Inspiring Conversations with Tiffany White of Ted Rhodes Foundation Inc.

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tiffany White

Hi Tiffany, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I started on the right foot because I had the best mother in the world Peggy Rhodes-White who exposed me to a lot while I was growing up. She was a career woman and trailblazer in the field of pharmaceutical sales. She instilled in me the importance of going to college and landing a great job. I always wanted to attend an HBCU (Historically College and Universities) and was excited to be accepted to my first choice, I attended Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta, Georgia and received my Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration with a concentration in Management.

After graduation, I worked in the Retail Management space and after 4 years decided that it was time to move into a new career that would allow me to grow, pay me what I was worth, and help me make an impact in this world. The best decision that I made was to accept an offer in the banking industry and that decision totally changed my life and my career trajectory. I worked at JPMorgan Chase Bank for 18 years and had the following positions Personal Banker, Commercial Banking Analyst, Campus Recruiter, Campus Recruiting Director, and Head of Diversity Recruiting – Commercial Banking.

I learned about the importance of networking and maintaining great relationships. My manager left the firm and reached out to me about a role that would give me a bigger platform to showcase my skill set and get leadership experience. I left the bank for 4 years and moved over to the Chicago Public Schools district and worked as the Head of Recruiting and Training for the Additional Learning Opportunities program and Talent Acquisition Manager. It was truly a pleasure working in the same school district in which I was an elementary and high school student.

I decided to take a risk and become an Entrepreneur and it is the best decision that I have ever had. I run the foundation named after my grandfather golf pioneer and golf trailblazer Ted Rhodes, I am a Real Estate Broker, I am an Adjunct Professor and teach career development courses. I run my own career coaching and career development firm (TNW Consulting), and also run my own Golf Tournament Planning and Promotional Productions Company (FORE GOLF COLLECTION).

The key to my success has been drive, motivation, and last but not least my spiritual foundation.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Unfortunately, It has not been a smooth road for myself and the foundation. There have been challenges along the way and they have made me so much stronger and helped me develop additional skills.

Listed below are just a few of the challenges:

I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2016 and knew that I would be okay and it was just a temporary setback. I stayed positive and that facilitated my healing process. I am writing a book about the importance of spirituality and the healing process.

My father made his transition from cancer in 2018 and had to handle all of his affairs. My aunt made her transition from Covid in 2020 and had to manager all of her affairs.

The challenges for the Ted Rhodes Foundation has been limited corporate sponsorships/corporate engagement, lack of support from the Nashville area community, and getting Ted Rhodes the recognition that he deserves as a golf pioneer and golf trailblazer. We have not let these challenges stop our work and impact. We keep pushing forward continuing to move the game of golf forward. My grandfather faced many challenges and he did not let that stop him from playing the sport that he loved and this is a great lesson for me to just keep forging ahead. Success is my birthright!

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Ted Rhodes Foundation Inc.?
The Ted Rhodes Foundation Inc. (TRF) is a non-profit organization that was founded in 1993 by his daughter Peggy Rhodes-White (Founder and CEO) and I am the President. TRF is dedicated to preserving the legacy of African American golfing pioneer Ted Rhodes (1st African American professional golfer in the modern era to play in the US Open (1948) by making the game of golf accessible to youth in the underrepresented communities. Our mission is to use golf as a tool to promote life skills, discipline, career readiness, and physical and mental well-being, while fostering a sense of community. We specialize in youth golfing initiatives, offering programs that aim to introduce the sport to young people (Ages 5-18) who may not otherwise have access to it. We also host junior golf tournaments to give the youth the opportunity to get competitive playing experience.

What sets us apart is our strong focus on inclusivity and community development. We don’t just introduce youth to the great game of golf; we connect the high school students with the HBCU Golf Programs, provide scholarships to students on the HBCU Golf Teams, provide financial support to HBCU Golf Programs, provide mentorship and opportunities for personal growth. Through partnerships with organizations like First Tee of Tennessee, First Tee of Greater Chicago, First Tee of Tulsa, First Tee of North Florida and grants from foundations like the World Golf Foundation and PGA Tour, we fund programs that help develop skills both on and off the course. Whether it’s teaching kids the fundamentals of the game or helping them build confidence and leadership abilities through the Toastmasters International Youth Leadership Program, our programs are designed to make a lasting impact.

We are most proud of our role in expanding diversity within the sport. The Ted Rhodes Foundation is known for its trailblazing efforts in making golf a more inclusive space, both racially and economically. Our events, such as the Future Golfers of America “Growing the Champions of Tomorrow Program” Junior Golf Tournaments and Trailblazer Classic, bring communities together and give young golfers opportunities they might not otherwise have.

For anyone interested in learning about the Ted Rhodes Foundation, we want you to know that our services go beyond exposing youth to the great game of golf. We offer transformative experiences that empower young people, providing them with not just sports skills, but life skills that will benefit them for years to come. Through our programs, we’re helping to build the next generation of leaders, both in golf and in life.

Visit our website at www.tedrhodes.org to learn more about the organization

What’s next?
We are expanding our Ted Rhodes Junior Golf Tour and adding more cities every year to the list. We will have 5 cities on the list in 2025 (Nashville, Chicago, Tulsa, Jacksonville, and last city TBD). Our plan is to have a 20 city tour that spans across the United States. With each event we will educate the youth about Ted Rhodes and his accomplishments in golf.

Also, we are looking forward to partnering with great organizations such as the Metro Nashville Public School System and Boys & Girls Club of Middle Tennessee to expose more youth to the great game of golf.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.tedrhodes.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/golflegendtedrhodes
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tedrhodesgolf
• Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/tedrhodesgolf

Image Credits
Ted Rhodes Foundation