasing the highest expression of excellence, both on and
off the course. The PGA TOUR's mission is to entertain and inspire
its fans, deliver substantial value to its partners, create outlets
for volunteers to give back, generate significant charitable and
economic impact in the communities in which it plays, and provide
financial opportunities for TOUR players.
The PGA TOUR co-sanctions more than 130 tournaments on the PGA
TOUR, PGA TOUR Champions, Web.com Tour, PGA TOUR Latinoamérica,
Mackenzie Tour-PGA TOUR Canada and PGA TOUR China. Its members
represent the world's best players, hailing from 24 countries (86
members are from outside the United
States). Worldwide, PGA TOUR tournaments are broadcast to
more than 1.1 billion households in 227 countries and territories
in 23 languages. Virtually all tournaments are organized as
non-profit organizations in order to maximize charitable giving. In
2016, tournaments across all Tours generated a record of more than
$166 million for local and national
charitable organizations, bringing the all-time total to
$2.46 billion.
The PGA TOUR's web site is PGATOUR.COM, the No. 1 site in golf,
and the organization is headquartered in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.
CONTACT
Jonathan Lyons,
FedEx
901.434.4019
jonathanlyons@fedex.com
Ben Paradossi, Weber
Shandwick
314.552.6713
bparadossi@webershandwick.com
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SOURCE FedEx Corp.