Lisa Bluder, the winningest coach in Iowa Hawkeye history, will deliver the keynote address at the July 1 John Deere Classic Executive Women’s Day event presented by Quad City Bank & Trust.
The former St. Ambrose University women’s basketball coach also will be the featured speaker at a luncheon hosted by the Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois, a news release from the JDC said.
Ms. Bluder led Iowa to two back-to-back NCAA national championship games before announcing her retirement on May 13, 2024. She famously led the University of Iowa Women’s Basketball program during the Caitlin Clark era. In addition to scoring 528 victories in her career, Ms. Bluder was named Naismith Coach of the Year in 2019. In addition she is a three-time Big Ten Coach of the Year.
Her aim at the TPC at Deere Run event is to inspire those she speaks to with her story of leadership, the JDC said in the release issued today, April 22.
Executive Women’s Day is expected to kick off the morning festivities in a luxury suite adjacent to the 18th fairway at TPC Deere Run, Silvis. Following Ms. Bluder’s keynote address, attendees will receive a behind-the-scenes look at the workings of the JDC. It will include a tour of areas normally not open to the public, the tournament release said.
Tickets available now
“Quad City Bank & Trust is honored and excited to host Lisa Bluder at this year’s Executive Women’s Day,” QCBT President and CEO Laura Ekizian said in the release. “Lisa is a woman who has achieved at the highest level of her industry, and we are eager to hear about her journey and her insights on leadership and philanthropy.”
Tickets are available now at https://give.classy.org/JDCExecutiveWomensDay for the full-morning experience. Other sponsors for the Executive Women’s Day event include Royal Neighbors, Rouse Consulting Group, and Modern Woodmen of America.
Later in the day, Ms. Bluder will take the stage at a special luncheon hosted by Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa & Western Illinois at Bally’s Casino in Rock Island. Themed “Leading with a Winning Culture,” it will honor the legacy of the Girl Scouts and highlight the shared values of courage, confidence, and character.
Guests will hear from Ms. Bluder as she reflects on her coaching journey and the power of cultivating a winning mindset — on and off the court, the release said.
Lifetime Girl Scout
“Girl Scouts are proud to welcome Coach Bluder to the Quad Cities,” said Diane Nelson, CEO of Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa & Western Illinois. “We have had a long history with Coach Bluder – she’s a lifetime Girl Scout – and we look forward to hearing leadership lessons she has learned along the way.”
Tickets for the Girl Scouts’ Leading with a Winning Culture luncheon are now available at https://girlscoutsandlisabluder.cheddarup.com/. Sponsors include: Conlon Construction, IH Mississippi Valley Credit Union, and Huiskamp Collins Investments, LLC.
The 54th edition of the Quad Cities’ PGA Tour event will be played July 2-6 at TPC Deere Run with Davis Thompson as defending champion and a purse of $8.4 million.
The John Deere Classic, which includes Birdies for Charity, is a 501(C)3 non-profit organization, is located in tournament offices at 15623 Coaltown Road, East Moline. Since its founding in 1971, the tournament has helped raise more than $189.6 million for charity.
