Black History Month
Albert Towns
Troon Values include honoring all people and relationships through goodwill; cultivating a culture of diversity and inclusion; embodying a lively spirit every day; delivering a keen attention to detail; focusing on the results that bring meaningful growth; ensuring an unparalleled commitment to impeccable care for our members, clients, and associates; and supporting each other, our clients, our partners, and our community with a singular voice.
In 1977, 16-year-old Albert Towns took a summer job as a laborer at BallenIsles Country Club in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. And then he never left. He worked as an irrigation tech, spray tech, foreman, and assistant superintendent, before being named superintendent of the South Course in 2017. He now oversees a team of 19, following in the footsteps of his late father, Horace “Buck” Towns, who worked at BallenIsles for 55 years, including as a superintendent.
“My father was my role model, but I had a lot of what I call teachers,” said the Florida native. “People who I met in the business along my journey, and I learned so much from each one of them. But my dad was the main one. He was a really good superintendent. I just watched him. Once you see something, you don’t forget it, so you know how to fix things and move forward.”
Moving forward for Towns also includes finding ways to increase the number of minorities in his field. “Being a young minority in this business, you have to seize all of your opportunities,” he said. “You have to be ready when they come. One thing that the industry really needs to focus on are the minorities. There are a lot of them working in the back of the house, but as far as superintendents, I don’t see many in the industry. I’m fortunate to have a good general manager and board of directors who gave me the opportunity. I just wish the industry could do a better job in promoting minorities into my role.”
Towns joined Troon’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) Council in 2023. “I did that because I see the direction my own journey took,” said Towns. “I’m proud of where I came from and what I have accomplished. A lot of times I see stuff that I think needs to be changed or revamped, so when I was presented with the opportunity to join the DE&I council, I agreed.”
Towns consistently encourages people of color to strive for more. “You have to have perseverance, you have to stay with what you love,” he said. “Once you do that, then everything works out. But you need an opportunity. There’s not many of those to encourage minorities to take up this craft. I think it’s headed in that direction, though. But we’ve got a lot of work to do.”
