Gentlemen:
A follow up to my comments from Sunday night.  This year for our annual charity/philanthropic pursuit, we are paying tribute to the life of Davis G. "Deeg" Sezna, Jr...  Deeg (pronounced "Deeg") was the eldest son of our new Friend of the Ponce, Davis Sezna -- the President of La Quinta Resort & Club.  Deeg was a 23 year-old recent Vanderbilt graduate whose life was cut tragically short during the 9/11 attacks.  He worked for Sandler O'Neill on the 104th Floor of the South Tower.  Deeg was a Cum Laude graduate of the Sanford School in Wilmington, Delaware (playing varsity golf there all 4 years), before heading to Vandy where he was was Treasurer of Pi Kappa Alpha.  He graduated in 2001 with a BA in Economics and headed to NYC where the world was waiting for his leadership.  His career goal was to succeed his father one day as a leader in hospitality business, but first wanted to cut his teeth in the city.  Deeg was an accomplished golfer.  He once remarked that he wanted to win the Delaware State Am, as his father and grandfather did.  Just a week prior to his death, Deeg played a round over at New Jersey National Golf Club.

Even though none of us had met Deeg, we all knew him.  Why? -- Because we are all sons, and many of you are fathers -- so it is only appropriate that we pay tribute to his life, and we will try to carry on his golfing and leadership legacy.  Simply put, he was a brother-in-arms to the Ponce.  Please read a nice article written by another Friend of the Ponce, Matt Ginella (as we know, Matt was instrumental in putting us in touch with Mr. Sezna and La Quinta for our 7th Annual tournament).  I am making Matt aware of our gift as well.

Matt's article sheds some light on the strength of the Sezna family: Click Here to read.  As I mentioned at Palmer's, we can all learn from the courage and character exhibited by Mr. Sezna in the wake of the death of 2 of his 3 sons: (son Teddy Sezna was killed in a boating accident on the Delaware River in July of 2000)  His optimism in the face of adversity and ability to console those around him with humor.

I will be sure to copy you all on a more formal letter to the Sezna family and to the National September 11 Memorial and Museum, once we have raised the money and formally set up the fund.  
The funds we accumulate will enable us to have a paver made as a memoriam to Deeg that will be located on the grounds of the 9/11 Memorial Plaza where the Towers once stood.  I hope to include some type of written tribute on the paver that reads something similar to: From 16 Gentlemen Golfers of the Ponce de Leon Invitational to 1 Gentleman Golfer, Davis G. "Deeg" Sezna, Jr. - For Love of the Game! 

Our tribute will also be recognized in the Opening Day program, on the website, and in the World Trade Center Memorial kiosk.

Thanks for "getting it" --

Neil Thomson
Chairman Emeritus

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