Good People Doing Good Work
We believe who we are as people matters just as much as what we do as professionals.
The Mighty, Mighty Buffalo
Our carefully assembled all-star team includes a full-service marketing firm, a research arm, an events division, and media property that all authentically serve the golf, outdoor sport, real estate, travel, and hospitality industries. Today, Buffalo is headquartered in Charleston, SC with 100 team members coast to coast who deliver integrated marketing programs focused on business results for our clients.
buffalo don’t roam aimlessly; they migrate with purpose and plan.
our values
Herd with heart
kindness
Because we care about each other, we are thoughtful about what we do and what we say. We believe that words matter, and there is infinite power in being kind.
clarity
We strive for clarity internally and with our client partners. We recognize the importance of mutual understanding before work is done.
courage
We believe that bravery is the backbone of both integrity and creativity. We act with courage not because we have to, but because we must.
Grouped with Purpose
Buffalo Groupe has spent decades building the most prominent escape-focused marketing platform in existence. The Groupe first officially formed after existing for nearly 20 years as a division of Billy Casper Golf (owner/operator of more than 160 golf courses across the U.S.). As we pioneered our new frontier of Escape Marketing, we acquired several firms that were leaders in their fields along the way to making us the singular force we are today.
2018: Buffalo Groupe is officially formed when it spins off from parent company Billy Casper Golf.
A digital marketing and public relations firm, Buffalo Agency specialized in golf and golf lifestyle clients. The team’s foundational knowledge laid the groundwork for the escape industry expertise for which Buffalo Groupe is now known.
2019: Buffalo Groupe welcomes a leading full-service integrated communications firm.
Originally founded in 1975, Rawle Murdy was a powerhouse public relations and advertising firm with deep roots in Charleston and played a significant role in elevating the Holy City into the top-ranked travel destination that it is today.
2019: Buffalo Groupe acquires a Charlotte-based industry-leading marketing and communications company.
Founded in 1985 as Burris, Creech and Tuttle, 54 Brands’ depth of experience spanned several industries, including golf. With a knack for fresh approaches to familiar problems, the addition expanded Buffalo’s B2B and corporate events expertise.
2021: Buffalo Groupe launches events division with the acquisition of a traveling golf society.
Founded in 1994, The Friars Golf Club hosts over 50 annual golf trips worldwide for its 800 members from 42 states and 9 countries. The club’s motto is that golf is not about how you play; it’s about with whom you choose to play.
2021: Buffalo Groupe launches an industry-insider publication now reaching 200,000+ subscribers.
Created and published in-house, The First Call delivers golf industry news straight to subscribers’ inboxes six mornings a week. Each issue features original content, data and analysis, and more in a breezy format that informs while it entertains.
2021: Buffalo Groupe enters the research category with the acquisition of a leading sports marketing research company.
Using a geo-demographic approach, Longitudes has built golf’s most comprehensive supply and demand model to provide unique analysis on the spending and travel behaviors of avid golfers and outdoor sports enthusiasts in the US and Canada.
2021: Buffalo Groupe acquires a 30-year golf event for major league baseball players at Pebble Beach Resorts®.
Baseball’s World Series of Golf welcomes elite athletes and celebrities to enjoy four days of exceptional culinary experiences, companionship, and competition set against one of the world’s most recognized golf backdrops.
2022: Buffalo Groupe widens research expertise to offer a full range of data and analysis into the behaviors of consumers in sports.
Sports Marketing Surveys USA is a specialist research agency that’s earned the reputation as America’s trusted source for trends across more than 100 sports. Its ActionWatch subsidiary works with retailers, brands, and partners in surf and skate.
OUR FEARLESS LEADERS
Buffalo executive team
John Watson has served as Executive Chairman for The Buffalo Groupe since the firm was first established in 2019. In addition to leading the Herd’s marketing efforts with the NFLA, PGA of America and PGA Magazine, John heads up The First Call and serves on the Buffalo Groupe Board of Directors. Previously, John worked as President of Hallmark Omni/Retail, President & CEO of Edwin Watts Golf, and CEO of Sunglass Hut International. John lives in Alta, Utah, with wife Darcie, where he enjoys skiing, kayaking, mountain biking, and playing golf.
Kyle Ragsdale is the Chief Executive officer of Buffalo Groupe, responsible for the development and execution of the vision and strategy of the company. With nearly 30 years of sports marketing experience, he recognized the power of golf as a marketing platform and led the spinout of Buffalo from Billy Casper Golf into a stand-alone company with a blue-chip list of clients and investors, including NBC Sports and top tier pro athletes. The California native, who grew up in a small town in Southwest Missouri, currently lives near Washington D.C. with his wife, two children, a demanding French Bulldog and a horse named Paul.
Emily Clark is the Chief Operating Officer at Buffalo Groupe. Emily leads and inspires the Herd, both creatively and strategically, while heading up client strategy and overseeing operations, and leads teams responsible for marketing and branding Sun Mountain, OrthoLite and Troon, among others. The UVA alum lives in Northern Virginia with husband Shawn, three boys, and one dog, where she enjoys yoga, spending time with family, and the water.
“If there is magic on the planet, it is contained in water” —Loren Eiseley
Glenn Gray is Executive Vice President at Buffalo Groupe, responsible for driving high-profile industry partnerships and guiding marketing strategy for organizations such as the F45 Training, Omni Hotels & Resorts, LPGA, Golf Pride, PXG, Riviera Country Club, USGA and Youth on Course, to name a few. He lives in Richmond with his wife, Alexandra, their daughter Frankie, and their two chocolate labs, Cooper and Caddy, where he enjoys playing golf, soccer and traveling.
Andrew Gray, CPA, serves as Senior Vice President in charge of Finance and Accounting. In this role, Andrew oversees treasury, leads financial planning and analysis, and provides accounting and financial reporting across all Buffalo Groupe projects. When he’s not crunching the numbers for the Herd, Andrew enjoys spending time with his family and friends, traveling, and all things sports.
Jack Burris serves as the President of Buffalo Events, overseeing daily operations and leading growth and development for both. The UNC Chapel Hill alum lives in Charlotte with his wife, Beth, and two children. When he’s not helping steer the Herd’s growing events division, he enjoys spending time with his family, going to concerts, playing golf and mountain biking.
John Kautz serves as Managing Director, Head of Integration at BGRM. When he’s not overseeing business development, brand and account strategy, and operational management for the Charleston-based agency, John leads the marketing efforts for Terminix, The Charleston Place, Jackson County, NC, Sawgrass Technologies, and Qubica AMF’s Hyperbowling, among others. John lives in Charleston with his wife, Terry, son, Jackson, and a handful of rescue cats, where he enjoys carpentry, gardening and travel.
Sara Killeen is the Managing Director and founder of Longitudes Group, Buffalo’s Portland, Oregon-based sports marketing research firm. In addition to managing all day-to-day aspects of the West Coast Herd, Sara leads research teams to develop robust, actionable data for a wide range of clients across different industries. She lives in Portland, OR with her wife, Kathleen, and their dog, Clyde, where she enjoys playing golf, traveling, and going on outdoor adventures.
Jeff Renzulli is a member of Buffalo Groupe’s Board of Directors and serves as General Counsel. In this role, Jeff oversees general business strategy and legal matters. In his spare time, Jeff likes to make friends through golf and travel, garden, and cook. A native of Connecticut, Jeff lives in Virginia horse country with his partner Matt, along with animals of all stripes and sizes.
As Senior Vice President of Web and SEO, Iván Rincón provides strategic direction and vision for all Buffalo web and SEO projects, including Ortholite, Sun Mountain, Terminix, and Golfzon. Prior to his five-year tenure with the Herd, the Cartagena, Colombia native co-founded TheOrchidBoutique.com and served as Sr. Business Analyst at Ventera Corporation. Iván now resides in Orlando, FL with his wife and twin daughters, where he enjoys tennis, fusion cuisine, and travel.
As Executive Creative Director for Buffalo Groupe, Genna oversees all creative work from conception to execution, guides brand messaging strategy, and has helped the Herd establish and grow the Buffalo Groupe culture in the ever-changing hybrid work environment. Outside of work she serves on the boards for AAF Charleston and Big Brothers Bigs Sisters of the Lowcountry. Genna lives in Charleston, SC with her husband, Todd, and rescue pup, Rutabaga.
Keith Storey serves as president of Sports Marketing Surveys USA.He oversees all daily operations at SMS USA as well as their subsidiary, ActionWatch, and leads teams in charge of both qualitative and quantitative research for clients like The Physical Activity Council, The Tennis Industry Association, and Vans, to name a few. Keith lives in Vero Beach, FL with his wife, Denny, and two black labs, Lilly and Cali, where he enjoys watching cricket, playing golf and tennis, and playing guitar.
As Senior Vice President, Public Relations, Jeff leads the PR team from strategic communications planning to business development and everything in between. Originally from Pittsburgh, PA, Jeff previously worked as Public Relations and Digital Media Manager, North America for Orient Express Hotels. Now based in Charleston, SC, Jeff spends his free time with his wife, two daughters, and adorable rescue pup, Willa, who makes frequent appearances at our HQ office.
Caitlin Wesenberg is Senior Vice President, Head of Digital Services, responsible for leading strategy and implementation of all SEM, SEO content, email marketing, paid media, social media, influencer marketing, and more. A Green Bay-native, Caitlin now lives in Boulder, CO, with her husband, Mason, and two children, where she enjoys trail running through the mountains and spending time with friends and family.
All-star support
Buffalo admin
My escape is…
Going on a sunset walk accompanied by great music
Ajna Halac
Senior Accountant
My escape is…
A run outdoors, creating new recipes, and quality time with friends
Macy Monticello
Business Development Intern
My escape is…
Enjoying the sunset from our boat or dock…seeing a dolphin
Michele Crull Waters
Office Operations Manager
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