Special event during BMW Championship week featured BMW Global Executive Ilka Horstmeier
GLENVIEW, IL — The Western Golf Association’s (WGA) Evans Scholars Foundation (ESF) and BMW hosted a fireside chat featuring BMW Executive Ilka Horstmeier on Saturday, Aug. 19, at the Northwestern Evans Scholarship House in Evanston, Illinois.
During the event, which was one of several Evans Scholars initiatives during the 2023 BMW Championship, a group of current Evans Scholars and Alumni heard from Horstmeier in a fireside chat moderated by NBC Sports contributor Hailey Hunter.
“We are proud of our longstanding partnership with the Western Golf Association, and of the great impact the BMW Championship makes in the lives of so many young scholars,” said Horstmeier. “BMW believes strongly in the role corporations play in supporting organizations like the Evans Scholars Foundation, which creates opportunities for young people to reach their full potential.”
The morning began with a tour of the Scholarship House led by Northwestern Chapter President Ryan Lach and Vice President of New Scholars Marisa Wieglos. In addition to the fireside chat, which touched on career exploration, leadership and BMW’s support of the ESF, Horstmeier also participated in a Q&A and spent time meeting with Scholars. Leaders from the WGA/ESF and BMW were also in attendance.
Horstmeier has been a member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, responsible for Human Resources, and Labour Relations Director since 2019. Her focus areas include operational excellence, sustainability and social impact. She began her tenure with the BMW Group in 1995 as a trainee and section manager in Human Resources and Organisational Development. She went on to hold various management functions in production and became Senior Vice President for Production and Planning Engines and E-Powertrain in 2013, and in 2018, she became head of the BMW Group Plant in Dingolfing.
All profits from the BMW Championship, a PGA TOUR FedExCup Playoff event run by the WGA, benefit the ESF. Since BMW became the event’s title partner in 2007, the tournament has contributed more than $45 million to fund Evans Scholarships and sent more than 3,000 caddies to college.