In March, 2006 Barbara joined Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty Company and resumed a career in real estate that she started while residing in Williamsburg Virginia.

In August, 1997, Barbara joined the National Minority Golf Foundation as Vice President and Chief Operating Officer and assumed the position of President/Managing Director in September 1999 until December, 2004. The Foundation was a non-profit organization formed to promote and expand opportunities for minorities in both the game and business of golf.

After a very successful corporate career, Barbara relocated to Williamsburg, VA and embarked on a career in residential real estate.  After several successful years, She relocated to Scottsdale, AZ to pursue a once in a life time opportunity in the golf community as the Vice President and COO of the National Minority Golf Foundation.     

A product of the corporate world, Barbara forged a career at the IBM Corporation; where she last held the position of Director of Organization and Executive Programs for the IBM Latin America Division.  Her IBM career covered a number of general management and executive positions in Washington, D.C.; Chicago, Ill., Toledo, Ohio and several New York and New Jersey headquarters locations; with responsibilities in human resources, facilities management, community relations, management systems design, executive succession planning, management/employee training and development, and overall general management of large multi-faceted organizations.         

Golf became an avocation and Barbara spends as much time as possible playing and pursuing the perfect golf swing. 

In 1992, she became involved with the administrative side of the game when she was invited to join the USGA Women’s Amateur Public Links Committee; and in 1993 she became a member of the prestigious USGA Women’s Committee.  As a member of the Women’s Committee she has served as Chairman of the Sectional Qualifying Committee, Chairman of the Women’s Regional Affairs committee; and Chairman of the Women’s Amateur Public Links Championship which is the national championship for women amateur public course players.        

In January, 2005 Barbara was named Second Vice Chairman of the USGA Women’s Committee and chairs the Women’s Open Format Committee.  Barbara is the first minority to serve on the USGA Women’s Committee and the first minority to chair a USGA national championship.  In January, 2007 she was named Vice Chairman of the USGA Women’s Committee, and in January, 2009 she was named Chairman of the USGA Women’s Committee.

Prior to moving to Scottsdale, Barbara was involved in variety of local community organizations in Williamsburg, Virginia.  There she served as the Chairman of the Board of Commissioners of the Williamsburg Redevelopment and Housing Authority, the Kiwanis Club, The William and Mary Adult Skills Program Board of Directors, and the Golden Horseshoe Golf Club Association.

Currently, Barbara is working with the following local and national organizations:

• Board of Directors (President) – Junior Golf Association of Arizona
• Board of Directors  – Arizona Golf Foundation
• Past member of the Board of Directors – Executive Women’s Golf Association
• Rules and Competition Committee for the Doral Publix Junior Golf Championship
• Championship Administration – Women In Golf Foundation – Golf Tournament for Women’s Golf Teams from Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

Barbara resides in Scottsdale, Arizona. 

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Born and educated in Greenwich, Connecticut, he attended the University of Connecticut and graduated from Virginia Union University in 1955 where he was an honor student, played varsity basketball and ran track. In 1958 he earned his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Virginia Law School, the first African-American to receive that degree from the law school. In 1994, his daughter, Susan Beth, received her Juris Doctor from the University of Virginia Law School, thereby creating the first ever African-American legacy at that Law School. Susan’s class mates, invited him to deliver the commencement address at that historic occasion, and he did so.

He served as an officer in the U.S. Navy (158-1962) and is a retired Lieutenant Commander, USNR. In 1962, he began practicing law in Bridgeport, CT with the firm of Merchant, Melville & Spear, focusing on criminal and civil litigation. His practice was interrupted to serve the public in a variety of capacities, twice by appointment by Connecticut Governors Dempsey and Weicker, including: Deputy Commissioner of the CT Department of Community Affairs and Consumer Counsel for the State of Connecticut. Prior to his state government service he served as Deputy Director of Bridgeport’s Community Action agency, ABCD,Inc.

A dedicated advocate of higher education, he is a past Trustee of Fairfield University, the University of Bridgeport and the Law School Foundation at the University of Virginia.
In 1987, he founded the Walter N. Ridley Scholarship Fund at the University of Virginia, the only Fund of its kind among America’s colleges and universities. The Fund encourages Black alumni to give to a tax exempt Fund that is used for grants and scholarships for future black students enrolling at the University. Over the years that Fund has distributed more than $700,000.00 to students and presently has assets of 4 million dollars. 

Over many years, he has demonstrated an exemplary commitment to his community as an active member of charitable, educational and civic organizations, including service as: a Director of Bridgeport Hospital, Child Guidance Clinic of Greater Bridgeport; Hall Neighborhood House; the Bridgeport Mental Health Association; Trustee of the University of Bridgeport and Fairfield University; Big Brothers of Greater Bridgeport; the Bridgeport-Stratford Branch, NAACP; and the Connecticut Advisory Council, US Civil Rights Commission, among others.

On a national scale, he has served as a Director of the Child Welfare Association of America (CWLA) for 10 years, serving as its first African-American President for three years.

In 1992 he became the first African-American elected to the Executive Committee of the United States Golf Association (USGA). During his tenure he organized and hosted four Symposiums, 1992-1995, attended by African-American golfers from 30 States and representatives from the entire golf industry, including the PGA Tour, the PGA of America, the LPGA, Titleist, Calloway, Golf Digest, Wilson Golf and other industry giants.  The networking arising out of those symposiums remains significant into the 21st Century.

The history of African-Americans in golf, Uneven Lies, by Pete McDaniel, was written after he met with the CEO of Titleist and told him that the one book missing from golf’s extensive library was such a history. Wally Uiehlein immediately agreed to have his company underwrite the cost of producing that history, and did.  You should read it, if you haven’t, and a copy of it should be in your library.

He started playing golf in Hawaii at age 26 and over the years has achieved and maintained a handicap as low as 3 and in single digits for more than 40 years.  In 1980 and 1983, he was Club Champion at Rolling Hills CC in Wilton, CT. A torn rotator cuff and a mild stroke four years ago brought an end to his playing days, but he remains active in the cause of diversity in the game.

His hobbies include: working as a cowboy in AZ and Idaho for 30 years; researching and teaching the history of Blacks in the American West; teaching Race Relations at Fairfield University and Business Law at Norwalk (CT) Community College; and, gourmet cooking. He is retired and presently working on two books.  He has one daughter, Susan Beth, and a niece whom he raised as a daughter, Tabitha Carter, from the age of 5. Tabitha has a 10 year old son who adds a level of pure enjoyment to his life.

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