My golfer of the month for April is none other than “Deano” Dean Bierly. Deano is probably one of the most recognizable IMGA members because of his many years behind the desk of the Ironwood Pro Shop.

Deano was born in Washington, D.C. and was raised in suburban Maryland. While attending Oxon Hill high school he lettered in baseball, basketball, football and track. His basketball team won the state championship for two years during his tenure there. His high school was a small school and to emphasize that fact he said he was a lineman at 150 lbs. Fortunately, his saving grace was that he was fast.

After high school he attended junior college for two years, finishing his formal education at University of Maryland, graduating with a degree in math. After graduation, he joined the FBI but he couldn’t tell me what he did because if he did, he said he would have to shoot me. After a three year stint with the FBI, he joined the Naval Oceanographic Office as a computer systems analyst. He spent 17 years traveling the world for the U.S. Navy. He then joined DEC Computers, a career that again spanned 17 years where he held a number of positions finishing up his career as an operations manager in Santa Clara, CA.

Deano and his wife Carol moved to Sun Lakes in 1992 and he went to work for Robson Industries. He said he has done just about every golf-related job except for mowing the fairways. He has worked behind the counter at Ironwood for almost 21 years. He is an avid golfer and although he lives in Phase II, Ironwood is his golf club of choice. He started playing golf at age 25 and has always been involved with golf clubs wherever he lived, in particular, in Santa Clara where they lived on a golf course.

In addition to golf, Deano is a model railroad enthusiast and has a garden railroad in his backyard which he runs during the winter months. His drink of choice is wine and he and his wife Carol hosted a wine tasting club in San Ramon, CA for 12 years. Deano fills in his idle hours reading. His favorite author coincidently, is Clive Cussler whose main protagonist in many of his books was Dirk Pitt, a renowned oceanographer, just like Deano. Well, that may be a bit of an overstatement, but, you get the connection.

Deano, we hope to see you behind the desk at Ironwood for many years to come.