Frank Antonelli
PRESIDENT
As founder and president of Empire Sports Management, Frank oversees tournament operations and general administration for the company. He has been in the golf and event industry since 1987 when he assisted with the management of the Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village and the 1987 Ryder Cup at Muirfield Village Golf Club. Frank’s influence can be seen in the many tournaments he has managed - the Firststar LPGA Classic, the Troy n’ Emmitt Charity Classic, Kiawah Pro-Celebrity Challenge, the Hootie and the Blowfish Monday after the Masters Celebrity Pro-Am, just to name a few. He was instrumental in creating Intel’s Executive Networking Series - a series of networking events for Intel’s senior level corporate partners throughout the country. A man of many hats, Frank was also the project manager for the construction and development of Bulls Bay Golf Club in Awendaw, South Carolina. Frank holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Columbia University and a Master’s in Sports Administration from Ohio University. In the little free time he has, Frank enjoys spending time with his wife and three sons.
DAVID JESSEY
VP Sales & Business Development:(704)954-8050
David Jessey is a 25-year sports marketing veteran with extensive sales and marketing experience. David’s corporate experience includes a five-year stint as Senior Vice President of Sports & Olympic Marketing at Bank of America. On the agency side of the business, David has worked with Raycom Sports, Muhleman Marketing (now IMG), and as a founding partner and agent for Fuel Sports Management (now Pro Sport Management). As his career developed, David took on a new role working on sports properties where he held the position of VP of Sales and Marketing with Evernham Motorsports - he sold over $181M in NASCAR sponsorships, along with millions of dollars as the General Manager of Virginia Sports Properties (UVA Athletics). In 2011, David began a partnership with Empire that spawned Denny & Mark’s Pro Am Jam in Daniel Island, South Carolina. The successful collaboration led to a 2nd partnership in 2013 - the Wilson Celebrity Invitational presented by Safeway. This Washington based event originally hosted by Seattle Seahawks Quarterback Russell Wilson, has been wildly successful, raising over $12M since its inception. In 2022 David helped start and find presenting sponsors for the: Waterboys Charity Challenge (Chris Long) presented by AQA, and the HEARTest Yard Celebrity Classic (Greg Olsen) presented by Lexus. David helps lead clients with the sales process from inception of the events through sales and renewals.
PAUL GRAHAM
VP – Events:(803)960-3516
After a successful career as Tour Manager for Hootie and the Blowfish, Paul took over the reins as the Tournament Director for the band’s Monday after the Masters Celebrity Pro-Am, one of the most popular tournaments in the country. Shortly after joining the ESM team, Paul took a fledgling golf representation business and turned it into a meaningful part of Empire’s profile. He has negotiated everything from television contracts to endorsement agreements and has played a significant role in establishing ESM’s growth in the sports and entertainment industry. Paul graduated from the University of South Carolina in 1989 and is currently an adjunct professor in the Sport and Entertainment Department. When he’s not working, Paul likes spending time with his wife, Susan and their children, Madison and Kaitlyn, advising students and playing golf
ALEXA DEVINE HARNIG
VP DIRECTOR OF EVENTS:(843)343-7451
Alexa joined Team Empire in 2001 assisting with tournament operations and event coordination. Instrumental in growing Empire’s event division, Alexa serves as the lead on our celebrity golf events. She is also heavily involved in the management of corporate events and professional golf events. Previously, Alexa was the tournament coordinator for the Troy n’ Emmitt Charity Classic in Dallas and spent several years in the event management division of Octagon Sports. Her experience includes events on the CPT Tour, LPGA Tour, PGA Tour, US Open Championships as well as college athletics. A graduate and basketball player for Southern Methodist University, Alexa earned her Master’s Degree in Sports Administration from Baylor University.
