Antonio Gelonesi

Antonio Gelonesi is the Chairman and owner of Piranha Golf. He has wide business experience in the financial services industry and in recent years he has consulted extensively in the energy and renewable and sustainable energy sectors, first as Global Leader for climate change with Deloitte Touche and then as a freelance consultant. In recognition of his devotion to, and love of, the golf industry, Antonio has achieved Master Club Maker status after spending a number of years learning and honing his skills on the PGA Tour. Antonio is the recipient of a Bachelor of Science degree from Sydney University in 1983, a Master of Finance degree from Macquarie University in 1996 and is part way through a Ph D at Southern Cross University. A passionate scientist, engineer and solutions-based inventor, Antonio is also a keen golfer, has owned a golf resort, successfully run high profile men's and women's golf tournaments in Australia and has been a merchant of change in the Australian golf industry for many years. He is very excited and committed about introducing the Piranha Golf brand to the world because he believes it will eventually rank alongside the current prestige equipment providers across the world.

Steve Collins

Steve Collins is the President, United States Region of Piranha Golf, a role that he has occupied since April 2009. Under Steve’s guidance, Piranha Golf has undertaken a significant awareness campaign in the US, including trade shows, demo days, radio and print media interviews, co-ordination of the breaking of a Guinness World’s Record in 2010 (golf-related) and has established strategic links in Arizona and elsewhere in the US. Significant links have been established with the various professional organizations in Arizona, as well as with other key industry people there. Steve has extensive banking experiences in Australia, followed by a number of successful finance consultancy businesses that he was instrumental in establishing and administering from start-up. Those businesses were entrepreneurially focused on servicing niche operators in the golf, tourism, energy and construction industries. Testimony to Steve’s business sense and acumen, and his intense focus on customer service, is evident in finance deals he placed for clients. In the period 1995-2008 placement of those finance transactions approached three quarters of a billion Australian dollars. Steve is the recipient of a Master of Business Administration degree from Macquarie University in 1993 and is a Senior Fellow of Finance within the Financial Services Institute of Australasia. His capacity to fuse funding facilities with growth opportunities will allow Piranha Golf to pursue opportunities in the golf industry, particularly in the US. Steve was granted permanent US residency in January 2009 and this allows him to concentrate on growing the golf business in the US and neighbouring countries. A keen golfer and spectator of the game, Steve is well placed to maximize opportunities for Piranha Golf in the US while understanding the dictates of the Australian parent Company. 

Dave Barnes

Dave Barnes is the Senior Executive, United States Region for Piranha Golf. He spent 25 years in corporate America in the medical field as a project manager learning, developing and implementing programs and processes to improve the customer experience. He has traveled extensively throughout the US using his expertise to teach others how to deliver true world class customer service. During that period, Dave also focused on “giving back” to the game of golf, believing it to be a source of opportunity, networking and business development. He paid particular attention to the social aspects of the game and how it could be used to support others, including via charity functions and junior development and recognized the importance that golf plays in the US, and particularly Arizona. Dave has an extensive background in the golf industry both as a player and administrator. He is a past President of the Arizona Golf Association and Arizona Golf Foundation. He has been on the board of directors for the Golf Industry Association, a committee member for the Pacific Coast Golf Association and is currently (since 2004) a committee member on the Regional Affairs Committee for the USGA. He currently sits on the Tournament Committee for the Marilynn Smith Charity Classic, designed to support young women golfers. Marilynn, a good friend of his, is a co-founder of the US LPGA. Dave has won tournaments in the US and abroad, represented the state of Arizona both nationally and internationally, managed golf facilities and even set a course record. He co-founded the Southwest Team matches which pit teams of six state golf associations against each other in a multi-format event over 2 days. Dave’s love of the game is only surpassed by his desire to give back and grow the game.

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