Excellence Off the Pickleball Court
By Carl Foster
July 22, 2026 • 15 min read
AS PICKLEBALL CONTINUES its meteoric rise from local park favorite to a global commercial force, the people driving that growth often operate behind the scenes. Behind every court build, brand expansion, media innovation, and landmark tournament stands a dedicated community of visionaries, organizers, and entrepreneurs building the infrastructure that supports the sport’s continued growth.
To recognize these game changers, the Golden Pickleball Business Award, presented by DUPR, was recently awarded at Chicken N Pickle in Henderson, Nevada, during the CourtReserve World Pickleball Conference. Created by Conference Chairman Carl Foster, the award recognizes business leaders and pioneers whose vision, leadership, and innovation are helping grow the sport of pickleball.
Spotlight on the 2026 Class of Honorees
This event’s five award recipients represent a broad spectrum of the industry, from engineering and commercial development to unified player competition, niche marketing tools, and global journalism.
Glenn Gara: 1st Source Lighting
Proper court visibility is a critical factor in player safety and performance, yet lighting remains one of the most technical and frequently overlooked challenges in sports facility engineering, particularly in repurposed commercial buildings. As Founder of 1st Source Lighting, Glenn Gara has spent years pioneering specialized LED fixtures tailored specifically to the unique visual demands of sports courts. Recognizing that standard industrial high-bay lights create severe glare and blinding hotspots when players look up to track high lobs, Gara’s team designed glare-reducing, indirect LED systems that deliver smooth, uniform illumination across the entire court.
Beyond enhancing playability, Gara takes immense pride in manufacturing high-performance, energy-efficient fixtures that are Made in America. By maximizing lumen output while minimizing energy consumption, 1st Source Lighting helps court owners lower operational overhead without compromising broadcast or tournament standards. Gara’s dedication to domestic manufacturing quality and technical innovation has helped establish a higher standard for court construction, ensuring players at every level enjoy clear, comfortable vision from baseline to kitchen line. Gara’s commitment to customer service reflects a philosophy that has become increasingly rare. Even today, his team still answers the phone.
Gordon Gebert: National Pickleball League
Entrepreneur, former touring rock musician, and inventor of the Slam Master Pro practice paddle, Gordon G. G. Gebert has brought energy and innovation to pickleball’s competitive landscape. As Founder and CEO of the Official NPL™, Gebert has built a nationwide league system that connects thousands of players through organized competition. His vision is to make structured league play accessible to players of all skill levels, from those picking up a paddle for the first time to highly competitive athletes in the Champions Division (50+).
Under Gebert’s leadership, the NPL has integrated real-time rating systems to elevate organized league play to a national standard. By bridging athletic competition, community building, and structured progression for every skill level, Gebert has helped create sustainable pathways for players of all backgrounds. His continuous efforts to expand league accessibility have helped position the NPL as one of the sport’s fastest-growing organized league systems.
David Johnson: Chicken N Pickle
Few concepts have reshaped the social fabric of the sport quite like Chicken N Pickle. As Founder and Principal, David Johnson championed a groundbreaking “Eatertainment” model that merges top-tier indoor and outdoor pickleball courts with farm-to-table dining, lawn games, and vibrant community spaces. Under Johnson’s leadership, the brand has scaled into a national powerhouse, providing an inviting entry point for countless new players who might never have stepped onto a traditional sports complex.
Beyond building high-volume venues, Johnson has anchored Chicken N Pickle in corporate responsibility and local community engagement. Each property serves as a regional gathering hub, hosting youth sports clinics, corporate outings, and major charitable fundraisers. By actively using court space to support local non-profits and military veteran programs, Johnson has provided a proven blueprint for how commercial sports entertainment can foster genuine community connection.
Adam Bricker: Pickleball Cards
In the fast-evolving world of sports marketing and fan culture, Adam Bricker, CEO of Pickleball Cards, recognized a unique opportunity to bring the tradition of sports trading cards to pickleball. Seeing that the sport lacked the iconic trading card culture celebrated in baseball, basketball, and football, Bricker created high-quality, collectible print and digital pickleball card sets highlighting top pickleball professionals, rising stars, and influential industry figures. As he tells the businesses who support and sponsor the Veterans Pickleball Association, “Pickleball Cards are built for hand-to-hand commerce.”
More than a collectible, Pickleball Cards has evolved into a marketing platform for players, coaches, tournaments, sponsors, and businesses looking to expand their visibility within the sport. Through custom card sets, team collections, tournament editions, and branded promotional pieces, the company has created new opportunities for fan engagement while giving athletes a lasting piece of memorabilia. By blending the tradition of sports trading cards with modern marketing, Bricker has introduced another way for organizations across the pickleball industry to connect with players and fans.
Adriana Falco: The Pickleball Weekly Magazine
Drawing on an extensive background in international marketing and media, along with 14 years as a pickleball player, Adriana Falco founded The Pickleball Weekly to broaden the conversation around the sport. While many outlets focus primarily on tournament results and equipment reviews, Falco envisioned a publication that also explores the business, culture, travel, health, innovation, and global growth of pickleball.
In less than a year, The Pickleball Weekly has grown into a digital publication with readers in 78 countries across six continents. Through exclusive interviews, international reporting, and in-depth feature stories, The Pickleball Weekly covers the full spectrum of the sport, including professional and amateur competition, business, innovation, product reviews, culture, travel, instruction, health, and pickleball’s continued global growth. Today, The Pickleball Weekly is recognized for its comprehensive global coverage of pickleball and the people driving the sport forward.
A Purpose-Driven Honor
Beyond recognizing executive excellence, the Golden Pickleball Business Award presented by DUPR serves a higher purpose as an official honor bestowed by the CourtReserve World Pickleball Conference, supporting the Veterans Pickleball Association (VPA). Through this partnership, Chairman Carl Foster and the awards platform connect business leaders with military veterans, leveraging the therapeutic and social power of pickleball to support physical rehabilitation, mental health, and community reintegration. One example is Paddle Battle of the Branches, a VPA event that brings together pickleball executives, military veterans, and supporters of the veteran community on the court.
Standing on the Shoulders of Pioneers
The 2026 Vegas class joins a distinguished group of past honorees whose vision and hard work paved the way for today’s booming pickleball ecosystem.
Previous recipients include professional pickleball champion and pioneer Kyle Yates; CourtReserve co-founders Tim and Ashley Owens; IPTPA Founder and President Seymour Rifkin; JOOLA Pickleball Chief Experience Officer Gordon Kaye; senior pickleball champion, coach, and ambassador Larry Gordon; DUPR CEO and President Tito Machado; Global Pickleball Federation President Javier Regalado; Dill Dinkers co-founders Will and Denise Richards; six-time U.S. National Pickleball Champion Rommie Maxey; Emmy Award-winning television producer and pickleball media pioneer Ray Colaiacovo; Diadem Sports Head of Development and PlayerU co-founder Rene Prats; global pickleball pioneer and performance coach Dr. Joy Macci; and Pickleball Central co-founder David Johnson.
Together, this distinguished roster represents the bedrock of innovation, leadership, and service across the sport.
Submit Nominations for the Next Class
Nominations are officially open for the upcoming round of the Golden Pickleball Business Award. Held during the next CourtReserve World Pickleball Conference in October in West Palm Beach, Florida, the next group of honorees will continue to shine a spotlight on the people working behind the scenes to grow the sport.
If you know an entrepreneur, facility builder, executive, or advocate making a lasting impact on the sport, submit a nomination.
To learn more about the submission criteria, supporting the Veterans Pickleball Association or upcoming WPC events, visit worldpickleballconference.com. ●
Golden Pickleball Business Award Honorees
Presented by DUPR
July 2026
CourtReserve World Pickleball Conference
Chicken N Pickle • Henderson, Nevada
- Glenn Gara, Founder, 1st Source Lighting
- Gordon G. G. Gebert, Founder & CEO, Official NPL™
- David L. Johnson, Founder & Principal, Chicken N Pickle
- Adam Bricker, CEO, Pickleball Cards
- Adriana Falco, Founder & Editor-in-Chief, The Pickleball Weekly
April 2026
CourtReserve World Pickleball Conference
US Open Pickleball Championships • Naples, Florida
- Tim & Ashley Owens, Co-founders, CourtReserve
- Gordon Kaye, Chief Experience Officer, JOOLA Pickleball
- Kyle Yates, Professional Pickleball Champion & Pioneer
- Rene Prats, Head of Development, Diadem Sports; Co-founder, PlayerU
- David Johnson, Co-founder, Pickleball Central
Inaugural Class of 2025
World Pickleball Convention & Conference
Palm Beach Convention Center • Palm Beach, Florida
- Seymour Rifkin, Founder & President, IPTPA
- Larry Gordon, Senior Champion, Coach & Ambassador
- Tito Machado, CEO & President, DUPR
- Javier Regalado, President, Global Pickleball Federation
- Will & Denise Richards, Co-founders, Dill Dinkers
- Susan Brewer, Founder of Pickled Abroad
- Carl Schmits, USAPA Chief Technology Officer
- Paul Olson, Host of Selkirk TV Podcast, Future of Pickleball
- Ray Colaiacovo, Emmy Award-winning TV Producer & Pickleball Media Pioneer
- Dr. Joy Macci, Global Pickleball Pioneer & Performance Coach
- Rommie Maxey, Six-time U.S. National Pickleball Champion
About Carl Foster
Carl Foster is the Chairman of the World Pickleball Conference and the CEO of Foster Events Group, LLC, where he specializes in the production and management of high-profile sports and entertainment events. With over 50 years of experience in broadcasting, fundraising, and event leadership, he produces Inside WORLD Pickleball and serves as a lead moderator for industry summits. He is a central figure in the professionalization of pickleball, connecting technology experts, organizational leadership, and the player community to elevate the sport’s presence on a global scale.
Read the full magazine issue! Click below, then tap Full Screen for the best reading experience.
