Sep 16, 2006 By Angie Oravec 5 min read

FARMINGTON – You pass them by while trying to get a glance of a famous golf player or entering the tournament’s starting gates. They are the people on cell phones, in golf courts, talking to security, chefs, guests or anyone else involved in coordinating the PGA Tour’s 84 Lumber Classic at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort & Spa.

Julia Krol, Kim Robson and Ann Spencer can be considered the women behind the tournament – the behind-the-scenes coordinators who act as glue, binding together the various aspects of the event. In other words, they are the main vein of tournament operations.

Though they aren’t the focal point of the crowd – paling in comparison to golfers Michelle Wie or Vijay Singh – they are the people who ensure there are plenty of activities for visitors to enjoy, food to munch on and souvenirs to purchase.

All three have the all-encompassing job of “putting out the fires” that may crop up in the numerous event areas they cover – from transportation to catering to audio/visual to pro-am parties and special event concerts, such as tonight’s Black Eyed Peas concert scheduled to start at the end of the today’s tournament round.

Acting as a direct point of contact between resort and tournament operations, Robson, 36, oversees various areas of the operation, constantly communicating to ensure everything runs smoothly and efficiently.

“It’s in my blood,” said Robson about her work. “It’s a passion of mine. I couldn’t see myself not doing it.’

Robson, director of catering, conferences and events at Nemacolin, is a Penn State University graduate who lives in Pittsburgh. She used to work for a hotel in New York, but moved back to her hometown and landed a job in the catering conference department at the resort 11 years ago. She worked her way up through the ranks from that point forward.

“It’s my mantra that ‘I love what I do, why I do it and who I do it with’. It’s fun for me and is the other half of my life outside my family,” she added.

On board for the past three tours, Robson said her big challenge this week has been dealing with the rain, including making certain all products and employees are protected from the elements.

A year’s worth of planning goes into the development of the 84 Lumber Classic, and requires these three ladies plus many others to work together to accomplish the major undertaking.

“We’re involved with (the tournament) 365 days a year,” said Robson.

Close to 1,000 volunteers for tournament week are the responsibility of different site leaders, all of who Robson, Spencer and Krol communicate with on a daily – if not hourly – basis.

Krol, Nemacolin’s special events manager, accompanies Robson on her trips to different PGA Tour events across the country to learn about how different tournaments are run.

For Krol, a 28-year-old graduate of West Virginia University who resides in Morgantown, her tournament job is letting her learn more about managing an event of the magnitude of the 84 Lumber Classic. She has worked at Nemacolin for two and a half years.

“I love it. It keeps you on your toes,” Krol said about her work.

But Robson and Krol’s work doesn’t end with the close of the tournament. It continues throughout the year, with the holidays – Thanksgiving and a New Year’s celebration – being the next big events.

For Spencer, 29, in her role as assistant tournament director, she works closely with tournament director, Tom Baxter, and many others, including tournament sponsors and players to transportation directors and security. Her days begin early and, during the tournament, end late.

“Tom is busy with a thousand phone calls a minute, so I do everything that he can’t,” said Spencer.

While all three ladies admit the workday can be long, they say it’s their steadfast dedication and knowledge that they are a part of something good, an event that gives back to the community and to charities, that allows them to get the job done to the best of their ability.

“That’s what makes everything work: we do whatever it takes to get the job done,” said Spencer about the team working together to make the golf tournament a success at the resort.

“I’m the kind of person that says if I miss sleep this week, I’ll catch up on it next week,” she continued. “I feel strongly about this event because we give so much to charity and that’s what drives me. When we give back to the community, we impact the people who live there.”

Spencer started her work at Nemacolin as tournament services manager. She lives only a couple of miles away from the resort, but is originally from Huntingdon County.

This year marks the last year of the 84 Lumber Classic, and the loss of Spencer’s position.

Although she is unsure about what the future holds, she said the decision to discontinue the tournament does not cause her hard feelings.

“I’ll be kind of sad come Sunday, but I’m certainly not resentful or bitter,” said Spencer, who has been on board for the past three tournaments.

She reflected on the positive change she has saw take place in the local community, with more residents embracing the tournament and coming out to volunteer for the event.

And Spencer attributes 84 Lumber Company founder Joe Hardy’s support of Fayette County and his running for county commissioner as the main cause of that local support.

“They support this event,” she said. “It’s been incredible to see everybody come and support and embrace him and stand behind the event. The whole transition has been phenomenal.”

She said the people she formed friendships with over the past three years have become like a “second family.

About the tournament, she said, “I’ll be sad to see it go, just like so many other people.”