Driving for show and putting for dough, industry leaders returned to the Brookside Golf Course in Pasadena, CA on Wednesday, Oct. 20 for the Jim Buescher Memorial Golf Tournament.

Organized by The Foundation for SAAC (Specialty Advertising Association of California), the event’s proceeds went toward funding scholarships for children of SAAC members to promote professional, academic or artistic achievement in post-secondary education.

Sixty members of the promotional products industry paid tribute to beloved peer Jim Buescher by participating in his memorial golf tournament.

Although the number of golfers dropped from the usual 100 to 60 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Michael Bistocchi, chief revenue officer at Top 40 supplier Logomark (asi/67866), was pleased with the turnout. “We raised some good dollars for the scholarship fund,” Bistocchi says.

A recognized and inspirational leader, Buescher served in high-profile roles for several California-based firms before becoming partner and chief operating officer of Top 40 distributor PromoShop (asi/300446). The 40-year industry veteran passed away in 2014 at the age of 68.

While folks who knew Buescher felt like he was family, industry veteran Scott Anderson was actually related to him by blood. Buescher was his uncle, godfather, best friend and the ordained minister for his wedding.

“The word ‘soulmate’ is overused, but my Uncle Jim was mine,” says Anderson, senior vice president of sales and marketing at Facilisgroup (asi/475998). “During the mid-90s, I moved to Los Angeles and rented an apartment down the street from Jim and his wife, my Aunt Bobbi. I literally spent every moment with them. They were some of the best times of my life.”