CIBC Bank USA Named Official Bank of the Western Golf Association

CIBC Bank will fully fund four Evans Scholarships each year through 2020

(Golf, Illinois) – CIBC Bank USA has been designated the Official Bank of the Western Golf Association and the Evans Scholars Foundation, organization leaders announced on Wednesday.

As part of a new four-year agreement, CIBC, formerly known as The PrivateBank, will fully fund four Evans Scholarships, providing an opportunity for four deserving young caddies to attend college.

The special designation provides a new opportunity for CIBC, as an Official Supporter, to establish a direct business relationship with WGA and ESF constituents.

Since 1930, the Evans Scholars Program, one of golf’s leading charities, has sent more than 11,000 caddies from limited financial means to college on full housing and tuition scholarships. There are currently 965 Evans Scholars attending
19 universities nationwide, and the organization is growing at a record pace from coast to coast. Leaders are working toward a goal of sending 1,000 caddies to college by the year 2020, and growing corporate support will play an integral role in helping to reach that milestone.

As part of the agreement, CIBC will fund the creation of four Endowed Named Evans Scholarships, awarded each year through 2020 to one incoming freshman Evans Scholar studying finance. The CIBC Evans Scholars will be graduates
of the WGA’s Caddie Academy, a special program that provides disadvantaged female teens an opportunity to caddie regularly and ultimately be eligible to apply for the Evans Scholarship. Recipients will also come from communities where CIBC has a banking presence.

Earlier in 2017, CIBC began supporting WGA and ESF initiatives, including hosting literacy sessions for participants of the Caddie Academy. CIBC also served as presenting sponsor of the Women’s Invitational, an annual summer event that benefits the Caddie Academy. The first CIBC Endowed Named Scholarship was presented to Caddie Academy graduate Melina Scofield, who caddied at The Glen Club in Glenview. She is now a freshman at Northwestern University and a graduate of Cristo Rey Jesuit High School in Pilsen.

CIBC also participates as a corporate supporter of the BMW Championship, whose sole charity is the ESF. Since 2007, the tournament has raised more than $26 million to help send caddies to college.

“We’re honored by CIBC’s commitment to providing life-changing college scholarships for deserving young caddies,” said WGA President & CEO John Kaczkowski. “Their support comes at a critical time, as we seek to meet increasing need from young students nationwide for college financial assistance. Through its support of the Caddie Academy, CIBC also is helping promote financial literacy and providing tools for young women to be able to succeed in finance.”

“It is important to all of us at CIBC that we play a role in helping to build the next generation of business leaders,” said Larry D. Richman, Senior Executive Vice-President and Group Head, CIBC U.S. Region, and President and CEO, CIBC Bank USA. “We appreciate the work of the Western Golf Association and the Evans Scholars Foundation in providing students with access to education and leadership development, and we are proud to support their good work through this partnership.”

To learn more, visit www.wgaesf.org and www.cibc.com/ca/.